Conversational AI: Lloyds' Virtual Assistant vs NatWest's Cora compared
This afternoon I did my very first live stream. I was just testing - it was a fascinating experience. Years ago you needed a room full of hardware and quite a few people to help you deliver this kind of thing. Today, I just pressed a button!
In this live stream video I'm doing a direct comparison between Lloyds Bank's Virtual Assistant (that's the name) and NatWest Bank's Cora.
I picked a super simple use case - replacement debit card - and used both of the Conversational AIs to see how things went.
Both agents were able to answer my query. That is good.
Technically, both of them did a brilliant job.
How they did it... that left me a little disappointed.
I think it could be better.
I was hoping for a bit of 'straight through'. Instead, I think it's fair to say that there's a heck of a lot of digital sellotape being deployed in the background.
But: It worked.
I was able to do very easily go through the process with the virtual agent.
It was, in my view, much better than having to phone – even if I did have some critiques.
Fundamentally, it's about making things better.
There are quite a lot of other banks who don't have the capability at all. So I say well done Lloyds and well done NatWest.
I'd like to see more though!
On my Conversational AI Maturity Framework, I'd suggest that both banks are very firmly on stage 4. (Stage 5 is all about straight through automation and some higher level aspects.)
Some of the other UK banks I've looked at are so immature they either don't figure on the framework (well, technically they do – stage zero) or they're definitely way below 4.
If you'd like to come with me on the journey, then I've embedded the video below or you can watch it here on LinkedIn:
Ewan MacLeod
The video embed:
If you'd like to know more about my Conversational AI Maturity Framework, drop me a note either on LinkedIn or my contact details are here.
