Building a High-Engagement Credit Card Rewards Experience for Citizens Bank
Product Redesign
Citizens Bank
23 September 2023
12 Weeks
Introduction
We redesigned Citizens Bank's rewards experience to make cardholders feel every point earned, every benefit available, and every action worthwhile. The goal was to improve visibility, simplify the reward journey, and encourage consistent card usage through a modern, confidence-first interface.
Challenge
Increasing Engagement Through Better Visibility
Citizens Bank wanted to strengthen customer engagement within its credit card ecosystem by improving how cardholders interact with rewards, offers, and payment tools in the mobile experience.
Although the core rewards platform was strong, customers found it difficult to track reward progress, explore benefits, and manage payments with confidence. Important information was spread across multiple screens, reducing clarity and increasing friction.
The redesign challenge was to build a unified experience that simplifies complexity while communicating value at every step.
Objectives
Defining the Transformation
The initiative focused on creating a structured and engaging credit card ecosystem that would:
- Improve visibility of rewards and savings
- Simplify payment and statement management
- Highlight personalized benefits and offers
- Reduce payment anxiety and confusion
- Build confidence through financial transparency
Design & Solution
Creating a Unified Rewards & Payments Experience
Rewards & Benefits Visibility
Introduced personalized reward modules, clear point summaries, and contextual progress cues so users always understand available value and next steps.
Offers & Spending Insights
Embedded spend insights and category-level recommendations to surface relevant offers and increase perceived utility.
Payment Flexibility
Users can manage statements, split transactions, and activate installments through guided flows designed for reduced anxiety and faster completion.
Transaction Transparency
Details for each transaction now include merchant context, available rewards impact, and payment status to improve financial confidence.
Scalable System
The design system supports future integrations and feature growth across Citizens Bank's digital products.
Key Decisions
Designing for Clarity and Confidence
This redesign prioritized information hierarchy, visual consistency, and interaction clarity to reduce cognitive load while increasing engagement with rewards.
- Improved visibility of key financial data
- Simplified payment flow paths
- Clear conversion tracking touchpoints
- Consistent visual system for navigation
Outcome
Strengthening Customer Engagement
The redesigned credit card experience positioned Citizens Bank to deliver a more transparent and engaging digital rewards experience.
Projected impact:
- Higher reward utilization
- Increased monthly engagement
- Faster payment completion
- Improved customer satisfaction
- Stronger cross-sell opportunities
The platform now provides a structured and scalable foundation for expanding customer-facing financial services.