Card issuer tests user experience for fuel card applications
A card issuer wanted to test the user experience for fuel card applications in 3 European markets
The Challenge
Lost in translation
The card issuer needed to evaluate its online credit application process with fleet managers in three European markets: Belgium, the Netherlands and France. It wanted to know if the application process was clear and well-designed in each local market, as well as the needs of fleet decision-makers applying for fuel cards.
The application process was based on an American version, so a key challenge was capturing translation and localization issues in the credit application wording and information requested. The card issuer needed a B2B market research company experienced in fintech market research to design an effective product testing study in multiple languages that would accurately capture these insights.
Our Approach
Localized product testing across three European markets
Werk Insight, a B2B market research agency, designed a product development research program that evaluated how respondents reacted to a six-page wireframe of a credit application.
We interviewed 20 fleet decision-makers in their native French or Dutch. They all used fuel cards and managed fleets with at least 3 vehicles.
Our interview moderators shared their screens and guided respondents through the credit application, gathering feedback in real-time. Focusing on four key themes – clarity, design, content and translation – the interviews gathered insights on what worked, what caused confusion, what met expectations and what could be improved. We also explored general fuel card usage and expectations related to credit application processes.
After each interview, the moderators translated their notes into English to ensure that nuanced insights about mistranslations or cultural nuances were not lost in the process. It was important that the moderators were fluent in the respondent’s language to capture nuanced feedback on the wording of the credit application, for instance, using French pronouns that were too informal for a business setting.
We used a SWOT analysis across the four key themes (clarity, design, content and translation). This resulted in page-by-page feedback on what worked, what needed improvement, and what could cause users to abandon their credit application.
The Insight
Enhanced credit application process
Our recommendations informed future iterations of the credit application process, including the need to invest in a translation service. The research findings included specific insights into points in the application that caused confusion, questions that were too personal, and design elements that raised skepticism from users. We also flagged translation issues, including mistranslations, grammar or tone mismatches, and concepts that did not carry over well into local languages.