Bubblepay Customer

Overview

Bubblepay is SMRT Systems' payment platform for self-service laundromats. The customer app lets people start and pay for a washer or dryer straight from their phone, without coins or a card reader.

My role: product designer, end to end, from flows to final UI.

The problem

At a laundromat, the machine is the interface. People carry coins, fight with card readers and walk away with no record of what they paid for. When a machine is broken, they often find out the hard way.

Decision 1: one scan to start

The biggest thing on the home screen is Scan to start. Every machine has a sticker you can scan with the camera or tap with NFC, and if the code won't read, you can add the machine manually.

After the scan you land on the machine itself: its name, its price and one Start button. Extras like extra rinse or hot water, and coupons, sit below it. They're there if you want them, but they never stand between you and your laundry.

Decision 2: useful before you sign up

You can start a machine as a guest and pay with Apple Pay. Receipts and the wallet are for members, but instead of hiding them, I showed them locked with a short reason and a way to join.

Signing up asks for only what's needed, one step at a time: phone number, a code by text, personal details, card confirmation and a four-digit PIN.

Decision 3: clear answers when something goes wrong

An out-of-order machine gets a full red screen and one action: scan a new machine. A failed scan, a wrong code and a pending payment each have their own state. From any order you can report a problem with the machine or ask for a refund, picking a reason instead of writing an email.

Receipts and wallet

Members can see their receipts for today, last week or last month, and send or download any of them. The wallet lets them top up a balance so the next wash is a single scan.