Why Service Design Matters More Than Ever in Financial Services & Insurance

When leaders in financial services and insurance (FSI) talk digital transformation, the conversation often starts with features: a new app, faster claims, a chatbot, a slicker payment flow. But here’s the reality: features don’t build loyalty—service does.

At TribalScale, we’ve seen it firsthand. A Tier 1 bank wanted more adoption and retention. Their instinct was to add features. But once we mapped the service design, the friction was clear: confusing handoffs, clunky onboarding, disconnected support. The fix wasn’t new functionality—it was a better-designed end-to-end journey.

As one senior executive told us:
“We realized it wasn’t about adding more features—it was about removing friction across the entire journey. Once we mapped the service design, adoption took care of itself.”

What Service Design Really Means

Service design is not just a UX layer on a website or mobile app. It’s the architecture of experience across every touchpoint:

• How fast it feels to open an account or settle a claim.

• How seamlessly internal teams hand off responsibilities.

• How consistent the experience is from app login to call center follow-up.

• How easy it is for a customer to exit a service without friction.

In short: it’s the glue between people, processes, and technology.

When service design is strong:

• Customers feel empowered, not confused.

• Employees deliver value without fighting broken systems.

• Companies unlock efficiency, reduce costs, and earn loyalty.

When it’s weak:

• Call centers overflow.

• Teams burn out under operational friction.

• Customers churn to competitors.

• Compliance and risk exposure grows.