Manulife benefits balance skill for Alexa is an insurance industry first in Canada
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TORONTO, Nov. 16, 2017 /CNW/ - Manulife is launching the
Manulife Benefits skill for Amazon Alexa, a Canadian insurance industry first. From tracking vision care to dental and other
medical account balances, Manulife group benefits plan members can inquire through any Amazon Alexa-enabled device in
Canada starting December 2017.
"The days of expecting plan members to fill out forms or wait for a response on a quick balance check are over. Smartphones
and other technologies have changed the way people do things," said Donna Carbell, Senior Vice
President, Group Benefits, Manulife. "They want to interact when and where it's convenient for them, so we've made it easier than
ever for plan members to get the most out of their group benefits plan."
Manulife Benefits was built for voice services, and uses voice recognition technology to present customers with key account
information in a simple and conversational way.
"We are committed to innovations that allow us to be available wherever our customers need us. Your connected smart home
device is one of those places," said Xavier Debane, Vice President, Innovation and Business
Development. "Most of us speak much more quickly than we can type. There is nothing easier than just having a conversation, which
is exactly what we want to deliver to our clients."
The world is complex and rapidly changing and it can be difficult to keep track of everything. Benefits and pension plan
details are no different.
As Manulife embarks on this insurtech transformation journey, expect to see a lot more innovations in the space of customer
experience and usability. Manulife is focused on moving to the front of the pack in customer experience with a focus on
innovative technologies that better listen to clients, understand their needs and improve their experience at every
touchpoint.
"Conversational Artificial Intelligence is becoming the fastest growing technology interaction method," said Jim Stirtzinger, Director, RED Lab, Manulife. "If life is a juggling act, we've just given plan members an
extra set of hands. At Manulife, checking your balance is just the first in a series of transformations aimed at innovating the
experience for people communicating with Manulife."
Manulife continues to look ahead and reinvent the way it connects with customers. Interested in improving your financial
knowledge? Enable the Manulife IQ skill to build on your financial literacy. Manulife develops skills through its innovation labs
LOFT and RED Lab in collaboration with business units across the organization.
About Manulife:
Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services group that helps people achieve their
dreams and aspirations by putting customers' needs first and providing the right advice and solutions. We operate primarily as
John Hancock in the United States and Manulife elsewhere. We
provide financial advice, insurance, as well as wealth and asset management solutions for individuals, groups and institutions.
At the end of 2016, we had approximately 35,000 employees, 70,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving more
than 22 million customers. As of September 30, 2017, we had over $1
trillion (US$806 billion) in assets under management and administration, and in the previous
12 months we made $27.1 billion in payments to our customers. Our principal operations are in
Asia, Canada and the United
States where we have served customers for more than 100 years. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges and under '945' in Hong
Kong.
SOURCE Manulife Financial Corporation
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