Offering a more flexible way to buy a new or used vehicle, CarLoans4U.ie recently undertook a major design project that took in everything from their logo to a new website with a custom-developed loan repayments calculator, all done by Designit. Here, Donal Lawless shares what they learned along the way.

Why did you choose Designit?

They were recommended by a friend who had worked with Frank previously. You can’t beat a personal recommendation.

What was your brief?

To create a very clean easy to navigate consumer site that had the ability to push the information requested to various different platforms. We push our data to bespoke motor finance platforms, all of which have slightly different requirements, so it can get quite complex.

Why was it a pertinent change for your business?

The business model is solely depended on customer interaction with the site, so it’s a big deal!

Did you feel included in the design process?

Yes. I had a very clear picture of what I wanted and therefore I sat with Frank and laid out how I wanted things to look and work. Throughout the process Frank and I would go through what we felt worked and didn’t. The difficult bit was to get what I wanted in terms of a clean design onto the ‘page’, and that’s where Frank really helped.

What impact has the redesign had on your business, both internally and externally?

The big thing is people feel comfortable providing data that they normally wouldn’t. Part of the requirement for applying for finance is to provide personal details including bank details and income. With all that has gone on over the past few years, people are more reluctant to do so with a more ‘unknown’ brand. I feel that now the site welcomes people in and gives them the comfort they need to allow them provide this information. Yes, we have an FAQ section and we list that we are regulated by the Consumer Credit Act, but people don’t even see that, so the site itself has to be able to do that subconsciously.

What advice would you offer to companies who are about to start the design process?

Know what you want before you ask, making it up as you go along doesn’t work. I’m not talking about details, that’s where Designit come in, but the overall feel and practical side needs to be well thought-out before you start.

Why did you decide to update your online presence?

It’s simply a requirement of our business model.

What's your plan for the website going-forward?

We’re working on version two, so if someone tries to copy us, we’ll be already moved on to the next evolution. We’re only at the tip of the iceberg in terms of what we want to offer and how we want to interact with customers on the site.

What impact will this project have on future design based projects?

It forms the basis of everything we’ll do. The tough bit will be adding more while keeping it looking and feeling clean and simple.

Have all your expectations been met?

Pretty much. I ask a lot of questions and always wonder why people don’t know what I’m thinking, but Frank is pretty good at knowing what I’ll want next.

Biggest learning through the process?

Spend more time proofreading before you sign off text! I can’t stress that enough.

If you are planning a brand refresh, redesign or a web project and want hear more, contact us at hello@designit.ie or call +353-1-230 3757. We’d love to hear from you.

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