Fintech apps (or financial technology apps) are broadly adopted today as they have changed the way companies operate. It refers to any app that enables people or businesses to digitally monitor, regulate, or gain insights into their accounts or conduct financial transactions. The Covid-19 outbreak impacted the MFS (Mobile Financial Services) market's field-level operations during 2020 and 2021. Despite these setbacks, bKash was able to finish the year with 50.5 million total users, 12.4 million new users, 35,000 new merchants, and 41,000 new agents. Today, we'll examine the Fintech app - bKash and evaluate its user interface.
About Bkash
bKash, a subsidiary of BRAC Bank, is the fastest and safest medium of mobile financial transactions in Bangladesh. bKash provides services such as sending money, adding money, paying bills, mobile recharge, online payment, and many more.
People in Bangladesh, like many other developing countries, migrate to urban regions to earn a living so that they can support their families in rural areas. The idea behind bKash was to cater to this expanding group of employees by developing a reliable system that would enable them to transfer money home in a safe, quick, and reasonable manner. Bkash plays a significant role in connecting the population of Bangladesh to digital financial services. According to GSMA (Global System for Mobile communications Association), the technology behind bKash enables 98% of the country's mobile consumers to access its service using very basic devices. bKash devised a simple USSD interface that could be accessed by the cheapest (i.e. $15) handset.
Smartphones would make it easy to implement mobile money, but the service would then be limited to only affluent customers and would defeat the purpose of reaching the unbanked and poor. - bKash
Features of the app
Send and receive money
Mobile Recharge
Qr code scanning
Pay bills and access the bill information for your saved accounts.
View all transaction history
Earn points every time you use bKash services and claim rewards using those points.
bKash Map - find bKash agent, customer service, and merchant in any part of the country from bKash Map
A consumer may add up to five additional bKash accounts as "Priyo numbers" in his or her bKash account during any given month and can send money to these numbers for less cost per transaction.
IA of the app
Analyzing the app's various screens
Splash screens
The Bkash app uses micro-interactions for the loading animation in the form of 3 dots in the splash screen. This type of interaction helps to provide the user with feedback that the app is working, while also making the waiting time feel less tedious. When the app is opened for the first time it starts in "Bengali"(native language) making it accessible for people who may not be fluent in English. However, for ease of usage, the text can be displayed in both the native tongue and English.
Login screens
The registration/login process of the app is straightforward and can be completed in a few minutes, even for those who are not tech-savvy. The registration/login page has an efficient UI UX design which is very important when it comes to designing apps. Reach out to our UI UX design team at Neointeraction Design if you or your business needs assistance developing a simple and effective user interface for a mobile Fintech application. The app has audio-enabled instructions as soon as the users enter the registration page and an audio guide that makes it more intuitive and user-friendly, even for first-time users. The option to switch between English and Bengali is present on the login pages, but it is designed more like a switch than a button, which may confuse users. The inability to swap between account numbers causes users difficulties while attempting to log in. Additionally, biometric authentication can be used to enhance the login procedure.
Homescreen
Pros:
The icons and buttons are large and clearly labeled, making it easy for users to understand their function.
The app also provides users with personalized recommendations, such as suggestions for services that may be of interest to them, which helps to increase engagement and usage of the platform.
The Bkash app also shows a great example of how micro-interactions can be used effectively to improve the overall user experience.For example, when a user completes a transaction, the app animates the transaction status from "pending" to "completed" with a smooth transition, providing the user with a clear visual representation of the transaction's status. This type of animation helps to create a more engaging experience for the user, as well as reinforcing the fact that the transaction has been successfully completed.
The app uses audio feedback to provide confirmation of transactions, alerts for notifications, and other important information.
The app also sends real-time notifications for various actions, such as when a new transaction is received or when a user's account balance is low. These notifications help to keep the user informed and engaged with the app, as well as provide a quick and convenient way to access important information.
The Bkash app provides voice-enabled features that help users conveniently send and receive money, search for products and services, monitor their account activity, and connect with customer support.
The app also employs a back button that is always visible, allowing users to quickly navigate back to the previous screen without having to use the device's hardware back button.
Cons
The user interface of the homepage is cluttered and the icons could be standardized to create a more consistent UI.
The trophy icon on the homepage is unnecessary and doesn't signify anything. Users could misunderstand the icon as a button, leading to a lot of confusion.
Labels such as "cash out" can be confusing, thus the term withdrawal/withdraw money should be used instead.
The “My bKash” services are listed immediately below mobile transaction services, which makes it challenging to distinguish. There must be a distinction between mobile services and my bKash services.
The logo is used as the hamburger menu on the homepage, which may mislead users as it is not common practice. The sole purpose of a logo on the home screen is to represent the app.
Instead of Home, Scan QR, and Inbox, the navbar can provide home, recharge, scan QR code, and history/ transactions. The labels in the navigation bar aid in conveying meaning to users and eliminate ambiguity.
Additional feature of the app
The Bkash app's UX design also takes into account the context in which the app is being used. For example, the app has been optimized for use in areas with limited internet connectivity, with a lightweight design that allows for fast and efficient data transfers even on slow connections. The app's offline mode also allows users to access some of the app's features even when they do not have an internet connection, ensuring that the app remains accessible even in areas with limited connectivity.
User reviews
The majority of users believe the app to be simple and easy to use.
Consumers are encountering various troubles with the OTP since neither manual input nor automated detection is working.
Additionally, users find the pin reset procedure to be challenging.
The app occasionally crashes before logging in and also has slow loading.
Many users also find the unnecessary notifications irritating and would like an option to turn them off
Users also found the in-app camera very weak
Users also suggested adding a fingerprint sensor for ease of use
Conclusion
With the help of this case study, we can better understand why bKash has a user base of 50 million+ compliant users. Bkash’s design has been revolutionary in reducing the financial exclusion faced by those with vision and literacy issues as it was specifically designed to provide the most accessible and effortless user experience possible. It has also made a huge difference in the lives of the elderly, providing a platform that can be used without the aid of a younger generation. While the UI of the app can be designed better, consumers still perceive bKash services to be straightforward and simple to use. Strategically speaking, it is clear that bKash may be an immovable force in the MFS market.