﻿﻿Nuance Communications supplies voice ID tech to Santander in new deal

Nuance Communications has partnered with Santander to supply the bank with voice ID authentication tools for its mobile banking app.

Through the deal, Santander has deployed the Nuance voice biometrics technology within its UK contact centre to authenticate customer calls. The voice ID system will be opt-in, and to initiate the service, customers will need to repeat a short phrase several times in order to establish a unique ‘voiceprint’.

After this, whenever a customer calls Santander they will be asked to repeat the phrase and the verification technology will be able to authenticate if it matches the voice on record.

By implementing this technology, not only will customers have improved experiences, it will also lower the chances of fraud, with a voice containing over 100 characteristics to make everyone’s different.

Nuance Enterprise general manager Brett Beranek said, “We see PINs and passwords continuing to fail – and hacks and breaches climbing. With that, more and more organizations are deploying biometrics to enable a simpler and safer way for customers to validate their identities and access services.

“We are proud to see Santander leveraging Nuance technology to safeguard financial and personal information in today’s digital society.”

Santander is just the latest bank to look towards voice biometrics. Earlier in the year, Nuance partnered with Kennebunk Savings Bank to support the institution with streamlining customer authentication and lowering fraud risks.

The RegTech has also deployed its biometric solution with firms including, AIB, Australian Taxation Office, ICICI Bank, HSBC, and RBS, among others.