Customer Journey Experts Deliver £Millions Each Month in Additional Revenue
Hastings Direct Loans faced tight deadlines after a supplier cut-off notice, requiring a complete rebuild of their loan application journey.
With critical services on the line, they needed a fast, secure, and compliant system delivered rapidly.
We designed and delivered the complete rebuild within months. The solution was stable, secure, and scalable, with strong UX and robust engineering throughout.
Optimising High-Intent PCW Traffic Conversion
The 9.6 percentage point improvement demonstrates effective optimisation of customers who arrived ready to apply. This shows how even small improvements in user experience can significantly impact high-intent traffic.
5.0%
0.6%
3.3%
2.4%
12.9%IMPROVEMENT IN TOTAL CONVERSION RATE
As a respected lending partner to many of the UK's leading brands, a seamless transition to the new journey was vital.
Turning a Crisis into an Opportunity
The existing journey had clear limitations. Data was lost if a user navigated away, validation often triggered too early, and mobile input behaviour was inconsistent. Accessibility was not fully compliant, and infrastructure was not built to scale.
Hastings also faced a fixed service cut-off from the previous provider. That meant no flexibility in delivery timelines, no tolerance for downtime, and added pressure on internal teams managing critical services in parallel.
Technical and functional requirements added further complexity, including the need to capture granular user interaction data for analytics and optimisation.
The form also had to support third-party enrichments like address lookup, conditional logic based on previous answers, and PCW pre-populated fields.
There were also complex validation scenarios such as minimum values, specific increments, and proof-of-income referrals.
RebuilT for Performance & Scale
We rebuilt the application journey from scratch, focusing on both the front-end experience and the underlying infrastructure.
The new system supports session-based progress saving, so users can leave and return without losing data. Fields use the correct keyboard input types and native mobile behaviour wherever possible.
The form handles third-party enrichments, complex logic, and validation without interrupting the user flow. Referral traffic from PCWs pre-populates fields to reduce friction and speed up completion. Autocomplete has been configured to work properly across fields, helping users move through the journey quickly.
The structure is clean and scalable, with infrastructure managed through automated deployment and recovery tooling. A fully documented disaster recovery plan was delivered, and penetration testing completed ahead of launch to ensure the platform meets cyber insurance requirements.
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- 1Loan Purpose
- 2Amount
- 3Payment Term
Now serving 37.8% of customers that previously quit the journey
75 Previously converted
In a cohort of 100 visitors, 75 would complete the journey, and 25 would drop out.
759 Additional customers retained by new journey
- PageSpeed
- Accessibility
- Further Improvements
16 Customers still not converting
- Pricing
- Changed mind
- Credit score
Accessibility THAT meets Consumer duty obligations
The existing user journey suffered from excessive complexity that was failing users who rely on assistive technology. Our optimisations reduced complexity whilst maintaining the same degree of functionality, creating a more inclusive experience for everyone.
This reflects the first-party application only and does not include third-party elements such as cookie banners.
| Accessibility Issue | Before Sputnik | After Sputnik |
|---|---|---|
| ErrorsAccessibility errors that cause issues | ||
| Contrast ErrorsColour contrast issues | ||
| AlertsPotential accessibility issues | ||
| FeaturesElements that provide accessibility functionality | ||
| Structural ElementsHTML structure, like input labels and fieldsets | ||
| ARIAAccessibility information for assistive technology |
Simplifying the Process Through Better UX
We transformed Hastings’ loan application with a focus on user experience and customer needs, while maintaining brand identity through existing colours, typography, and iconography. We delivered intuitive drop-downs, clear validation feedback, and seamless address lookup integration to reduce friction throughout the journey.
The result is a straightforward application process that helps users complete their goals efficiently, delivering proven conversion uplift through improved experience.
- 1. Your Loan
- 2. Income
- 3. About You
- 4. Bank Account
1 Station Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL54 2ER
1 Bridgeside, Station Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL54 2ER
1 Station Villas, Station Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL54 2ER
Loan Details
Make sure to tell us the right reason as this is an important part of your application.
You can apply for between £1,000 and £25,000, in multiples of £100.
Loan Offer
Monthly repaymentGuaranteed APR 14.5%
£358.43Loan Amount
£4,000Term offered
12 monthsTotal cost of credit
£301.14Fees
£0Total repayable
£4,301.14
Don't just take our word for it
We wish all our suppliers were like you.
Samuel Kerr
Head of Digital, IT and Change
Hastings Direct Loans
Let's work together.
Call our Managing Director Andy on 0800 680 9777 or fill in our to discuss how we can help.