CaixaBank's virtual assistant, a technology based on artificial intelligence that is capable of talking with people using simple language, is the bank's top method of answering customer questions, in terms of both total user volume and the number of questions received. The chatbot, available on the CaixaBankNow digital channels through a mobile app, website and smart speakers, has passed the 4-million user mark, meaning that one out of three CaixaBank digital customers already uses it to communicate with the bank. In addition, the online assistant has received more queries in 2022, with an average of over 50,000 questions per day.
The chatbot is able to understand and reply to customers' questions, whether spoken or written. It does so by offering customised information, tailored to each customer's own situation, and communicating using simple conversation.
The online assistant offers immediate answers on a wide range of topics, such as the features of banking products and services, how to take out a product or stepping customers through the process of restoring their digital banking password. It also lets customers make an appointment at their branch, check their balance and activity, and carry out simple operations, such as blocking cards or sending money through the Spanish mobile payment solution Bizum. During the last year, the main queries posed through this channel involved checking bills, being able to view deposits and expenses, accessing Bizum operations and making appointments with in-branch advisers.
The chatbot is also capable of answering questions from CaixaBank’s employees, such as those involving internal rules, legislation, technology and more. It relies on an advanced artificial intelligence that understands and can answer more than 1,500 questions in different languages.
Personalised service for seniors
The increased use of the chatbot as a consultation method is in parallel to the enhanced customer service being provided through all the communication channels. The CaixaBank call centre also features new processes to enhance customer service.
Specifically, as part of its commitment to seniors, the bank has launched various initiatives, including digital customer service channels for seniors, which guarantees that customers will be able to talk to a real person at all times, instead of a robot, even when the call is not placed to the adviser normally assigned to the customer, but generically via the bank's call centre.
Most innovative bank in the application of Artificial Intelligence
CaixaBank is the most innovative bank in the application of Artificial Intelligence to financial services in Spain. The company has been a pioneer worldwide in training conversational AI in Spanish and in implementing cognitive assistants to help employees and customers. Now, CaixaBank is applying all the power of AI to develop tools for its managers and customers, and for other strategic objectives, such as employee training.
Recently, the bank reached an agreement with Microsoft to launch an Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (AInnovation Lab), with the special involvement of CaixaBank Tech, the tech company launched in 2021 to ensure the technological advancement of the CaixaBank Group.
CaixaBank was chosen in 2022 and 2021 as the "Best Retail Bank in Europe for Big Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence" and "Best Retail Bank in Europe for Marketing and Digital Communication 2022" by PWM magazine (Financial Times Group). In addition, the bank's virtual assistant received the "Best Spanish-Speaking Conversational Corporate Chatbot" at the Planeta Chatbot Awards 2022, and the "Best Innovative Project in the Artificial Intelligence Category" at the Qorus-Accenture Banking Innovation Awards in 2022.
CaixaBank, leader in innovation
Technology and innovation are crucial for CaixaBank. With more than 11 million users of its digital banking service - the largest customer base in the Spanish financial sector - the bank works every day towards developing new models that are able to meet the requirements and needs of its customers and that bring its products, services and financial culture closer to people.
In this digitisation process, the bank, which has its own tech subsidiary, CaixaBank Tech, and multidisciplinary teams that take innovation to every corner of the organisation, has promoted various projects based on blockchain, quantum computing, artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing and more. This technology give the bank's advisers more and better resources to guide their customers, while also personalising the bank's range of products and services to better engage with customers, developing new financial services and streamlining the decision-making process.
