Creating User-Friendly Embedded Finance Experiences

Embedded finance is transforming how businesses and customers interact with payments. From offering loans directly within an app to enabling cross-border payments without leaving the platform, embedded finance simplifies transactions.
But simplicity doesn’t happen by chance.
It’s the result of thoughtful, user-centered design that prioritizes the people using these systems.
Let’s talk about how to make embedded finance ecosystems work better for users and, by extension, for businesses.
Start With User Convenience
At its core, embedded finance should make life easier for the end user. Whether that user is a small business owner approving supplier payments or a CFO managing payroll across regions, convenience is king.
But here’s where many embedded finance solutions falter: they’re built with an inside-out perspective.
Instead of starting with what users need, they focus on what the system can do.
For example, if your embedded finance solution requires users to toggle between multiple interfaces to complete a task, you’ve already lost them.
A good user experience lets them complete payments, check statuses, or access financing without leaving the platform they’re already using.
Ask yourself, “What tasks are my users trying to accomplish?” Then build your workflows around those tasks, not the other way around.
Intuitive Journeys in Embedded Payment Workflows
Here’s a quick story: A client of ours was rolling out an embedded payroll financing feature within their ERP software.
Users were overwhelmed by the number of steps required to apply for financing.
The form fields felt endless.
The process required jumping between tabs to input financial details manually. Despite being a robust product, adoption rates were abysmal.
Our solution?
We redesigned the journey to mirror what users were already doing.
Instead of a separate tab for financing, we embedded a “Get Financing” button directly in the payroll approval flow.
Clicking it auto-filled key data from the existing system and provided clear next steps.
Adoption rates doubled within three months.
Why It Worked:
- Context-Aware Design: We met users where they were—in the payroll flow.
- Reduction of Friction: Auto-filling data removed redundant tasks.
- Clarity of Action: Users knew exactly what to expect next.
Design journeys that match the user’s mental model. Think less about your product’s features and more about their goals.
Measuring Success from a User Perspective
How do you know if your embedded finance solution is truly user-centric? The answer lies in measurement. Too often, businesses focus solely on metrics like revenue growth or transaction volume. While important, these metrics don’t tell the whole story. You need to measure success from the user’s perspective.
Key Metrics to Consider:
- Task Completion Rate: Are users completing their intended actions without unnecessary frustration?
- Time on Task: How long does it take for users to complete key workflows? Shorter is almost always better.
- User Satisfaction Scores: Direct feedback from users can reveal blind spots in your design.
- Adoption and Retention: Are users coming back, or are they abandoning the solution after one try?
Collecting this data isn’t just about surveys and analytics. It’s about embedding user feedback loops into your design process. Regular usability testing, post-transaction surveys, and even one-on-one interviews with key users can provide invaluable insights.
If you’re not measuring user outcomes, you’re guessing. And guessing isn’t a strategy.
The Business Case for User-Centric Embedded Finance
Let’s bring this back to business impact. Why should payment leaders care about user-centricity in embedded finance? Because it directly affects your bottom line.
A poor user experience leads to churn, low adoption rates, and ultimately, lost revenue. On the flip side, a well-designed experience drives loyalty, increases transaction volume, and opens the door to cross-sell opportunities.
Investing in UX isn’t just about making things look pretty. It’s about driving measurable business results.
WDIR, Your Partner In Exceptional UX
If you’re a payment leader looking to make your embedded finance solutions work better for your users—and your business—WDIR can help. Our expertise in tying user experience to business outcomes is unmatched in the B2B payments space.
Let’s work together to create experiences that delight users and deliver results. Get started today!