Great design translates to dollars

Many years ago my team and I introduced simple one-function page checkouts to one of our largest customers.

The UX/UI team for that customer complained because there were now 5 pages to complete in a transaction.

The marketing team for that customer complained because fancy UI-style accordians and carousels would not be implemented.

And the sales team complained because all of the upselling components were removed as well.

However, the one person that mattered in the customer group was the person who owned the revenue line and the outcome. He mattered.

But the person who mattered the most was the actual customer.

After perservering, we implemented. Sales quadrupled and Net Promoter Scores (NPS) increased significantly – in fact, just short of Apple’s NPS scores. And for our customer, this was the only positive NPS score in their whole organisation!

Great design matters. Especially when it comes to payments, and especially when it comes to fraud. If you can’t detect it properly because it’s buried in marketing and misdirection, then you capture it and stop it.

Here is a great read on more reasons to consider form design in payments and forms in general.

TransferWise removing borders

TransferWise, the UK-based payments money transfer company, is launching a new service allows customers to make cross-border payments in a wide range of currencies.

TransferWise has implemented a “borderless scheme” to improve the efficiency of sending money around the globe. The service will initially only be available for small businesses and freelancers in the UK and Europe, and will be available to those in the US next month.

This type of function will allow businesses who are challenged with moving money from one country to another an alternative to a normal bank transfer process or even PayPal. Normally global financial institutions such as Citibank and HSBC for example, offer such schemes to their customers.

Bitcoin price soars past $2000

Bitcoin was trading at around $1,700 per coin until it surpassed the high of $2,000 per coin this week.

Obviously, the surge has gained interest from various media outlets around, still unconvinced that Bitcoin is nothing more short of a fad currency.

However, reports indicate that the rival cryptocurrency, Ethereum, has been rising significantly as well, starting the year at $8.24 on 1 January 2017 to hitting a high of $203 throughout the year so far.

The right teams perform miracles

A large team may not quit on you but they will disengage easily.

Small teams of talented people create greater things than large teams of cumbersome low quality engineers.

Provide an environment that removes barriers.

Provide the best tools and don’t skimp on the little things.

Responsibility beats policy. Make everyone an owner.

Design and architect autocratically and with purpose – develop and deliver democratically.

Start with a data first platform

Your data is always going to win.

Ensure it has context and integrity.

Preserve it. Savour it. Use it.

Understand its entropy and use by date.