United Bank for Africa Plc has said services on its Chatbot, Leo, is now available for customers on Apple Business Chat, where its users can communicate directly with businesses using the Messages app on iPhone and iPad.

This was disclosed during the inauguration of the service at the bank’s head office in Lagos.

The Group Managing Director, UBA, Mr Kennedy Uzoka, said, “As a brand focused on providing excellent customer experience, we are always looking for new ways to serve our customers easily and on time. We are therefore thrilled to support Apple Business Chat, which gives us a powerful and engaging connection with our customers.

“Most of our customers prefer iOS, and we always want to exceed their expectations when they experience UBA. Apple Business Chat makes communicating with us as easy as messaging a friend. So, we expect it will quickly become our customers’ preferred customer service channel.”

He explained that UBA customers could use the services of Leo, through the Apple Business Chat to open an account, buy airtime, check account balance, make account transfers and pay bills.

With Business Chat, customers could always reach a live person and were always in control of whether they shared any contact information with a business.

Uzoka said, “Today, we are covering a segment that has been missing for some time. It is our desire to ensure that we put Leo everywhere. And today, it is now on the iOS platform as the users approached us that they needed to enjoy the service which Facebook and WhatsApp users had been enjoying from Leo.

“Consistently, we have been the first in the use of intelligence banking; this is the first time this is happening in Africa. Leo is live in English on the iOS platform, and by the end of October, it will be live in other languages. As you know, Leo is already on WhatsApp and Facebook in English, French, Portuguese and Swahili languages.”

To start Apple Business Chat, the bank said customers could click the ‘Chat with Messages’ button on UBA’s website or in mobile banking app, available in the App Store. A conversation with UBA’s agents would open instantly in the Messages app, and users could take their time responding when it was convenient.