The role of virtual assistants in banking automation
The digitalization of the financial sector reduced the dependence on face-to-face processes and shifted a large part of the interactions to mobile channels. Research from the Brazilian banking ecosystem indicates a predominance of transactions through digital channels and a greater recurrence of use in mobile banking, which increases the demand for service and operations in real time.
In this context, virtual assistants ceased to be a “support” resource and began to operate as an operational layer of the digital bank. They connect service, task automation and, in many cases, personalization based on data authorized by the customer.
Why digital banks use virtual assistants as a centerpiece
Digital banking usually has contact peaks concentrated on predictable routines: access, security, transaction questions, invoice, limit, Pix, dispute, and request status. A well-trained virtual assistant reduces queues on these topics, organizes screening, and forwards exceptions to human agents.
In parallel, Open Finance created conditions for offers and journeys that are more in line with the client's profile when there is explicit consent to data sharing, with rules and monitoring by the Central Bank.
3 tasks that virtual assistants perform in digital banks
1) Online account opening and onboarding (KYC)
The virtual assistant participates in the account opening flow mainly on three points:
- Guided collection of data and documents: advises sending photos, basic validations and filling in mandatory fields;
- Status update: provides pending steps and estimated analysis deadlines;
- Handling registration questions: solves recurring questions about criteria, accepted documentation, and access retrieval.
Practical result: the bank reduces the abandonment of journeys due to friction and keeps the user inside the app during the most sensitive stage of the funnel.
2) 24/7 support for questions and safety routines
Continuous service is one of the most clear reasons for the adoption of bots in the banking sector, because the customer requires resolution outside business hours.
Typical tasks on this front:
- Card unlocking and blocking (with identity validation);
- Login and authentication support (2FA, device switch, password reset);
- doubts about the app's rates, limits, and features;
- Operational guidelines on Pix, TED, and bills, including scam prevention with contextualized educational messages.
Control point: security routines require strict authentication design and audit trails, since the conversational channel is a recurring target of social engineering.
3) Transactions and account administration (with alerts and fraud screening)
Virtual assistants execute and monitor transactions, in addition to simplifying tasks that used to require navigation through multiple screens:
- Consult balance, statement, and transaction status;
- Generate a duplicate bill, send a barcode and remind due dates;
- Initiate transfers and Pix with reinforced confirmation;
- Adjust preferences and controls (limits, blocks, virtual cards);
- Open calls and contest movements, collecting evidence and categorizing the type of occurrence.
When the bot is integrated with risk mechanisms, it also helps with the experience of suspicious events, guiding immediate blocks and escalating the case to an anti-fraud cell.
Direct benefits for banks and customers
For the customer:
- Faster resolution of frequent routines on the channel where you are already transacting.
- Less dependence on service queues on peak demand.
- Greater clarity of status in requests, reducing recontact.
For the bank:
- Reduction of volume in human queues due to the containment of repetitive contacts, with an impact on operating costs, especially on support.
- Standardization of answers for regulatory and operational issues.
- Improved productivity of the human team when receiving triaged and already categorized cases.
Compliance and safety requirements that need to enter the project
As the virtual assistant deals with financial and personal data, the design must consider LGPD, governance, and access control from the start. There are sectoral guidelines and guidelines aimed at financial institutions, as well as retention and disposal practices aligned with the purpose of the data.
Practical items for specification:
- Strong authentication before any sensitive action (movements, registration data, limits, blocks);
- Audit logs and decision trail for investigations and compliance;
- Retention Policy consistent with purpose and legal obligations;
- Handoff for human with historical context, to reduce repetition of questions;
- Intent, fault, and scaling rate monitoring, with periodic review of the knowledge base.
Recommended KPIs for measuring results
- Containment rate (deflection): percentage of cases resolved without a human;
- FCR (First Contact Resolution): resolution upon first contact;
- TMA/TME: average service and waiting time;
- CSAT post-service and reasons for dissatisfaction by intent;
- Cost per contact and cost avoided by automation;
- Abandonment rate in account opening and KYC steps.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Does a virtual assistant in a digital bank replace human service?
It meets predictable routines and forwards exceptions to specialists, with a gain in scale and the focus of the human team on the most complex cases.
Can virtual assistant execute financial transactions?
It can, provided there is strong authentication, explicit confirmations, and secure integration with transactional systems.
How does Open Finance relate to virtual assistants?
Open Finance allows data sharing upon client authorization, which enables more personalized journeys and more consistent offers, within the rules of the Central Bank.
What LGPD precautions are most relevant in automated service?
Adequate legal basis, transparency, data minimization, security by default, retention limited to purpose, and access governance.
Next steps
If your operation already has a high volume of contacts regarding registration, transactions, and security, a virtual assistant well integrated with the app tends to reduce recontact and accelerate resolution. To follow content about technology, automation, and customer experience in the financial sector, follow Plusoft on LinkedIn and follow market updates.
