The Role of Bots in Financial Services, 2018

Fundamental Shift Evident in the Transition from Transactional to Conversational Customer Interaction

One of the most critical challenges that the financial services industry continues to struggle with is the introduction of technology-enabled solutions into their businesses. Evolving customer demands and technologies require companies to adapt rapidly and offer customers what they want, when they want, and where they want. This mean that customers be provided access to financial services 24×7, irrespective of channels. To create a seamless experience, bots capable of processing real-time interaction and natural language usage are being initiated.

Bots can bring about a phenomenal change in the financial services industry. However, most bot implementations are fairly basic, and it will be a couple of years before sophisticated bots become popular. Companies are experimenting with advanced robot-advisory services but on a much smaller scale. Ambiguity about bot capabilities is restricting growth for now, as companies need to be aware of the impact on customer engagement. Bots bring speed, accuracy and proactive dialogue to the table, and companies are definitely looking to experiment. Reliance on other companies to use their messengers or AI capabilities can be challenging, in the light of growing hacks/cyber attacks.

Bots are being deployed by financial institutions globally, though the maturity of the solutions varies, and local market conditions play a significant role. As both large and small companies invest in bots, the pace of innovation is high, and even financial institutions are actively involved with accelerators and sandboxes to help startups. The fragmented state of the industry creates challenges for users, and solution providers are increasingly trying to work with each other to offer a consolidated solution to users.

Key Features

The objective of this study is to understand the scope of applications of bots in the financial services industry globally, the various outcomes, and their impact on the industry. Bots have revolutionized the way companies can engage with their customers. The range of functions where bots can be deployed is encouraging many companies to experiment and explore the various options. This study delves deeper into the ecosystem, and discusses technologies that empower bots, global market trends and growth opportunities.

This report will provide:

• An introduction to Bots
• Technology trends, and their impact on the industry
• Role of bots in the financial services industry
• Drivers and restraints
• Growth opportunities
• The report also includes company profiles of some market participants, examples of bots, and recent development, such as investments and collaborations in the industry.

Key Issues Addressed

• What are the challenges to traditional banking system that are met by bots?
• What technologies are impacting the bot industry?
• What are the different areas where bots can impact the financial services industry?
• What are the drivers and restraints?
• What are the key growth opportunities?