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Case 01 · Network International × SquadX · 2020
← All work

From paperwork to
self-onboarding.

Network International was preparing to scale across MENA — but their merchant onboarding was a manual, paper-heavy process that could take weeks. Over two weeks on-site, we mapped the full journey, diagnosed the cracks, and designed an end-to-end digital system that put the merchant back in control.

My Role
Service Design Lead
Duration
Two weeks on-site
Deliverables
Service blueprint · Journey maps · North Star concept · Hi-fi mockups
Lenses
Leadership · Merchants · Internal resources
4.
Merchants interviewed
9.
NI employees shadowed
5.
Locations covered
10+
Documents analysed
01  ·  Context

Growth plans ran into 1999-era processes.

02 markets in scope
POS + e-commerce

NI was preparing to scale across MENA, but its merchant onboarding depended on physical documents, manual Salesforce entry, and Relationship Managers acting as the single point of contact for days — sometimes weeks — at a time.

For e-commerce merchants, processing took five to twelve times longer than the industry benchmark. Leadership asked SquadX to map the whole thing, find what was breaking, and propose a way forward.

02  ·  Service Blueprint

The intersection of service and experience.

5 layers
14 steps end-to-end

A full-service blueprint mapping each phase of merchant onboarding across customer journey, frontstage, backstage, and support layers — with emotion markers showing where the journey strained.

Network International — Service Blueprint: customer journey, frontstage, backstage, and support processes mapped across Collect Documents, Application Review, and Installation phases
↔ Scroll horizontally on smaller screens to explore the full blueprint
03  ·  Findings

Eight process weaknesses we uncovered.

08 findings
Across 3 lenses
01
Poor application reliability — documents missing, invalid, or outdated at submission.
02
Process still required stacks of physical paper documents.
03
Status communication was manual — the rest of the org had to be updated by hand.
04
Digital tools like EIDA were available but chronically underutilised.
05
Salesforce implementation wasn't customised to merchant realities.
06
RMs became the default point of contact — clogging bandwidth, slowing everything.
07
E-commerce onboarding took 5–12× longer than industry benchmarks.
08
Lead generation relied heavily on individual RM initiative, not systems.
04  ·  Merchant Journeys

We walked two paths — and watched both collapse.

2 personas
POS + Ecom

The onboarding process and customer journey were analysed across four dimensions, applied to three merchant segments — then walked end-to-end with two representative personas.

User
Merchant
Segment 1
Merchant
Segment 2
Merchant
Segment 3
Analysis Dimensions
01Attract
02Convert
03Onboard
04Support
How well does NI create awareness and attract new merchants?
How well does NI convert prospects into signed customers?
How well does NI engage merchants and promote up-sell?
How well does NI retain merchants and resolve issues post-launch?
Persona 01 · E-com
Sara
Physical + digital store representative

Represents a gift-wrapping shop with two physical locations using NI POS machines. After convincing the owners that e-commerce is now critical, she's looking for a viable platform partner.

Sara merchant journey map
Persona 02 · POS
David
Physical store SME

Owns a supermarket and isn't particularly tech-savvy. Already has a POS machine from another provider but is unhappy with the service — and has decided to switch.

David merchant journey map
05  ·  Design Direction

An end-to-end digital onboarding that keeps NI at the forefront.

04 principles
Guiding the rebuild
01
Automated — a system with the least possible human interference.
02
Simplified — only the most essential documents and steps remain.
03
User-centric — tools and interfaces that empower at every step.
04
Secure — risk and compliance baked in, never bolted on.
06  ·  Innovation

Merchant North Star journey.

A reimagined self-onboarding experience.

10 chapters
+ RM toolkit + web
Persona
Ahmed
Physical store SME
Ahmed avatar

Ahmed runs a supermarket and isn't particularly tech-savvy. He already has a POS machine from another provider, but he's unhappy with the service and has decided to switch.

Chapter 01

SEO / SEM

Ahmed searches online to understand how he can accept credit cards at his store — and finds NI as an option.

SEO / SEM
↑ Discovery via paid + organic search.
Chapter 02

Acquisition campaign site, improved NI website

He explores NI's website, and since he wants the POS as soon as possible, signs up via a simple registration form to receive his POS within 3 working days.

Acquisition campaign site, improved NI website
↑ Conversion-first acquisition site.
Chapter 03

Self-service app · Scan-to-extract · Multi-language support

Ahmed downloads the NI self-service app and starts onboarding by scanning and uploading the required documents — in English or Arabic, his choice.

Self-service app · Scan-to-extract · Multi-language support
↑ Self-service mobile onboarding app.
Chapter 04

Validation & data extraction via APIs

The application pre-populates required fields by extracting data from the scanned documents. Ahmed reviews and fills any missing fields through an intuitive, seamless workflow. Documents are validated using government and partner APIs.

Validation & data extraction via APIs
↑ API-driven data validation.
Chapter 05

UI guidance through signposting & chatbots

Since Ahmed isn't familiar with the process, he gets help from the chatbot during registration to make sure all documents are correct and valid before moving on.

UI guidance through signposting & chatbots
↑ Inline guidance and chatbot support.
Chapter 06

Review, complete, track.

Once all the fields are reviewed, Ahmed completes the registration and can follow the progress in real time within the app — no chasing, no calls.

Review, complete, track.
↑ Profile summary review and in-app status.
Chapter 07

AI fraud & risk detection · Enhanced back-office UI

NI's back office reviews Ahmed's application fully digital — with AI helping the staff flag potential risks and surface issues with the application in real time.

AI fraud & risk detection · Enhanced back-office UI
↑ AI-assisted back-office review interface.
Chapter 08

Automatic application updates

Since Ahmed has a partner in the store, NI's back office requires additional documents. Ahmed is automatically notified and prompted to submit the missing items — no manual chase.

Automatic application updates
↑ Automated multi-channel status updates.
Chapter 09

Secure messaging channel

Ahmed verifies himself and, through a secure messaging channel, sends the missing documents — getting immediate feedback on whether the application is complete or anything else is needed.

Secure messaging channel
↑ End-to-end secure in-app messaging.
Chapter 10

CRM for customer service & follow-ups

Installation is performed and tested at the agreed date. After a week, a follow-up call is made to Ahmed to hear out whether everything is working well.

CRM for customer service & follow-ups
↑ Post-launch CRM follow-up.
Plus · RM Toolkit

A digital toolkit for relationship managers

Relationship managers get a parallel digital toolkit: application dashboard, lead pipeline view, document review queue, and merchant communication hub.

A digital toolkit for relationship managers
↑ Relationship-manager dashboard and toolkit.
Plus · Website

Restructured public website

Rebuilt around conversion-first IA: clear value props, transparent pricing surfaces, and CTAs that lead directly into the new self-onboarding flow.

Restructured public website
↑ Restructured website with conversion-first IA.
Take away

From weeks of paperwork to a 3-day self-serve flow.

The reimagined journey collapses what was once a multi-week, paper-driven process into a 3-day, fully digital, self-service experience — without removing the relationship manager. Merchants like Ahmed gain autonomy and visibility; RMs trade chase-and-coordinate work for advisory and high-value engagement.

For Network International, the framework set the foundation for a scalable onboarding system across MENA — one capable of supporting 5–10× the merchant volume without proportional growth in headcount, while measurably improving experience at every touchpoint.

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