African Rainbow Life advisors needed a paperless tool that could be used on the road to educate customers about their products, conduct financial needs analyses, and facilitate the sale of various life insurance products.
A PWA—optimised for limited bandwidth—with an intuitive interface and e-signing capabilities. The app uses local storage to save state, ensuring smooth functionality even in areas with poor connectivity.
African Rainbow Life (ARL) approached us to develop a secure and user-friendly mobile application that operates seamlessly on tablets with limited internet connectivity. The goal was to equip ARL’s advisors with a tool that would allow them to engage efficiently with both existing and potential customers while on the road.
To meet this requirement, we built a Progressive Web Application (PWA), leveraging modern web technologies to provide an app-like experience without needing installation from an app store. A key advantage of this approach was its ability to function offline using service workers and local browser storage, enabling advisors to save their work and sync it to the server once connectivity was restored.
The application enabled advisors to easily create and onboard new clients, record a financial needs analysis, securely collect and store FICA and KYC compliance documents, and generate quotes for four financial products: Life Insurance, Endowment Policy, Funeral Plan, and Retirement Annuity.
Built using modern, scalable, and secure technologies, the frontend was developed in React, providing a seamless and interactive user experience. The backend consisted of a robust REST API hosted on Microsoft Azure to ensure high availability and solid security. Offline functionality was achieved using service workers and local storage, allowing uninterrupted use, including in areas with poor internet connectivity.
We collaborated with ISOFlow, who provided UX and design expertise to ensure the application was intuitive, visually appealing, and aligned with ARL’s branding and user experience goals.
This mobile solution was a first-of-its-kind offering in the South African financial sector. By delivering a secure, efficient, and offline-capable application, we enabled ARL’s advisors to engage more effectively with clients, enhancing their ability to provide financial services regardless of connectivity challenges. The project successfully met ARL’s objectives, transforming the way their advisors operated in the field.
- Paperless client onboarding
- Paperless financial needs analysis
- Real-time quotes and financial projections for ARL’s financial products: Life Insurance, Endowment Policy, Funeral Plan, and Retirement Annuity
- Secure document capture and storage for FICA & KYC compliance
- Offline functionality allowed advisors to work without an internet connection and sync data once online
- The Progressive Web App (PWA) delivered a seamless, app-like experience without requiring installation
- React Frontend & REST API Backend provided a modern, scalable, and high-performance application architecture
- Hosted on Microsoft Azure to ensure security, scalability, and high availability
- Integration with DebiCheck
Architecture
Progressive Web App (PWA)
- The frontend was built as a PWA using React to provide a native-like experience without requiring installation.
React Frontend
- Ensures a fast, interactive, and responsive user experience optimized for tablets.
API Built with Azure Logic Apps and Function Apps
- Azure Logic Apps orchestrate business workflows like document processing, policy creation, and client onboarding.
- Azure Function Apps provide a serverless, event-driven architecture to handle API requests efficiently and scale dynamically.
Hosted on Microsoft Azure
- Cloud-based hosting ensures high availability, scalability, and security.
SQL & Cosmos DB Storage
- SQL Database is used for structured data, including client details, financial records, and policy information.
- Azure Cosmos DB provides a highly available and scalable NoSQL solution for managing unstructured data such as document storage, offline data syncing, and logs.
Redis Cache
- Speeds up API responses and reduces database load by caching frequently accessed data.
- Improves application performance, especially for quote generation and client lookups.
Offline-First Approach
- Uses service workers to cache essential resources and enable offline functionality.
- Implements local storage to allow advisors to save work and sync data when connectivity is available.
Security & Compliance
- Data encryption ensures secure storage and transmission of sensitive client information.
- FICA and KYC document handling follows compliance regulations.
- Integration with DebiCheck ensures authenticated debit order processing.
Third-Party OAuth Integration
- Advisors authenticate using a secure third-party OAuth system to enable single sign-on (SSO), multi-factor authentication (MFA), and enhanced security.
Third-Party Integrations
- The system seamlessly integrates with external services, including DebiCheck for payment authentication and other financial service providers.
Design
Isoflow crafted the application's UX/UI design, ensuring an intuitive and visually appealing experience, while NML handled the development and implementation. Given that the application was designed for tablet use, the interface prioritised ease of use, efficiency, and clarity for advisors interacting with clients in real time.
Key design considerations included:
- Optimised for Tablets The UI was tailored for touch interaction, making navigation smooth and intuitive.
- Adviser-Centric Interface Advisors needed a quick and seamless experience that allowed them to onboard clients effortlessly, conduct financial needs analyses, and generate quotes.
- Simplicity & Speed A clean, uncluttered layout, focused on usability, ensured advisors could complete tasks with minimal steps.
- Large Interactive Elements Big buttons, sliders, and toggles were used extensively to enhance touch usability and minimise input errors.
- Visual Guidance The use of icons, images, and step-by-step flows helped make complex financial processes easier for both advisors and clients to understand.
- Financial Needs Analysis & Quote Engine A dynamic and interactive experience utilising sliders and toggles for effortless data entry and real-time calculations.
- Consistent Branding The design was aligned with ARL’s brand identity to create a professional and cohesive look.
By combining thoughtful UX design with robust development, the application provided a smooth, efficient, and engaging experience for advisors, empowering them to deliver financial services with confidence and ease.
The application was designed with scalability, security, and performance in mind, leveraging Microsoft Azure for cloud hosting and modern web technologies for development.
Tools
Hosted on Microsoft Azure
- Ensures high availability, security, and scalability.
React Frontend
- Built as a Progressive Web Application (PWA) to deliver a fast, responsive, and app-like experience in the browser.
REST API with Azure Logic Apps & Function Apps
- Logic Apps orchestrate workflows such as document processing and client onboarding.
- Function Apps provide an event-driven, serverless architecture for handling API requests efficiently.
Azure API Management (APIM)
- Manages and secures API access, enabling rate limiting, authentication, and monitoring.
C# .NET Backend
- The core business logic and API endpoints were developed using .NET and C#, ensuring a robust and maintainable backend.
Azure SQL Database
- A highly available and secure relational database storing structured client data, policies, and financial records.
Redis Cache
- Improves performance by caching frequently accessed data, reducing database load, and enhancing response times.
Azure Cosmos DB
- A NoSQL database for handling unstructured data, including offline data synchronisation, logs, and document storage.
Azure DevOps
- Implemented for continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD), ensuring seamless updates, automated testing, and efficient release management
By utilising Microsoft Azure’s cloud-native services, the system provided a secure, scalable, and high-performing solution for ARL’s advisors, ensuring seamless online or offline operations.
- Progressive web app
- The decision to build a Progressive Web Application (PWA) proved invaluable when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. With advisors unable to meet clients face-to-face, ARL had to quickly pivot to remote client engagement.
- The decision to build a Progressive Web Application (PWA) proved invaluable when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. With advisors unable to meet clients face-to-face, ARL had to quickly pivot to remote client engagement.
- Flexibility
- Thanks to the flexibility of the PWA architecture, the system was seamlessly adapted for remote use with minimal changes. Advisors could continue onboarding clients, conducting financial needs analyses, and generating quotes—now from home or within a call centre environment. The ability to work both online and offline ensured that connectivity limitations did not disrupt operations.
- Scalability
- By leveraging the PWA's scalability and adaptability, ARL maintained business continuity during an unpredictable time, demonstrating the solution's resilience and future-proof nature.
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