MVP functionality to be delivered before full roll-out

(Justin) #1

I was excited to read the recent blog post about the imminent rollout of the current account to all existing prepaid customers. I’m really keen that this happens, but also slightly apprehensive that if the functionality of the current account app doesn’t achieve parity with that of the prepaid app before rollout, many customers could perceive the move to be a step backwards for them.

Is there a list somewhere of functionality to be delivered before this happens? For example, I’m travelling abroad right now, and the inability to enable magstripe transactions has meant I’ve had to repeatedly switch to using my prepaid card. I feel enabling Touch ID would also be essential, and I imagine other users would see other features as essential for the current account rollout MVP.

Grateful for your input.

(Edited to add a link to the blog post, for those who haven’t yet seen it: https://monzo.com/blog/2017/10/10/current-accounts-are-coming/ )

(Frank) #2

I mentioned something similar and think it would be great to have an MVP but not just the top level (Standing orders, direct debits) but a list of functionality available within (create, edit, view historic, etc). As we do have some of these functions in place but the functionality is still lacking for me for MVP.

(4 Round Investor) #3

Sometimes you need to get the MVP to market before others to gain market share

(Justin) #4

I agree, and this is exactly what Monzo have brilliantly achieved - in comparison to Starling, which has a good app but not yet the sheer level of community engagement or momentum. It would be great to understand what will be delivered so none of Monzo’s customers get disengaged - for example because they can no longer carry out what they feel are the basics.

(Naji Esiri) #5

@justin Not right now, but I’m hoping to beef out the Product Roadmap with some details fairly soon :slightly_smiling_face:

(Justin) #6

@Naji, thank you for your reply. I think it would be worth having this and making it public quite soon - particularly if customers are likely to lose (even temporarily) any of the functionality they signed up for, or have come to rely on.

  • Not being able to enable magstripe would make depending on the Monzo card to travel completely impractical
  • Not having the option to enable Touch ID would make some customers apprehensive about dumping their full salary into their Monzo current account
  • Location-based security is important (and I guess already built in)
  • I think Monzo.me is great - but not business critical at this stage. However, Monzo P2P payments - while not essential - are definitely part of the value proposition
(Naji Esiri) #7

@Justin This is happening in the next week! :slightly_smiling_face:

(Justin) #8

@Naji, thanks for keeping me informed. That’s great news.

I returned home last night from a stint abroad - and when I received my travel report for the prepaid card, I was reminded again of the gap in functionality between the prepaid and the current account app. It will be very useful to document as a prioritised list - to manage customer expectations.

In addition to the two already mentioned in my previous post:

  • The “Welcome to Morocco” notification with tips and the exchange rate
  • The travel report after the app detects I’ve left the country
  • In addition to magstripe enablement, the notification to remind me to set magstripe
  • The comprehensive messaging whenever a transaction is declined, or whenever I do anything (such as change my card’s PIN
#9

I think this is typical of the ‘modern’ approach to project management, MVP, agile etc

There is this myth propagated that you can’t predict how long tasks will take, that somehow there is magic involved and it will be ‘done when it is done’.

It’s BS and I will be horrified if monzo don’t have an internal plan with some realistic dates for availability of various functions, ordered by priority.

(Justin) #10

Hey @Naji, I’m looking forward to seeing the outputs. When do you expect to be able to share them?

(system) closed #11

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