HL Bank Rolls Out Next-gen Contact Centre with Amazon Connect

The implementation of Amazon Web Services by HL Bank,the Singapore branch of Hong Leong Bank,marks the first-in-market move by a Bank in Asia to roll out the self-service,cloud based contact centre service powered by Amazon Web

SINGAPORE,Jan. 10,2019 -- On Jan. 9,HL Bank (the 'Bank'),the Singapore branch of Hong Leong Bank Berhad ('HLB'),announced that it has implemented the Bank's next-generation contact centre services through Amazon Connect,a self-service cloud-based contact centre solution that is powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS),making it the first Bank in Asia to transform its customer support with the leading innovative technology that has spurred the growth of Amazon.

Amazon Connect offers HL Bank the convenience,efficiency,scalability and reliability in setting up and managing its customer contact centre,enabling the Bank to deliver better customer service with greater cost efficiency. The move to capitalise on the technology and support offered by Amazon Connect is part of the Bank's digital-at-the-core ethos in reimagining banking for customers as well as keeping operation simple for its employees.

Domenic Fuda,Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of HLB said: "The Bank has been gaining recognition for our clear digital bank transformation strategy that has been impacting customers and employees positively and a lot of attention has been focused on providing customers greater convenience through our strategic investments into technology solutions."

"Over the past two years,we have deployed the application of AI,machine learning and automated technologies with big data to elevate the Bank's customers' experience by providing service in a more predictive and intuitive way than ever before. The integration of Amazon Connect with our current methodology will enable us to continuously raise the bar in providing excellent customer experience with a powerful competitive differentiator in the market," said Fuda.

In addition,the implementation of Amazon Connect will enable better workforce optimisation for HL Bank. Because Amazon Connect is a cloud-based,digital-first solution,there is no requirement and investment in managing hardware,space or telephony infrastructure. Customer support personnel can be connected to the customers,anywhere as long as they have an internet connection and a supported browser as the system is highly agile,allowing the Bank freedom in tailoring the system based on its needs.

According to Jason Wong,the Managing Director and Chief Executive of HL Bank,"We are confident that we will be able to achieve a faster and cost-efficient go-to-market readiness for customer support centre management with a 99.99% redundancy compared to building and maintaining an in-premise internal platform. This will allow us to redeploy our investment to other high-value investments for better product and service enhancements for our customers."

"Hong Leong's relationship with AWS is powered by a shared commitment to improving customer experience. Today's banking customers expect more personalisation,ease,speed,and transparency. Through the early and strategic deployment of technology in next-generation banking,HL Bank is now ahead of the curve as Amazon Connect enables the Bank to get more insight into why customers are calling,how to make calls more efficient for customers,and what new customer-service tools they need to implement. We are happy to support HL Bank in their long-term strategy of elevating their customers' experience," said Nick Walton,Managing Director,Southeast Asia,Amazon Web Services.

HL Bank has worked to ensure that the implementation of the Amazon Connect services meet the requirements of the Monetary Authority of Singapore's Technology Risk Management guidelines.

About HL Bank

HL Bank which operates under Full Bank License,is the Singapore branch of Hong Leong Bank Berhad,a regional financial services company headquartered in Malaysia. With presence in Singapore,Hong Kong,Vietnam,Cambodia and China,the Bank is technology-focused and emphasises the development of financial capabilities to serve its clients across the five geographies. Hong Leong Bank Berhad,with a distribution network of approximately 300 branches in Malaysia,is listed on Bursa Malaysia and is part of the Hong Leong Group.

We provide a comprehensive range of financial services to our business,retail and high net worth customers through our 5 core business segments - Business & Corporate Banking,Personal Financial Services,Private Wealth Management,Global Markets and Investment Banking.Our focus is to provide an integrated approach to effectively meet our customers' corporate and personal needs.

At HL Bank people are central to our success. We believe in the professional and personal development of our employees. Being one of Malaysia's leading financial institutions and part of a large conglomerate,there will always be opportunities in advancing ones' career. We open our doors to people who are customers' centric,digitally inclined and want to grow their career with us.

In April 2018,the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) in its Human Capital Partnership (HCP) Programme initiative,welcomed HL Bank as a HC Partner,for being a progressive employer who invests in human capital and adopts progressive workplace practices.

For further information,please visit https://www.hlbank.com.sg/

About Hong Leong Bank Berhad

For further information,please visit www.hlb.com.my.