VANCOUVER, B.C.–Two credit unions are piloting what is said to be Canada’s first-ever authenticated voice banking service using Amazon Alexa.
Central 1 Credit Union said two of its client CUs, Innovation Credit Union and Conexus Credit Union, are conducting the pilots in which members can use their voices to command actions for their accounts, as if Amazon Alexa were a member service representative.
“In addition to being cutting-edge, the technology is revolutionary for those who may be either visually impaired, unable to leave their homes or use keyboards or smartphones to conduct their banking,” Central 1 said in a statement.
Members are being offered the ability to use voice commands to make payments, send money to vendors, transfer money between accounts, and better understand their financial wellness. Central 1 said the user interface pairs hands-free functionality with human-like dialogue interaction, and leverages machine learning and artificial intelligence to continually improve its own accuracy.
Top-of-the-Line Technology
“We’re committed to providing our clients with top of the line, cutting edge technology and services,” said Mark Blucher, president and CEO of Central 1, in a statement. “As an organization at the forefront of fintech innovation in Canada we’re thrilled to showcase our authenticated voice banking solution that, as we continue provide the technology to more clients, will add ease and accessibility to the banking experience.”
Added Dean Gagne, chief digital and technology officer with Innovation CU, "Innovation Credit Union believes that Conversational UI is going to play a significant role in future member interactions, particularly with Millennials and Gen X. This is why Innovation has been such a big supporter of this Central 1 initiative.”
Development of the new solution was done with San Francisco’s Point One Digital.
Central 1 added that included in the conversational aspect of the new solution are a number of “Easter eggs” designed to keep it interesting and even light-hearted for users.