MANULIFE
Activating Cards, Reducing Friction
BUSINESS IMPACT
Executing the new in-app activation flow is projected to reduce average call handle time by 10 minutes per call for 10,000+ customers.
Existing activation process generated thousands of support calls per month.
Each activation call averaged 10+ minutes of agent time.
141.7K existing inactive cards - a major opportunity to increase card usage, revenue, and customer engagement
USER PROBLEM
Card activation was handled entirely via phone, disconnected from the digital experience
This disconnect led to
User friction and drop-off
High support costs
Missed opportunity for in-app engagement
FUTURE
I envisioned a central card management hub that goes beyond just card activation - including pin reset, card lock/unlock, lost/stolen reports - all in one place
Designing the activation flow with this future state in mind ensured scalability and consistency within the system architecture.
HYPOTHESE
A hub-style layout would best support scale
Key UX needs (discovered later) would include:
Clear instructions on card code/PIN
Confirmation and success feedback
Contextual help options
RESEARCH & COMPETITIVE AUDIT
Most competitors guide users to card details visually
Progressive disclosure works well for multi-step flows
Help is offered contextually, but subtly
Method: Reviewed competitor experiences (5 apps), mapped end-to-end flows, A/B and Usability testing
DESIGN CHALLENGE - ITERATION 2
Based on findings, I focused on the highest impact enhancements:
Embedded support to reduce friction at the right points
Visual guidance for where to find activation info (e.g., PIN/code)
Clean multi-card and single card activation handling
Additional consideration and edge cases:
Replacements vs new cards
Activation after extended delay (e.g., 30+ days)
Offline/online integration (e.g., matching physical card to digital instructions)
DESIGN SYSTEM CONSIDERATIONS
Reusable card component for offers or new features
Accessibility and error states for complex cases
OUTCOMES AND BUSINESS VALUE
The new in-app card activation flow was designed, validated, and implemented in collaboration with engineering and product with a future-ready Card Management Hub in mind.
Impact: reduced operational costs and increased product adoption