Mastercard | Biz360

The Biz360 product is in commercial release, delivering easy cashflow management and insightful open banking features for small business.

Year
2022
Client
Mastercard / Vcita
Project
SME Integration
role
CX & Design Lead

Biz360: Simplifying Cashflow Management for SMEs

Biz360 is a cashflow management solution designed to streamline the way small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) handle their finances. Recognizing the challenges SMEs face with juggling multiple, disconnected financial applications, Biz360 integrates open banking features from Mastercard directly into the existing VCITA product. This targeted solution prioritizes a user-friendly experience, seamlessly combining functionalities with key features within VCITA. The core goal is to reduce complexity by eliminating the need for SMEs to access multiple applications for financial data and insights. Biz360 aims to consolidate everything into a single, unified platform. By providing a centralized view of past, current, and future financial information, Biz360 empowers SMEs to make data-driven decisions for improved business management.

Built for SMEs, By User-Centered Design

Our approach to developing Biz360 was built on a foundation of research and user-centered design. First, we conducted in-depth research to identify key assumptions about SME financial management needs. These assumptions were then scored based on their desirability and feasibility, informing the creation of user stories that outlined ideal functionalities. To validate these user stories, we formulated hypotheses and employed generative research techniques to uncover the true value for SMEs and refine our approach for more effective experimentation. Prototyping for learning played a crucial role, with user stories and task flows brought to life through three distinct experiment phases. Information architecture served as the backbone for these prototypes, ensuring a smooth and intuitive user experience. Finally, to gauge the effectiveness of the solution, we conducted qualitative and quantitative research with SME owners across various industries. This SME evaluation ensured Biz360 addressed the real-world needs of its target audience.

Struggles of Managing Cashflow Data as an SME

Running a small or medium-sized business (SME) often involves wearing many hats. But one of the biggest challenges can be managing data effectively. Currently, piecing together business performance requires accessing and logging into multiple applications. This is a time-consuming and inefficient process that hinders informed decision-making.

Imagine having all your business intelligence readily available in a single, centralized location. This would eliminate the need to constantly switch between applications and spend valuable time gathering data. An ideal system would not only consolidate information but also analyze past, present, and future trends to provide actionable insights that empower you to run your business more effectively and efficiently.

Mastercard | Biz360

Open Banking Simplified: Boosting Financial Efficiency for Small Businesses

As a small business owner, they are eager to learn how open banking can streamline their operations and boost their bottom line. A straightforward application process is key to getting them started quickly. Once enrolled, they would appreciate a clear dashboard that summarizes their financial health at a glance. The ability to delve deeper and analyze their data for actionable insights is crucial. Furthermore, access to reports and presentations summarizing past, current, and future financial performance would be incredibly valuable. Finally, they seek the flexibility to manage their open banking application to ensure it continues to meet their evolving needs.

Discover How Open Banking Enhances Efficiency for Your SME

The marketing website demonstrates how Open Banking can revolutionize their business. It explains what Open Banking is and how it securely connects to existing accounts. Biz360 Open Banking transforms financial data into a single, centralized dashboard, eliminating the need to switch between apps and manually enter data, saving valuable time and resources. Biz360 OB also analyzes finances to provide actionable insights, empowering small business owners to make better decisions – from improved cash flow forecasting to smarter budgeting and strategic planning. By consolidating scattered data, Biz360 Open Banking helps them take control of their business finances. 

Fully customisable marketing site and product design for B2B2C partners


First release - MVP

A. Core Features

Current Balance Overview

  • Existing Cash Position: Display current balance with comparisons to past periods (last week, month, quarter, half-year, year).
  • Account Comparison: Visual indicators and graphs show balance changes over selected periods.

Account Management

  • Default Account Setting: Set a default bank account when multiple accounts are linked.
  • View All Account Details: Detailed view of all linked accounts, including balances, account numbers, and overdraft limits.

Financial Aggregation

  • Balances and Cash Flows: Option to view or aggregate individual account balances and cash flows.
  • Total Inflow vs. Outflow: Monthly summary of total inflow versus outflow, visualized with charts or graphs.

Transaction Management

  • Transaction Listing: List transactions with filters for debit/credit, category, account, and payment method.
  • Recent Transactions: View up to 2 years of transaction history.
  • Average Cash Balance: Display the average cash balance over the past 12 months, with monthly or quarterly views.

Account Information

  • Account Names and Numbers: Display linked accounts' names and numbers.
  • Available Overdraft: Show the available overdraft for each account.

B. User Experience

Dashboard Integration

  • Biz360 Overview: SMEs can view critical financial data on the Biz360 dashboard.
  • OB Dashboard Access: Access detailed account information and insights via the Open Banking (OB) dashboard in Biz360.

Second release 

A. Advanced Financial Insights

  • Projected Balancesome text
    • Future Cash Balance Projections: Display the projected balance for future dates with indicators showing whether the cash flow is expected to increase or decrease from the previous week, month, half-year, or year.
    • Accounts Payable and Receivable Integration: Use data from accounts payable and receivable (such as Vcita data) to compute projections.
    • Data Import from External Apps: Potential integration with other financial applications to enrich data for projections.
  • Enhanced Account and Transaction Analysissome text
    • Deep Dive into Accounts: More detailed analytics on each bank account, including trends and performance metrics.
    • Advanced Filtering and Sorting: Additional filtering options and advanced sorting capabilities for transactions.
  • Holistic Financial Managementsome text
    • Aggregated Financial Overview: Comprehensive view of all financial activities and balances across all linked accounts.
    • Strategic Planning Tools: Tools and insights to aid in cash flow forecasting, budgeting, and strategic planning based on detailed financial data.

B. User Experience Enhancements

  • Seamless Data Integrationsome text
    • Smooth Data Flow: Ensure that data from various sources, including external apps, seamlessly integrates into the Biz360 Open Banking dashboard.
    • User-Friendly Interface: Enhance the dashboard with an intuitive interface that simplifies complex financial data into easily understandable insights.
  • Customization and Flexibilitysome text
    • Personalized Dashboards: Allow SMEs to customize their dashboards based on their specific financial management needs and preferences.
    • Adaptive Features: Ensure the application can evolve to meet the changing needs of SMEs, including the ability to add new features or integrations as their business grows.

Outcome 

Biz360 revolutionizes financial management for small businesses. The successful launch of Biz360 with integrated cash flow management and open banking features is making waves in the small business sector. This innovative product is equipping entrepreneurs with the tools they need to thrive.

Mastercard | Biz360