Design an Insta EMI Card feature in the Bajaj Finserv app for first-time borrowers in Tier-3 towns

Introduction

Bajaj Finance built one of India's largest consumer lending franchises on a simple promise: walk into an electronics store, buy the phone or refrigerator you need, and pay for it in No Cost EMIs. The Insta EMI Card digitised that promise. It carries a pre-approved limit, works across a large network of partner stores and online merchants, and is issued and managed inside the Bajaj Finserv app.

The prompt asks for a feature that helps first-time borrowers in Tier-3 towns understand and use the Insta EMI Card. These customers often have thin or no credit files, may be buying their first financed product, and frequently meet the card through a store promoter rather than an app. I'll clarify the problem, explain why it matters for Bajaj Finance, pick a segment, map pain points, and then design and measure a solution.

Step 1

Clarify Questions (3 minutes)

• Is the goal activation (first EMI transaction), responsible usage (on-time repayment), or both?

• Why it matters: A feature that pushes first transactions without improving understanding can raise bounce rates on EMIs.
• Hypothetical answer: Both. Leadership wants more first-time cardholders to make a first purchase within 60 days, without hurting early repayment behaviour.
• Impact: Success metrics must pair activation with a repayment guardrail.

• How do first-time borrowers get the card today?

• Why it matters: The design has to start where the user actually starts.
• Hypothetical answer: Most are onboarded at a partner store by a Bajaj Finance representative during a consumer durable loan, then pay a one-time card fee and receive a digital card in the app.
• Impact: The first app session usually happens days after the store visit, with little memory of the terms.

• What languages and devices should we design for?

• Why it matters: Tier-3 users skew towards entry-level Android phones, patchy data, and regional languages.
• Hypothetical answer: Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, and Bengali are priority languages; the app must work well on 2–3 GB RAM devices.
• Impact: Lightweight screens, vernacular voice, and offline-friendly content are in scope.

• Are there regulatory constraints on how we present loan terms?

• Why it matters: RBI's digital lending guidelines require a Key Fact Statement (KFS) and clear disclosure of all-inclusive cost.
• Hypothetical answer: Yes, every change to how charges are explained must be reviewed by compliance.
• Impact: The feature should explain the KFS, not replace it.

Propose the Goal

Help new-to-credit Insta EMI Card holders in Tier-3 towns understand what they owe and when, so that more of them make a confident first purchase and repay it on time.

Define the Scope

In scope: the Insta EMI Card section of the Bajaj Finserv app, the first 90 days after card issuance, and the link back to partner stores. Out of scope: underwriting changes, limit-setting policy, and the merchant-side promoter app.