Improving Debt Management Plan Success

The approach

Drawing on behavioral science research and human-centered design, the ideas42 team and CCA partners generated a list of design ideas to address barriers to repayment. We then developed prototypes of the design ideas and conducted multiple rounds of user testing with 29 clients, obtaining feedback on the resonance, relevance, and relatability of each intervention.

Finally, we partnered with a New Jersey–based credit counseling agency to test the interventions with DMP clients who had missed a payment between March 4 and April 5, 2024.

The pilot included four interventions, detailed below and accompanied by quotes form actual clients who were exposed to the designs. Finally, we detail the results of the intervention.

Text messages that encourage payment

We developed a series of text messages aimed at 1) reminding clients to make payments after a missed payment and 2) encouraging them to reach out if they could not make the payment.

A diagram of a text message on a
cell phone reading

The messages were carefully designed to convey empathy and support for clients. Through user testing, we fine-tuned the language and tone to ensure that clients did not feel judged for missing a payment. To promote additional trust, we added personalized elements, such as the client’s name and the amount due. During user testing, clients confirmed that the text messages were helpful, given how easily they sometimes missed payments. They also appreciated the clickable payment links and easy ways of getting in touch that simplified the process of taking action.

“[The texts] are informative. The language puts a hint of sympathy and it makes me feel like [the CCA] is there for you.... Personally, yes, this text would lead me to take action."

— Real Client Quote (Paraphrased)

Action-oriented emails

A diagram showing personalized emails with supportive actionable framing

Recognizing that many clients who missed a payment were unaware of available resources, we designed a behaviorally informed email and landing page to highlight options in a clear, actionable way. The revised communications made client options visible and concrete, helping clients determine next steps without having to rely on memory or skim a long document. Each button linked to a website where clients could make a payment or directly contact the CCA.

We used language aimed at destigmatizing the experience of being in debt and highlighted that, while financial scarcity feels like an isolating experience, the CCA is available to provide support. Clients commented that reading the “Don’t struggle alone” messaging brought them a sense of comfort and reassurance. This, coupled with the client's name in the email header, reinforced the idea that this outreach was personalized.

Personally, I think [this design] would get me to reach back to the CCA and explain my situation. I would call and ask them what can be helpful? What can I do to get back on track?”

— Real Client Quote

[The options prove] that you don't automatically get kicked off the plan [after missing a payment], which is really important and why I wanted to [provide feedback]. Because that's what I thought would happen the first time I missed a payment.”

— Real Client Quote

Video testimonial of past DMP client

In the email and landing page, we embedded a minute-long video testimonial of a previous DMP client who shared her struggle with making timely payments and the steps she took to deal with these challenges. The video aimed to show clients that they were not alone and provide relatable examples of people who had overcome struggles.

The message of the video was to not give up, to reach out, that there is still time. I think it would make me feel better that I am not the only one missing payments occasionally or having challenging events.… Seeing [the] video like this would encourage me to send a message or make a phone call [to the CCA].”

— Real Client Quote

Digital reminders and planning prompts

Based on client input, we designed two digital reminders into the email:

Notification of the next payment due date, with a suggestion on when to deposit money if paying by automatic withdrawal.
An option to create a digital calendar event and/or receive a text message nudge for their next payment due date.

These reminders provided clients with advanced notice of upcoming payments, increasing the salience of payment due dates and ensuring clients have adequate time to plan for their automatic or manual withdrawals.

Since the landing page offered limited options for personalization, we used language that would encourage clients to plan for their next payment ahead of time.

A a digital calendar reminder with options to create a calendar or text message reminder, with a reminder for your next payment date

The results

The results of the pilot were encouraging. The behavioral interventions resulted in substantial client engagement across several measures:

As many as 64% of the sample opened the email, and 16% engaged with at least one of its features.
Only 5 (of 343) clients unsubscribed from the CCA’s texting list, suggesting that the messages were perceived as authentic and relevant
While the landing pages received relatively few visits overall, the clients who visited the site engaged meaningfully, spending an average of more than five minutes on the page.

Importantly, the interventions also increased client repayment: there was a 0.87% decrease in bouncebacks, suggesting that more clients successfully submitted a payment during the pilot month.

Somewhat counterintuitively, the CCA actually saw a decrease in phone call volumes during the pilot (2,938 and 2,968 phone calls were received in January and February, respectively, but only 2,788 were received during the pilot month of March). Although these trends appear counter to our desired help-seeking goal (e.g., for clients to reach out to the CCA), staff surveys revealed that the content of calls improved during the pilot. Staff indicated that callers were more clear and direct in their requests for assistance. The same trend was noted in help-seeking behavior conducted via text message (48 and 44 text messages in January and February, compared with 39 in March). This suggests that clients may have taken more action-oriented steps, such as completing or rescheduling payment with fewer interactions, thereby leading to these slightly lower volumes.

The pilot also revealed areas for further exploration and testing. By analyzing client income and expense data, we found that customers with the most extreme financial constraints (those whose expenses equaled or exceeded their incomes) clicked or opened messages most frequently—but actually reached out at lower rates. This finding suggests that although these individuals may have been interested in finding solutions, barriers like time constraints, shame, and stigma may have discouraged them from moving further. Further, they simply may not have had the funds to make payment—an important reminder that behavioral barriers do not exist in isolation. Considering not just behavioral barriers but also structural and systemic barriers is necessary to the broader effort to improve client success.

Engagement and help-seeking were also the lowest for those with the highest number of days past due, potentially because at this point, clients felt like there was no possible way to reconcile their continuous missed payments. We encourage CCAs to develop designs that are behaviorally and trauma-informed to target these clients in particular.

5. Pilot Findings

Chapter 5

Pilot Findings: Bringing Repayment Principles to Life

The approach

Text messages that encourage payment

Action-oriented emails

Video testimonial of past DMP client

Digital reminders and planning prompts

The results

Next Chapter

Lessons Learned