01 — Context

What is Jalode?

Jalode is a multi-sided SaaS platform and marketplace designed to be the operating system for service businesses — hotels, gyms, spas, and salons. It combines merchant management tools (bookings, staff, CRM, POS, payments) with a customer-facing marketplace for discovery and booking. For Jalode to work, merchants must be onboarded successfully. A failed or abandoned onboarding means no revenue, no customers, and no value generated on either side of the
marketplace.

02 — Problem

Onboarding was a wall, not a door.

The merchant onboarding process was technically functional but poorly designed for the reality of Nigerian business owners — many of whom were registering a digital SaaS platform for the first time. The flow was long, opaque, and offered no sense of progress or trust.

03 — Research & Discovery

Mapping the merchant's journey

Before touching any screens, I mapped the full journey from a prospective merchant's first contact point through to their first live booking — identifying friction, anxiety, and moments of delight.

04 — Information Architecture

Wireframes & flow logic.

Low-fidelity wireframes mapped the structural logic of each step before any visual design began. The primary goal: make each step feel singular and completable.

05 — High Fidelity Screens

Design decisions, annotated.

Step 1 of 6 — Account Creation

Low friction entry. Build trust early.

The lefthand panel runs across all 6 steps — not just for brand presence, but to communicate Jalode's value proposition while the user fills in forms. It turns a dead column into a conversion asset.

• Persistent left panel highlights Bank-grade Security, Fast Settlement, and Real-time Analytics — addressing the 3 biggest merchant anxieties upfront
• Password strength indicator with inline copy ("Min 8 chars, a number, and a symbol") reduces form errors without a separate validation screen.
• Google OAuth reduces time-to-step-2 for users with Gmail accounts — the dominant email provider among Lagos business owners.
• Progress stepper at the top is always visible — sets expectation of 6 steps, preventing mid-flow abandonment from surprise.
  

Step 4 of 6 — KYC / Business Verification

The hardest step, made approachable.

This was the #1 drop-off point in the old flow. The redesign treats it as a compliance task, not a test — guiding users through what's needed and why, with clear upload states.

• Uploaded CAC doc shows filename + "Replace document" link gives users control and eliminates anxiety about uploading the wrong file.
• Upload zones use dashed borders and inline guidance standard affordance or document upload, reducing cognitive load.
• CAC/RC Number field placeholder shows format (RC / 1234567)— removing a common source of confusion for new registrations.
• Subtitle copy: "We're required to verify your business. This takes 1–2 business days." — sets expectations, prevents repeated check-ins.

Step 5 of 6 — Business Profile Setup

The moment of pride. Make it feel real.

Merchants setting up their public profile are crossing from compliance into identity. This step needed to feel exciting — like launching a storefront, not filling a form.

• Logo upload zone is prominent and centered — the first visual act of brand ownership for the merchant on Jalode.
• Branch/Location component with "Add another branch" expands the form inline — avoids a new page for multi-location businesses.
• Operating hours uses toggle + time range pattern — toggling a day to "Closed" hides the time range, reducing visual clutter.
• Primary Location badge is immediately visible — important for multi-branch merchants who need to understand which location is default.

Step 6 of 6 — Settlement Account

Trust architecture for money conversations.

Asking a business owner to enter their bank account details in a new platform is a high-stakes UX moment. Every element on this screen exists to reduce anxiety and communicate legitimacy.

• "Powered by Providus Bank — Licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria" appears above the form inputs. CBN licensing is a potent trust signal for Nigerian SMEs.
• Two-option card pattern (existing account vs. open new) sets context before asking for numbers — user understands what they're linking.
• "Skip for Now" as a secondary CTA reduces pressure. Merchants who skip can still access the platform and complete banking later.
• Shield icon on the trust card reinforces security visually — supports users who scan rather than read the full label text.

06 — Outcomes & Impact

The numbers that followed.

Post-launch tracking showed measurable uplift across the onboarding funnel, driven primarily by the structured 6-step stepper, improved KYC guidance, and the optional banking step.

07 — Learnings

What this taught me.

• Trust is a design element, not a brand decision
• Progress visibility is conversion infrastructure
• Optional paths reduce exit rates