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Interview with Seven Bank （Click here to read the original interview article）

A New Approach to Boosting Card Loan Conversions

Seven Bank faced a common challenge in its card loan business—attracting potential customers was not an issue, but converting them into applicants proved difficult. Despite optimizing web ads, landing pages, and calls-to-action, there remained a psychological barrier preventing users from completing applications.

To bridge this gap, Seven Bank turned to PickUp, leveraging the communication platform LINE to nurture leads through personalized engagement. We spoke with Daisuke Takada and Kosuke Katsuyama from the Banking Division to understand how PickUp transformed their approach.

Interviewees:

• Daisuke Takada – Group Leader, Banking Division, Seven Bank
• Kosuke Katsuyama – Research Officer, Banking Division, Seven Bank

Challenges

• While Seven Bank successfully attracted potential customers through web advertising and landing pages, conversion rates remained a challenge.
• Traditional web marketing approaches failed to fully address customer concerns, leading to hesitation in the application process.

Why PickUp?

• Performance-based pricing minimized risk, allowing Seven Bank to set CPA at 70% of standard advertising costs.
• PickUp’s integration with LINE enabled ongoing engagement even in a cookie-less environment.
• Its flexible scenario design and customer-driven approach provided a more personalized experience.

Results

• Completion rates for the initial engagement scenario improved from 70% to the high 80s, significantly enhancing the customer experience.
• Customer hesitations were addressed, boosting confidence in the service and improving application rates.
• Sustained customer engagement led to conversions even 220 days after initial registration.

Identifying the Key Pain Points

Takada: “While our card loan service attracted interest, many customers hesitated to complete applications. Web ads and landing pages only took them so far. We needed a solution that would provide the extra push to finalize their decision.”

Traditional web marketing techniques—such as optimizing landing pages, refining keywords, and revising ad copy—helped but were not enough to eliminate customer doubts.

The Decision to Implement PickUp

Takada: “Initially, we weren’t sure if PickUp would work for a financial product like card loans. Loan services can be seen as either highly convenient or intimidating, depending on the customer. Repeated outreach could backfire if not handled carefully. We also had concerns about transitioning customers from web ads to LINE and whether interacting on this platform would truly encourage applications.”

Katsuyama: “In a cookie-less digital landscape, maintaining customer engagement is becoming increasingly difficult. However, LINE is already a familiar tool for many users. We saw potential in using it as a direct, interactive communication channel to reduce customer anxiety and build trust.”

After thorough discussions, the team saw the potential to enhance the customer journey rather than disrupt it. Within three to four months, Seven Bank decided to implement PickUp—an unusually quick turnaround for a new initiative.

Driving Better Engagement Through UI and Strategy Optimization

To ensure a smooth experience, Seven Bank conducted a comparative analysis of similar services before choosing PickUp. The key deciding factor? Cost efficiency and risk reduction. PickUp’s performance-based pricing model significantly lowered the financial risk while delivering better results.

Takada: “Compared to other services, PickUp offered an optimal balance of cost and performance. With CPA set at 70% of traditional web advertising costs, it was a highly attractive option for us.”

Enhancing the User Experience

At launch, the completion rate for the first engagement scenario was around 70%—already a solid figure. However, Capex, the team behind PickUp, believed that further optimization could push it even higher. After analyzing user data, they identified that a significant portion of Seven Bank’s target audience consisted of senior users, for whom small text and intricate UI elements could pose usability challenges.

By redesigning interface elements—such as replacing small text-based options with larger button-style selections—the completion rate increased to the high 80s, demonstrating a direct correlation between UI improvements and user engagement.

Addressing Customer Concerns with Personalized Features

Takada: “One of the biggest concerns for card loan applicants is whether they will qualify. To ease this anxiety, we implemented an interactive feature within LINE that allows users to run a pre-qualification check as many times as they like. The average user engaged with this feature 1.55 times, confirming that it helped reduce uncertainty and increased confidence in moving forward with an application.”

Seasonal and situational messaging also played a role in customer retention. Instead of limiting engagement to a 30-day period, Seven Bank extended messaging campaigns over the course of a year. For instance, around the holiday season, they introduced messages such as, ‘Need extra funds for holiday travel or New Year’s expenses?’—tailoring content to timely financial needs.

The Long-Term Impact of PickUp

By continuously nurturing leads rather than relying on one-time engagement, Seven Bank saw customers applying up to 220 days after their initial interaction—a testament to the importance of sustained communication.

Katsuyama: “We initially assumed that most applications would come within a short period, but we were pleasantly surprised by the long-term impact of PickUp. Maintaining engagement over an extended period proved to be a game-changer.”

Final Thoughts: Is PickUp Right for Your Business?

Takada: “PickUp is especially well-suited for businesses dealing with products or services that involve a psychological barrier. Financial products, high-value services, or any offering where customers feel uncertainty or hesitation can benefit greatly from this approach.”

Katsuyama: “Capex truly understood not just our business, but also our customers’ behavior. Their insights led to solutions we wouldn’t have considered on our own. PickUp has allowed us to not only improve conversion rates but also build trust and long-term relationships with our customers.”

For businesses looking to enhance their customer engagement and drive conversions, PickUp offers a data-driven, user-friendly approach that proves engagement isn’t just about immediate conversions—it’s about building a connection that lasts.