The pandemic has driven many customer interactions online, causing many to feel like they have lost an element of human interaction. As the demand for human interaction grows, HSBC UK has become the first bank in the UK to launch a video call support feature, Remote Assisted Digital.
The new feature will allow customers to complete a booking request through HSBC’s online advice service, My Investment, public website page and organise a Zoom appointment to complete their journey through the service.
The call will be with a wealth engagement officer, who are specially trained in discussing wealth and insurance products, and who will support the customer through the journey online.
The launch of Remote Assisted Digital follows the introduction of a live chat functionality last year, which allowed customers to have on-screen conversations at any step of the investment process with HSBC wealth engagement officers.
This latest enhancement is in response to customer insight from the bank, which identified that over a third of people who used My Investment wanted to talk to someone after receiving advice through the platform, before they made the step of opening an account.
Many customers who utilised the live chat functionality wanted to have a telephone appointment with the wealth engagement officers in order to talk through their options.
The service will be especially useful to the 65 per cent of My Investment users who are first time investors.
James Hewitson, Head of Wealth Management at HSBC UK said, “We know that the majority of our customers are novice investors. Taking the first leap into investing can feel like a big decision and we want to help our customers by providing this extra level of support.
“A conversation with an expert adds that human touch and can provide reassurance that investors are making the right decision. We are on hand to help our customers navigate their investment journey.”
Video call appointments are available to be booked between 9am and 8pm from Monday to Friday, and between 9am and 5pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Launched in December 2018, My Investment is an online advice service that gives tailor-made recommendations based on an individual’s unique financial circumstances and needs. All advice given is FCA regulated. Customers can invest from £50 a month, a lump sum of £1,000 or both. On average, customers invest £198 a month and an average lump sum of £8,324.
My Investment complements HSBC’s Financial Advice service, giving customers the ability to invest the way they want, when they want and get the best possible advice for their personal needs.
