Hokuriku Bank Pilot-Tests AI Worker VoiceAgent to Automate Corporate Inquiry Handling

AI Shift Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Yujin Yoneyama; hereinafter "AI Shift") announces that its voice AI agent "AI Worker VoiceAgent," which handles telephone inquiries, has been pilot-tested at The Hokuriku Bank, Ltd. (Head Office: Toyama City, Toyama Prefecture; President: Hiroshi Nakazawa; hereinafter "Hokuriku Bank"). This initiative aims to automate a portion of frequently asked questions regarding corporate internet banking (hereinafter "Corporate IB"), thereby reducing call overflow and improving response quality.

Background of Introduction: Call Overflow Due to Increased Inquiries At Hokuriku Bank, the number of inquiries has increased with the spread of Corporate IB services, leading to "call overflow" where not all inquiries can be handled, especially during peak call times. This situation resulted in increased customer waiting times and lost opportunities for response, necessitating the establishment of an efficient inquiry handling system.

Reason for Adoption: Automation of FAQ Handling and Stable Voice Recognition Accuracy AI Worker VoiceAgent was highly evaluated for its ability to automate responses to frequently asked questions (FAQs) through natural voice-based dialogue. The stable voice recognition accuracy required for telephone correspondence and its flexible design, which can adapt to existing inquiry flows, were decisive factors for its adoption, enabling the stable customer service required by financial institutions.

How it will be utilized: Automating First-Line Support for Corporate IB Help Desk Starting in May 2026, AI Worker VoiceAgent will be utilized as the first line of response for FAQ-related inquiries at the Corporate IB Help Desk. By having AI automatically respond to routine questions from customers, an environment is being established where operators can concentrate on handling more individualized and specialized inquiries. Furthermore, future operations will include consolidating multiple inquiry channels into one, thereby advancing the development of a more understandable and user-friendly support system.

Future Outlook: Expanding Scope of Support Moving forward, the bank plans to gradually expand the scope of inquiry handling to other services, not limited to Corporate IB, while considering the expansion of its utilization based on operational results and customer feedback. Hokuriku Bank aims to enhance customer convenience and further improve service quality through advanced AI-powered customer service. AI Shift will continue to support Hokuriku Bank in promoting advanced AI utilization and operational efficiency.

Inquiries AI Shift Public Relations: https://www.aiworker.jp/contact-1 AI Worker VoiceAgent: https://www.ai-messenger.jp/voicebot/