Building the be+ App

The Challenge

From Franks extensive industry knowledge and a lot of feedback from the industry leaders, they discovered, that there are two key main challenges for the company pension industry and the overall labour market for companies.

For HR-Departments: War for talent is intensifying, companies invest a lot but employee appreciation lags

Companies face the difficulty of attracting and retaining skilled workers due to a growing shortage in the talent pool. They are investing significant amounts into benefits like corporate pension schemes, with a desire to provide appreciation through valuable benefits for their employees. However those efforts are not really recognized by the employees and they don’t really feel appreciation. They also have a lot of manual processes in personnel administration.

For the insurance industry: Incredibly poor closing rates

Pension products have incredibly poor closing rates of only 36 % for pension products despite the crucial need for employees to take care of their pension. They also suffer lack of young talents in sales and loose touchpoints to private customers.

For the employees: A desperate need for a pension solution

14,000,000 employees (in SMEs) are in a desperate need for a pension solution, but 64% still have no contract with their employer as they hate complexity in pension products and do not understand the benefits of a retirement provision.

The Idea

The idea was born to combine all benefits a company offers on one easy usable platform and to make the benefits of for example the company pension more transparent for the employees to generate a feeling of appreciation and at the same time digital transform hr processes.

Design & UX Process

Our design and user experience (UX) journey commenced with a series of immersive workshops, beginning with the foundational Design Thinking Workshop. This initial phase involved meticulous user research to validate existing challenges, followed by empathetic mapping and persona development to gain insights into our target audience. Ideation sessions and the creation of paper prototypes paved the way for user interviews, leveraging tools like Marvel App and InVision for visualization.

Subsequently, a Business Design Workshop facilitated deeper dives into market research, enabling us to gauge demand and identify potential clientele. We crafted a robust business model, refined our value proposition, and conducted SWOT analyses to ensure strategic alignment.

Throughout the design and UX phase, customer engagement remained paramount. Activities spanned from field studies and beta testing to adopting early adopters, complemented by moderated testing sessions and cognitive walkthroughs. An array of methodologies, including remote and in-place usability testing, stakeholder interviews, and co-creation workshops, enriched our understanding of user behavior. We meticulously mapped customer journeys and user flows, integrating insights from user behavior analytics and usability metrics.

Moreover, we established a comprehensive design system and style guides to maintain consistency across the platform. From sketching and wireframing to interactive prototyping, every step was meticulously crafted to prioritize user-centric design principles. The iterative process, initiated with Sketch and transitioned seamlessly to Figma, ensured continual refinement and optimization.

In essence, our design and UX process was a testament to our unwavering commitment to user satisfaction and innovation, culminating in a cohesive and intuitive platform that resonates with our audience.

Results

Dozens of corporate customers and companies are utilizing be+ with hundrets of users in the first years, all achieved without any significant marketing expenditure. We have integrated multiple product partners and sales partnerships, wherein insurance companies, insurance agencies, and financial institutes offer be+ as an add-on for their products to their customers.

Some voices from customers and actual users

“My company has been using be+ for a while now, and I really like the fact that I always have my time tracking and all my important documents with me. I’m also regularly excited about new features on the platform!” 5/5 ★★★★★

“They value respectful interaction and offer genuine added value through their product.” 5/5 ★★★★★

A super modern, clear, and user-friendly time tracking solution. Excellent support and a consistently helpful and reliable service team. 5/5 ★★★★★

Great platform for digital personnel files and time tracking! Super easy to use! 5/5 ★★★★★

Great app, incredibly easy to use, and graphically appealing! From an employer’s perspective, the service is excellent, courteous, and above all, reliable. They’re always easily accessible, and you’re informed about major innovations, trained upon request, and receive extensive support during implementation. Absolute added value for any company. If you don’t use be+, it’s your own fault! 5/5 ★★★★★

I highly recommend be+ and its services. It’s particularly helpful for smaller businesses and SMEs in employee management and simplifies processes. Personally, it’s also helped me, as an employer, to gather even more arguments in my corporate branding and to make these employee benefits visible to all parties 5/5 ★★★★★

We’ve been using be+ in our company for over a year and a half and are more than satisfied. Since then, we’ve seen how the entire be+ team has not only focused on our needs but also on the ongoing development of their HR platform. Many new features have been introduced since then, making the platform even better. Our employees have also embraced be+. 5/5 ★★★★★

We are represented on be+ with a total of 10 locations within our Kießling Paint Center Group, and therefore currently have approximately 180 active users. Ideas and suggestions are incorporated into the development, and otherwise, everything you need is available. The administrative process has been significantly streamlined. 5/5 ★★★★★

We’ve also received positive feedback from our employees, as it’s a truly simple and user-friendly platform. There are constantly new features being added, and we’re always kept up to date! 5/5 ★★★★★

Key Learnings & Conclusion

The journey with be+ has been an illuminating one, revealing several key insights and lessons learned along the way.

Firstly, our success underscores the importance of user-centric design and continuous validation. By prioritizing user feedback and iterating on our designs based on real-world usage, we were able to create a product that resonated with our target audience.

Secondly, the integration of design thinking methodologies and agile practices was instrumental in driving innovation and rapid development. The combination of design sprints, user testing, and agile development allowed us to quickly iterate on ideas and bring them to market efficiently.

Thirdly, establishing strong partnerships and alliances played a significant role in our growth trajectory. By integrating with multiple product partners and forging strategic sales partnerships, we were able to expand our reach and offer added value to our customers.

Lastly, maintaining a cohesive and efficient design system was essential for scalability and consistency across the platform. By governing and evolving the design system in collaboration with external partners, we ensured a seamless user experience and streamlined development processes.

In conclusion, the success of be+ demonstrates the power of collaboration, innovation, and user-centered design in addressing complex challenges within the pension and insurance industry. Moving forward, we remain committed to further enhancing the platform and delivering exceptional value to our customers.

My Role

Throughout the evolution of be+, my role has evolved from Project Manager and Business Analyst to Head of Product, encompassing a wide range of responsibilities.

Initially, I spearheaded the validation of the idea through design sprints and business model workshops, laying the foundation for the project’s success. Subsequently, as Head of Product, I provided strategic direction, developed the product roadmap, and led the development team in bringing our vision to life.

Additionally, I played a pivotal role in designing the brand language, creating all brand assets, and crafting intuitive user interfaces to enhance the overall user experience. Furthermore, I oversaw marketing activities, identified synergy opportunities with partners, and tackled advanced frontend tasks to optimize app performance.

Despite facing various constraints, such as coordinating multi-platform design and managing diverse teams, we navigated these challenges with resilience and determination, ultimately achieving remarkable outcomes in a complex and regulated market landscape.