The COVID-19 pandemic has made us adopt new ways of doing our everyday duties from home. The digital world has become the primary medium to perform different activities, and it has potentially increased during the past months. Because of this, a lot of customer service lines are receiving high call volumes, making it impossible to reach a customer representative at peak times. This is were LivePerson can help organizations to better accomodate in these trying times and beyond.
Digital transformation was nice-to-have, now is a necessity
HSBC, one of the world’s biggest banks, found a way to make things easier for customers in the current situation. On June 8, they have launched the Apple Business Chat channel, powered by LivePerson.
This global technology company develops conversational commerce and artificial intelligence software, becoming this the safest and easiest way to ensure the company customers fast customer service through the customer’s Apple devices, such as the iPhone and the iPad.
Digital banking, challenging traditional banks
Besides customer support queries, customers can also perform their daily transactions via instant messages (IM), such as money deposits, withdrawals, and transfers, they can also manage their checking and savings accounts, credit card transactions.
Marcos Meneguzzi, Head of Digital and Unsecured Lending at HSBC, said, “Digital banking is evolving by expanding into channels that our customers use every day, like Messaging.” He also pointed out that this innovation using Apple Business Chat to message directly with customers on their Apple devices complements their mobile banking with new ways to provide help for their customers when they need it. He also mentioned that it’s essential for them to give customers more choices on how to bank whenever they choose.
Start banking via chat with modern customer service management
As this new service to message directly with HSBC customer service reps is facilitated through the Messages app on iOS devices, you will need to have an Apple product that supports the Messages app. Without the need to download an additional app, users can start, pause, and pick up the conversation at their most convenient time, with the same user experience as chatting with a friend.
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The service also incorporates Apple’s new Chat Suggest feature, which offers the option to start a messaging conversation when a customer taps to call HSBC on their Apple device. If the customer chooses to message instead of call, a conversation with an HSBC support agent will open in the Messages app.
With Business Chat, customers can still reach a live person, and it’s always the customer’s choice to share any contact information or not. Once the user deletes the message thread, they cannot be contacted again through the platform until they start another conversation.
Katie Jenkins, Head of Direct Banking at HSBC, mentioned that many of their customers are finding this new channel of communication very easy to use, and they really like it, as they stay close to their money even with the mandatory social distancing.
She also said, “Using Apple Business Chat creates an easy, secure connection to our service center, where clients dip in and out of the conversation at their own pace and avoid call wait times. Whether accessing our relief programs or managing a wide range of day-to-day banking, our skilled conversational banking team is ready to help.”
Built into iOS 11.3 and higher, HSBC’s Apple Business Chat is available in beta for users and businesses worldwide. However, the new Chat Suggest feature is available starting with iOS 13.
HSBC makes recommendations for safety
To ensure that LivePerson messaging system is as secure as possible, HSBC added some tips on their website:
- We will be identified as HSBC UK during Apple Business Chats with us in Messages.
- Don’t share account details, passwords, access codes, or other sensitive information. HSBC UK won’t ask you for these details in the Messages app, so if someone does, it’s not us.
- Anyone with access to devices connected to your iCloud account can see communications made using this service.
- We won’t proactively contact you through Apple Business Chat. However, we may still send messages to you to provide: text banking services (such as overdraft and fraud alerts), one-time passwords (OTPs), updates on product applications like your mortgage.
- We won’t ask you for any personal or account information.
- Please don’t misuse this service or send us anything that’s illegal or could offend. Our staff may block you if you do.
- Please don’t share images, videos, or other media as we’re unable to view these. We won’t ask you to send them.
- If you receive any message that you don’t trust, don’t select it, respond, or forward on the message.
YouTube: Customer Showcase – Bupa (indirectly related to the story)
Photo credits: All images shown are owned by LivePerson and have been provided as part of their media kit.
Source: LivePerson press release / HSBC knowledge base
