The United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, on Thursday, announced that the services of its chatbot, Leo, is now available for customers on Apple Business Chat, where its users can communicate directly with businesses using the Messages app on iPhone and iPad.

“As a brand focused on providing excellent customer experience, we are always looking for new ways to serve our customers easily and on time; we are therefore thrilled to support Apple Business Chat, which gives us a powerful and engaging connection with our customers,” said Mr. Kennedy Uzoka, Group Managing Director of UBA, who spoke at the launch of the service in the bank’s Head office on Thursday.

"Most of our customers prefer iOS, and we always want to exceed their expectations when they experience UBA. Apple Business Chat makes communicating with us as easy as messaging a friend, so we expect it will quickly become our customers’ preferred customer service channel.”

He explained that UBA customers can now use the services of LEO, through the Apple Business Chat to open an account, buy airtime, check account balance, make account transfers and pay bills. With Business Chat, customers can always reach a live person and are always in control of whether they share any contact information with a business.

Uzoka said: “Today, we are covering a segment that has been missing for some time. It is our desire to ensure that we put Leo everywhere, and today it is now on the IOS platform as the users approached us that they needed to enjoy the service which Facebook and WhatsApp users had been enjoying from LEO.

“Consistently, we have been the first in the use of intelligence banking, this is the first time this is happening in Africa. LEO is live in English on the IOS platform, and by the end of October, it will be live in other languages. As you know, LEO is already on WhatsApp and Facebook in English, French, Portuguese and Swahili languages.”

To start Apple Business Chat, customers can click the ‘Chat with Messages' button on UBA’s website or in mobile banking app, available in the App Store. A conversation with UBA’s agents will open instantly in the Messages app, and users can take their time responding when it’s convenient.

The Group Head, Online Banking, Austin Abolusoro, who spoke at the event said the bank is always looking for ways to improve upon its services to its teeming customers.

“We are leading financial industry AI in Africa. Our customers have been increasingly asking for mobile services that make their lives easier, and Leo has become a growing choice for his convenience and personal solutions.

“Over a million customers are already on the LEO platform. Before now, customers can only come to the bank, but today we are on social media as well as on the IOS platform, and the launch of LEO has helped customer to get their complaints resolved without physically visiting the bank.

“LEO makes use of available data to resolve complaints and where more information is needed, Leo will transfer the customer to human agents.

“As we continue to advance our work on AI-driven developments, it is important that we listen to our users today and further enhance Leo to align to client feedback in order to better meet and anticipate needs and even continue to give them increased value,” Abolusoro said.

He added that Apple Business Chat is available in beta for users and businesses around the world, and is built into iOS 11.3 and higher. For more information, visit: apple.com/ios/business-chat.

United Bank for Africa, Africa’s global bank, was founded 70 years ago in Nigeria and today, operates in 20 African countries and in the United Kingdom, the United States and with presence in France.

UBA serves over 17 million customers across the globe with more than 1,000 branches and touch points. In 2018, the bank received the award of Africa’s Best Digital Bank by the Banker’s magazine.

•PHOTO: L-R; Group Head, Online Banking, United Bank for Africa(UBA) Plc, Mr Austine Abolusoro; Group Managing Director/CEO, Mr. Kennedy Uzoka; Group Head, Marketing, UBA Plc, Mrs Dupe Olusola; Executive Director, UBA Plc, Mr. Nweke Chukwuma; Group Head, Human Capital Management; Mrs Patricia Aderibigbe; and Group Executive, Customer Fulfilment Centre(CFC), Mr Anant Rao, during the launch of LEO, the Bank’s chatbot on banking, on Apple Business Chat – IPad and IPhone, held at UBA House, Marina, Lagos on Thursday.

Update news