Experiencia de contratación de créditos automotrices en Latam

How was user research for automotive lending conducted?

Enthusiasm and knowledge combine to understand the complexities of conducting user research in Latin America. Elena Flores and Jackie Benitez take us on a journey through the challenges and learnings of developing an automotive credit study. This project, full of learnings and challenges, reveals how a bank in Latin America tried to digitize its processes. The goal was to better understand the process in order to offer solutions that adapt to the specific needs of customers, taking into account the particularities of Mexico, Peru and Colombia. The key here was to connect with the user's experiences and encourage digitization focused on real needs.

What techniques were used and why were they selected?

The research techniques chosen and their correct implementation are essential in User Research. This project started with a kickoff to agree on expectations and define the way forward.

• One-on-one interviews: These were conducted to map the automotive credit contracting journey. They sought to identify needs, pain points and clarity of requirements during the process.
• Product benchmarking: This allowed analyzing the value offer of competitors and their differences in terms of user experience, providing the financial institution with valuable insights.
• Prioritization workshop: With the findings of the benchmark and interviews, needs were prioritized and design concepts were defined considering the available resources.

How were activities coordinated in different countries?

Coordination between teams from different countries was another pillar of success. This project stood out for the use of uniform scripts and rules in Mexico, Peru and Colombia. However, it was recognized that although these techniques are used homogeneously, the information derived from each country varies significantly. This coordination effort generated crossed results, allowing to learn and adapt to the particularities of each market.

What challenges and lessons learned?

The project presented some challenges when facing the cultural and market differences between the countries involved.

• Team integration: It became clear that understanding and adjusting to the ways of working of different teams was crucial to successfully cross results.
• Local context: Distinctive market elements, such as the way in which car purchasing is carried out (for example, in Peru cars are not manufactured locally and must be imported), demanded an adjustment of the process to the particular realities of each country.
• Technological and digital limitations: It was found that certain important user experiences could not be fully digitized, such as the car selection and test drive process.

What results were obtained for the client?

The insights obtained were of great value to the client. Some important elements stand out here:

• Mapping of differentiated Journeys: Each country presented a different number and type of steps, which revealed the need for a differentiated approach to overcome the bias of unified expectations.
• Demystification of hypotheses: It was proven that regionalization does not always imply uniformity in processes, leading the bank to rethink its strategies.
• Team education: The study educated both the research team and the client about cultural and market differences that affect the customer experience.

What recommendations could you offer to future researchers?

For those wishing to embark on a similar journey, the project experts stress the importance of:

• Define clear boundaries: From the outset, a clear definition of scope and deliverables with all involved can avoid future problems by aligning expectations.
• Make differences visual: Showing differences through visual tools facilitates understanding of each country's diverse landscape.
• Encourage open communication: Debriefing and sense making sessions are crucial to understanding the results and learning from each other.

These learnings demonstrate that collaborative research, while challenging, is immensely enriching and essential to the success of multicultural projects.