South Africa’s FNB has launched an Augmented Reality app to help customers find nearby eBucks retail partners, and FNB TV to help customers navigate banking easily with video clips that show them how.
“Computing has evolved rapidly and with smartphones we can transform banking into an intuitive, helpful and valuable way to manage your money, help you shop, and deliver services at your fingertips. Augmented reality overlays retail partners onto your phone screen, indicating the distance to the retailer, eBucks spend and earn options, opening times and contact details. This will evolve over time to become even more interactive to supplement your physical world with how FNB can save you rands and make life easier to manage,” says Sahil Mungar of FNB Digital Banking.
VR serves to immerse the user into a virtual environment, that is to experience an environment such as a holiday destination, interior of a car or house to purchase. Augmented reality differs in that it supplements the current physical environment with overlaying information relevant to the user. This can be interpreted as a heads-up display for the user.
“At FNB, customers come first and we strive to deliver unique and helpful service to every person. When the FNB App 5.0 was launched last year, we focused on security and service,” continues Mungar.
Smart inContact and Secure Chat were made available to customers, with Smart inContact helping them to securely authorise transactions on the FNB App instead of the traditional SMS or Email OTP which are susceptible to SIM swap and compromised email account fraud. Secure Chat links Premier, Private Clients and Private Wealth customers to a dedicated team of bankers to assist with any service related assistance for customers.
“FNB TV now allows customers to find and watch helpful mini-videos to help with common day to day frustrations we all experience. We have analysed common customer enquiries at our branches and contact centres, and have very short videos available on FNB TV to help them find quick solutions. We will continuously update FNB TV to help our customers become aware of helpful tips and convenient products that FNB has,” concludes Mungar.
The latest version of the FNB Banking App also features a new look for messages, the ability to temporarily block, unblock, cancel and order any Cheque, Credit or Debit card, nav>> Car to manage your cars in one place, including renewing car licenses, viewing and paying traffic fines. Android users can immediately update the App on Google Play and iPhone users will be able to update within the next two weeks.
