PORTLAND, Ore.–Unitus Community Credit Union said it has become the first credit union in the Pacific Northwest to offer a Spanish-language ChatBot.
The new solution was launched in partnership with Glia.
As part of its commitment to providing inclusive financial services in the communities it serves, Unitus said it developed the Spanish-language ChatBot to provide members more options to answer questions about products and services in real-time.
With Hispanic member growth reaching 32% in 2022, Unitus said it is dedicated to reaching this emerging market by offering communications in both English and Spanish. The credit union’s website is also available in both languages.
‘Historically Underserved’
“We know this segment of our community has been historically underserved by financial institutions,” said President and CEO Steven Stapp. “We have more than 50 Spanish-speaking employees and now this new digital tool to help communicate with members in their preferred language.”
According to Glia, it helped the credit union develop the Unitus Virtual Assistant, an AI-powered chat solution that can answer questions about products and services.
Glia said it worked with Unitus to “customize answers to address the credit union’s specific offerings to improve efficiency and the overall member experience.”
Since its launch in late December, the Unitus Virtual Assistant has handled more than 3,660 engagements, understanding and responding to nearly 90% of the interactions.
‘Deep Commitment’
“We’re proud to have helped Unitus extend their Virtual Assistant so that members can interact in both English and Spanish”, said Jake Tyler, virtual assistant specialist for Glia. “Unitus has a large and growing Hispanic member base and this further underscores their deep commitment to meeting these members on their terms and in the language of their choice to make banking easier and more convenient to use.”
Added Stapp, “Above all else, we are so proud to be the first credit union in the Pacific Northwest to offer a Spanish-language ChatBot. Nearly 9% of Oregonians speak Spanish as their primary language in the home. We believe communication and relationship-building is at the heart of our service model, and this new tool will help improve access to anyone who prefers a Spanish- language interaction.”
Unitus CU reported it previously partnered with Glia on several technological upgrades to better improve the member experience. In 2020, Unitus launched its Virtual Branch in partnership with Glia to integrate remote tools for members to engage with video tellers, live chat, virtual appointments, and website co-browsing.
Available Later This Year
The new Spanish-language ChatBot will be available through desktop digital banking June 30; the English Virtual Assistant is already available. Both ChatBots will be integrated into the Unitus mobile app later this year, the credit union said.
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