AEREM : A Solar loan Financing App

What was the challenge?

Aerem sought to empower small and medium-sized solar energy service providers (MSMEs) to overcome challenges in lead management, financing, and operational inefficiencies. The industry faced issues such as scattered workflows, significant drop-offs in loan applications, missed appointments, and limited visibility into conversion pipelines. This environment, compounded by intense competition and a fragmented customer journey, called for a streamlined, user-friendly solution.

Image: Problems

What was the goal?

To design an all-in-one platform that serves as a reliable, end-to-end mobile app for solar energy service providers. The objectives were to:

1. Achieve a lead-to-loan conversion rate of 20% or more.

2. Simplify the entire customer journey for service providers and their end-customers.

3. Increase efficiency by integrating features like lead tracking, loan applications, and post-installation services.

Img: Current designs in development

Our Process

Problem Analysis:

• Conducted a deep dive into the existing operations, identifying gaps in lead nurturing, financing, and customer touchpoints.

Highlighted inefficiencies, such as scattered data points, skipped appointments, and long time gaps between customer interactions.

Img: Previous Dashboard

User Analysis:

• Interviewed 10 executives from solar energy companies to understand their workflows and frustrations.

• Identified two main personas:

  • Small Business Owners: Managing limited leads and relying on simple tools like WhatsApp and Excel.

  • Medium Business Owners: Balancing visibility and control with larger teams using a mix of ERP systems and manual tracking.

    
    

Img: User Journey Map

Competitive Analysis:

• Studied 15+ competitors, focusing on areas like lead management, financing, and integration gaps.

• Discovered that existing platforms lacked a holistic approach combining CRM, financing, and operational tracking.

  
  

Img: Competitor analysis

Workshop:

• Engaged stakeholders to align product objectives with business goals.

• Addressed major pain points, such as 30-50% drop-offs during loan applications and inefficiencies in bridging leads to loan approval.

Img: Userflow

What did we do?

To address the challenges faced by solar energy MSMEs, we developed a unified platform that streamlined their operations and improved customer journeys. Here’s what we did:

1. Conducted In-Depth Research

   • Analyzed the problems with legacy workflows, including data fragmentation, inefficiencies in lead management, and lengthy loan approval processes.

   • Interviewed 10 executives from solar energy service providers to gather insights into their workflows, frustrations, and needs.

   • Identified key gaps in the market through competitive analysis, focusing on CRM integration and financing solutions.

     
     

2. Defined Clear Objectives

   • Worked with stakeholders to prioritize user needs and align business goals, focusing on improving lead conversion, reducing loan drop-offs, and increasing operational efficiency.

Img: Design System

3. Designed and Built a Comprehensive Solution

• End-to-End Dashboard: Centralized platform to manage leads, financing, proposals, and project maintenance.

• Lead Management: Created tools to track and nurture leads, organize client data, and ensure follow-ups are not missed.

• Loan Application and Tracking: Simplified the financing process by integrating real-time updates and status tracking for both service providers and their end-customers.

• Proposal Maker: Designed customizable templates to reduce time spent on creating project proposals.

• Site Survey Tracking: Built tools to schedule, track, and manage site surveys, ensuring timely updates and reducing missed appointments.

  
  

4. User-Centric Design

• Adopted a clean, scalable design system that minimizes distractions and enables seamless navigation.

• Focused on linear workflows and cross-navigation to enhance task efficiency and reduce friction in user interactions.

  
  

  

Img: Design System

5. Integrated Real-Time Features

• Provided service providers with tools to fast-track loan approvals and improve communication with customers.

• Built visibility into the status of leads, loans, and projects to address the need for transparency and control.

Img: Current Product in development

Results

Three months after the launch of the Aerem Solar SaaS platform, the following measurable results and improvements were achieved:

1. Increased Conversion Rates

   • The platform significantly improved the lead-to-loan conversion rates, helping MSMEs close more deals efficiently.

     
     

2. Reduced Drop-Off Rates

   • By streamlining the loan application process and introducing real-time status updates, drop-offs during the financing stage were substantially minimized.

     
     

3. Enhanced Efficiency

   • The unified dashboard and user-friendly tools reduced the time spent on manual tasks, enabling faster turnaround for lead management, loan approvals, and project tracking.

     
     

4. Improved ROI for Users

   • The platform delivered high returns on investment by improving operational efficiency and enabling users to generate more business with less effort.

     
     

5. Better User Experience

   • A scalable and intuitive design system provided users with a seamless and frictionless experience, contributing to higher satisfaction and adoption rates.

Img: Current Product in development

By addressing the critical challenges faced by solar MSMEs, the Aerem Solar SaaS platform established itself as a reliable, end-to-end solution that enhances productivity and competitiveness in a demanding market.