Westpac has built an AI assitant to help support staff deal with customers who think they've been scammed.
The real-time call assistant technology is being integrated within the bank’s frontline customer service and operations platforms. The AI synthesises information from customer phone conversations as they take place to highlight key indicators enabling bankers to respond more effectively.
Currently being piloted in the bank’s specialist scam and fraud team, the AI can aid operators with live transcripts, provide alerts when key indicators are detected and offer prompts to help reach an outcome more efficiently. It can also help uncover instances where a scammer may be coaching a customer in the background.
Westpac CEO Anthony Miller says: “Our customer service specialists are often trying to solve complex puzzles with many missing pieces. In urgent circumstances, like when a customer thinks they’ve been scammed, these calls can be very emotive with lots of information that our operators need to synthesise very quickly. This AI tool is helping fill some of those gaps and is aiding our teams in real-time so they can more effectively respond.
“Early results from our pilot demonstrates the potential this technology has to unlock faster and more effective and consistent outcomes for customers in important moments.”
The technology is one of the first frontline AI innovations running through the bank’s ‘AI Accelerator’, bolstering its scam detection and prevention capabilities.
“Beyond scams and fraud this tool has significant potential," says Miller. "While still in trial phase we’re already thinking about how the AI could be deployed elsewhere in the bank to improve and streamline how our bankers support customers.”