Intelligent CIO Europe Issue 14 | Page 10

NEWS Wirecard and PFC improve customer banking experience Sweden is taking the right steps to becoming a cashless society Sabio extends workforce optimisation capability with Callware T he Sabio Group has announced the acquisition of Callware, Spain’s leading specialist provider of Workforce Optimisation (WFO), unified communications and cloud contact centre solutions with operations in Spain and Mexico. The acquisition strengthens Sabio Group’s domestic capabilities establishing the company as the largest independent contact centre specialist in Spain. Bringing Callware into the Sabio Group confirms Sabio as a leading independent provider of advanced Workforce Optimisation solutions and business consultancy, with a particular focus on the application of speech analytics, workforce management and customer experience process optimisation. By combining these specialisms, the Sabio Group will be able to deliver increased value to clients across all geographies. W irecard, a global innovation leader in digital financial technology, together with the Swedish FinTech, PFC – Personal Finance Co., formerly Betalo, have introduced a new digital banking proposition aimed at hundreds of thousands of Swedish consumers. The cooperation between Wirecard and PFC, which was founded in May 2012 and belonged to the 50 fastest-growing Swedish technology companies in 2017, has enabled PFC to launch Sweden’s first neobank, a digital, mobile-first financial service for Swedish customers. The two companies have announced a Mastercard debit programme, which is combined with a highly personalised app to help people manage their personal finances. Sweden is at the forefront of the transformation towards a cashless society 10 INTELLIGENTCIO with only 13% of payments being made using cash, according to Sweden’s central bank. Digital payments via cards or apps are so widely accepted that many Swedish people no longer carry cash. Thanks to the ever-expanding capabilities of mobile devices, combined with the banking industry’s wholesale transition to digital, the market has seen cashless payment applications increase. “At Sabio we know that engaged staff and effective Workforce Optimisation processes are essential in enabling businesses to deliver brilliant customer experiences,” commented Andy Roberts, CEO of the Sabio Group. “Workforce Optimisation continues to be a major investment area for organisations looking to differentiate experience through customer engagement. The acquisition of Callware is a smart move as it helps to scale our global WFO activities and establishes Sabio as Verint’s leading partner in Europe.” Eli Daniel Keren, Founder and CEO of PFC, commented: “Today, people expect financial services to be personal, transparent and simple. We want to do just that with P.F.C. We rely on strong partners like Wirecard to bring our products to market. In the long run, the solution that P.F.C. and Wirecard provide enables people to gain financial health and that’s no small feat.” www.intelligentcio.com