By Ray Birch
LOWELL, Mass.–A credit union that was one of the first financial institutions in the nation to use a robot greeter and then a hologram for much the same purpose is now adding augmented reality to its member service arsenal.
The $2.6-billion Workers Credit Union rolled out its initial augmented reality effort at a local minor league baseball game, but plans are to take the technology much farther within the credit union in an effort to bring a more human experience to digital banking.
“There’s a few reasons we did augmented reality,” explained Liz Hayes, Workers CU EVP and chief member experience officer, “and the most important one is that Workers Credit Union is a tech-first credit union. So doing something that is a first of its kind regarding technology is really not new for us.”
First Came Pepper, Then Olivia
As CUToday.info reported, Workers CU was one of the first FIs to have a robot greeter and then a hologram MSR. Workers first placed a friendly humanoid robot, named Pepper, in its branches. Then it turned to a hologram, Olivia, to answer more detailed member questions. Pepper is now used to keep the mood light and fun.
With that backdrop, Hayes said Workers wanted to be the first credit union to work with augmented reality programs to interact with members, adding the promotion with the local Worcester Red Sox is only just the start of the CU’s foray into what is commonly referred to as AR. Augmented reality is an interactive experience that combines the real world and computer-generated content.
In June, the credit union delivered what it described as a unique fan experience in partnership with the local team during which fans interacted with holographic imagery while collecting game pieces to earn prizes that were handed out by the credit union.
The new experience leverages “AI-enabled vision technology,” driven by LinkToVR from LTI Business Solutions, according to Workers CU.
How it Works
To play the Workers Reality game, visitors to Polar Park download a free app from the CU to their smartphones. Then, by pointing their phones at certain targets (signs) on display at four different locations in the park, they “unlocked a unique augmented reality visual experience” featuring baseball-themed content, such as players walking onto the field, and then playing in a game, the CU said.
When fans pointed their phones at those targets they would see a virtual image of a game piece floating in front of them, such as a baseball glove, and then collect it. Collecting all the game pieces qualified fans to get an exclusive poster at the Worcester Red Sox rewards booth.It also made them eligible to win the top reward—a team prize pack that included four season tickets for the 2024 season, attending batting practice with the players, customized team jerseys and more.
A video of the technology can be viewed on a microsite created as part of the new AR initiative can be viewed here.
Growing Popularity of AR
The move reflects the growing popularity of augmented reality, Hayes told CUToday.info.
“The reality, for Workers, is we want to be forward-looking,” said Hayes. “We want to be interactive. We want to be known for augmented reality, which is not just used for online gaming.
“People today know they can do everything from home and they've known that for many years,” continued Hayes. “Augmented reality recognizes that people want to interact with other beings in our branches, so it's augmented reality which gives them an opportunity do that.”
Many experts have stated that as the definition of good service becomes a fast digital transaction, the human element of service will be eventually lost. Hayes said augmented reality can make sure that does not happen.
“This is a branded opportunity with this community that allows us to demonstrate how Workers Credit Union is committed to technology,” she said. “We’re partnering with a very well-known community partner, so we want to be known as the credit union that supports our community, that interacts with our members, but also supports the things that everybody values about banking, about credit unions, about baseball.”
Humanizing the Digital
How might the CU use augmented reality to give members a personal touch when they’re banking remotely?
“What we're looking for is an opportunity to humanize the digital transaction. Do digital but still interact with people,” explained Hayes. “People want this connection. They feel very emotional about their money. They want people to be there, to answer questions, to support them, to celebrate the tasks they accomplish. Again, it’s that human connection. That human connection is super important. Augmented reality combines both the digital and the human connection very well.”
