How HSBC used a robot to build a retail banking brand

Stephen Whiteside

HSBC, the financial-services provider, used an innovative, customer-facing robot to drive various core metrics at its flagship branch in New York City.

HSBC, the financial-services giant, believes the future of retail banking is four feet tall, has two eyes, six laser sensors, and can tell shoppers about credit cards and checking accounts in 15 different languages.

Pepper – a robot created by SoftBank Robotics – was introduced into HSBC’s flagship branch at 426 Fifth Avenue in New York on 26th June 2018. And Jeremy Balkin, head/innovation for the banking group in the United States, suggested this automaton represents a powerful step forward in the largely inert banking sector.

Jeremy Balkin, head/innovation, HSBC

“Banks, certainly at physical retail, are going through some of...

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