Lloyds Banking Group aimed to improve communication with non-English speaking customers.
It developed the Branch Translation App using Microsoft Power Apps and Azure AI Services.
This innovation enhanced service delivery, receiving positive feedback from employees and customers alike.
Lloyds Banking Group, one of the UK's leading financial institutions, offers a wide range of services to 30 million customers. With roots dating back over 250 years, the bank has a long-standing commitment to supporting Britain's prosperity. Embracing values of inclusion and diversity, Lloyds Banking Group aims to meet the evolving needs of its clients by consistently delivering outstanding service.
We wanted to bring the group together and come up with a solution for customers to communicate with us in their preferred language.
Georgette Loring, Asst Manager of Group Customer Inclusion, Lloyds Banking Group
"According to the UK census, 9% of the population do not have English as their first language, and 161,000 people lack any English skills," says Georgette Loring, Assistant Manager of Group Customer Inclusion at Lloyds Banking Group.
To maintain its high standards of service in the face of language challenges, Lloyds Banking Group devised an innovative solution.
"We wanted to bring the group together and come up with a solution for customers to communicate with us in their preferred language," explains Georgette Loring.
To address this need, Lloyds Banking Group turned to Microsoft Power Apps.
"About four years ago, we were looking at colleague automation tools. We came across Microsoft Power Platform and realised it perfectly suited our identified needs," says Vickie Evans, Engineering Lead for the Centre of Excellence at Lloyds Banking Group.
Lloyds Banking Group established a Centre of Excellence and tasked the team with using Microsoft technology to create something groundbreaking within the industry. This effort led to the development of the Branch Translation App, enabling colleagues to speak in English, with the tool then translating the conversation into the customer's preferred language.
The app was developed with Microsoft Power Apps and Azure AI Services in a remarkably short time. "Within eight weeks, we had an operational application ready for use," confirms Vickie Evans.
Operational app ready in 8 weeks
The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.
"Colleagues have told us they feel like we have listened to them, when they asked for English not first language solutions," Georgette Loring notes.
"Lloyds Banking Group has partnered with Microsoft on innovations that bring us closer to our customers and help us resolve their issues faster," adds Vickie Evans.
"The relationships we’ve developed with Microsoft have been critically important in terms of introducing new tools for our colleagues and to our customers in the future," says Jo Brown, Modern Workplace Director at Lloyds Banking Group.
By leveraging the right tools, Lloyds Banking Group continues to enhance its operations while enabling employees to shape the future of the financial industry.
"The advancement of AI, Copilot in Power Apps, and Power Automate is becoming increasingly important in the banking industry," shares Jo Brown. "Looking ahead, it will be important to provide the right technology and capabilities, ensuring all colleagues are included in the journey." "This will enable the bank to innovate, help Britain prosper and support the nation more effectively," adds Vickie Evans.
Lloyds Banking Group has partnered with Microsoft on innovations that bring us closer to our customers and help us resolve their issues faster.
Vickie Evans, Engineering Lead for the Centre of Excellence, Lloyds Banking Group
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