Messaging Strategy & Execution for Fintech Recoveries Customers
Creating a human-centered messaging strategy for customers in debt required balancing compliance, empathy, and clarity. The goal was to develop and execute communication that not only met strict regulatory requirements but also reduced customer friction and improved repayment outcomes.
Problem
Recoveries customers are often navigating moments of financial stress. The fintech’s existing communication was outdated in design and relied heavily on legal language, making it intimidating and difficult to understand.
Customers reported confusion, disengagement, and frustration, leading to low response rates and poor repayment follow-through.
Assessments of client’s website, payment portals and messaging strategy revealed major concerns with UX and content strategy
Confused
Disengaged
Frustrated
Less Dollars Collected
The Challenge
How might we design messaging that increases clarity, builds trust, and supports compliance—while guiding customers toward resolution with dignity?
Research
Understanding both the target audience and the brand is essential to creating digital products that not only meet user needs but also reinforce a company’s unique value and long-term vision
Missed payments or were behind on obligations
Under stress, with varying levels of financial literacy
Needed clear, empathetic guidance to take the next step without feeling shamed or threatened
Process
We used a human-centered, cross-functional process that balanced compliance with clarity and empathy. Our approach included:
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Auditing all existing communications and gathering customer insights
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Defining audience segments and mapping customer journeys
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Creating a clear messaging framework and tone guidelines
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Designing consistent multi-channel templates with improved UX
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Partnering early with legal to streamline compliance
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Testing and iterating with real customer feedback
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Phasing rollout with monitoring and feedback loops
A clear project schedule in UX strategy keeps teams aligned, ensures research and design phases stay on track, and creates space for iteration without derailing delivery
Solution
The final solution was a recoveries messaging framework that delivered:
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Clear structure: messages organized around “what happened, what it means, what to do next.”
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Plain language: replacing jargon with straightforward explanations.
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Empathetic tone: acknowledging customer stress while reinforcing options for resolution.
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Multi-channel delivery: email, SMS, and in-app notifications aligned for consistency.
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Compliance alignment: every message co-created with legal for approval, but simplified for customer readability.
Building a custom messaging framework and customer journey ensures every touchpoint is intentional, consistent, and designed to guide customers with clarity and trust
Results
+70%
Increase in Email Open Rates
+345%
Increase in Click Through Rates
-40%
Reduction in call center escalations
$13M+
Higher repayment success rates
Collaborate Early
Compliance, marketing and clarity can coexist: Partnering early with legal reduced friction and produced better outcomes
Lead with Empathy, Earn Response
Empathy drives engagement: Customers were more responsive when language acknowledged their situation
Aligned Messaging, Reduced Confusion
Consistency matters: Aligned messaging across email, SMS, and app reduced confusion
Test & Learn
Iterate with real feedback: Small-scale tests validated tone and helped refine phrasing before rollout