Being there when they need us is only the beginning.

Reimagined solutions

Anyone can make a connection. It’s how you engage that produces results and true relationships. That’s why we seek to understand and be inspired by our customers. To rethink how we design the experiences and solutions that they desire. To satisfy their needs. And to create relevant conversations that help them live their best lives.

Our customer insights and innovation team works across our global enterprise to reframe business challenges and engagement opportunities, putted customers at the center. The process evolves through a series of focused conversations guided by human-centered design experts. The result is new, often surprising, solutions that work for both the customers and our business, with immediate, near-term, and future action plans created.

This approach was used to create a new strategy for engaging Hispanic participants in our 401(k) plans. Hispanics comprise the largest, fastest-growing ethnic population in the United States. But a disproportionate number do not actively participate in any form of retirement saving. Human-centered design conversations revealed that the problem wasn’t a lack of financial discipline. Deeper cultural issues were in play, centered on the concept of family helping family. Simply repackaging English materials into Spanish wasn’t the answer.

Using human-centered design, we reimagined an enrollment and participation experience that would resonate specifically with Hispanic workers. We built culturally relevant practices and solutions around their needs, families, and future – including an interactive digital experience, in-language education and enrollment tools, and bicultural support specialists. And we’re already seeing significant growth in both plan engagement and saving.

The team is also working on projects to enhance and reinvent relationships with advisors, plan sponsors, retail customers, and alliance firms in the United States and around the world. Through developmental internships with Principal employees from our global business units, as well as university partnerships, we are seeding the human-centered design philosophy across the enterprise.