Capitalize on a fully digital customer journey with video identification
It is no longer a secret that companies’ (financial) success is strongly related to how well they provide digital experiences to their customers. This is even more challenging for companies operating in stricter sectors such as banking, insurance or wealth management. They have long sought to enter in a full digital journey with their customers, but strict regulations such KYC (“know your customer”), AML (“anti-money laundering”) or GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) required them to stick to more traditional procedures in identifying and collecting specific transactional data about their clients. These often include face-to-face meetings.
Thanks to emerging technologies and a more understanding legal framework of the digital business realities, physical presence is no longer a prerequisite for identification. This can now be performed remotely, through video identification.
How does it work?
Video identification (VideoID) is usually performed through a third-party platform which enables the end-user to take part in a video interview. During the interview, the end-user has to provide a valid ID document (ID card, passport) and performs some specific tasks given by the operator.
The system then combines at the same artificial intelligence and machine learning mechanisms, various channels of communication (email, SMS) and human expertise (the operator) to cross-check clients’ ID with his appearance and personal traits. For the process to be successful, the client needs only a good Internet connection and a smartphone or tablet.
A golden tool to fight fraud
Besides facilitating the digital customer journey, companies can rely on video identification to deter fraud or identity theft. The underlying principle of video identification (proving one’s identity through a video-recorded interview) discourages criminals from using it. After all, who wants to be filmed and recorded during the act of impersonating someone else’s identity? In addition, the system uses multiple authentication mechanisms and a rigorous verification system to guarantee a high level of data reliability.
Video identification provides more accurate and consistent data than face-to-face identification
If the latter relies heavily on the professionalism and attention to detail of the person doing the identification, the former is an automatized process which follows the identification protocol by the book. Data collected is thus standardised and collected in a centralized manner. This is extremely useful for companies with multiple branches across various territories which struggle with data inconsistency.
Video identification meets customers’ needs and expectations
Customers want simplicity, convenience and flexibility. Video identification grants them all that and much more. It can be performed from everywhere in the world from any type of device. Moreover, most of the providers offer 24/7 service, which means that customers can conveniently complete the procedure during lunchtime or the weekend. Not to mention that the average duration of a video interview is significantly shorter than a face-to-face meeting, that is around 5-7 minutes.
Video identification in trust services
As you may know, a strong identification is the cornerstone in any of the trust services (the provision of electronic signature, electronic seal and time stamp) and must be accomplished according to applicable regulations. eIDAS, the key legal reference in European Union, foresaw the potential technological developments in terms of electronic identification and left the door open for the use of video identification in trust services:
“When issuing a qualified certificate for a trust service, a qualified trust service provider shall verify, by appropriate means and in accordance with national law, the identity and, if applicable, any specific attributes of the natural or legal person to whom the qualified certificate is issued (…) by using other identification methods recognised at national level which provide equivalent assurance in terms of reliability to physical presence. The equivalent assurance shall be confirmed by a conformity assessment body” (eIDAS, article 24).
According to eIDAS, a qualified trust service provider must check the identity of the person to whom a qualified certificate is issued in order to ensure the highest level of trust. The identity verification can be done through any identification methods (i.e. video identification) as long as they are accepted at national level and provide the same level of assurance as the physical presence. Video identification will soon become the norm in any digital customer journey for sectors requiring mandatory client identification. Although a simple process for customers, only certified and patented providers can guarantee reliable services in full compliance with national and European laws.