“Hello, I’m Blue, the BBVA virtual assistant. What can I do for you today?” This is how the first virtual assistant developed entirely by BBVA introduces itself. The newly launched virtual assistant responds to more than 100 customer requests among the 800 features that are integrated in the BBVA app. This makes Blue the most comprehensive virtual assistant on the market. The new tool takes advantage of natural language processing (NPL) and machine learning, which facilitates both voice activated and text-based customer interaction with the app.

True to its commitment to deliver the best services to its customers, BBVA has become the first financial institution in Spain to roll out a seamless 100% online account switching process that allows customers to bring their bank accounts from other banks to BBVA. In most cases the process can be completed without any additional paperwork. The ‘Cambio de banco (Switch Banks)' digital tool automates all the steps involved in the account switching process, including the updating of all direct debit, credit, and billing arrangements and shutting down the old account, in a seamless process that saves users the need to visit any branches of the BBVA or their former bank’s networks.

The uncertainty triggered by COVID-19 has led to a rise in cyberattacks against individuals in Spain. BBVA has therefore hosted several webinars in recent months to offer practical advice to customers and non-customers and thus alert the general public to the risk of fraud on the Internet. During these online events, involving members of the BBVA Cybersecurity team, including Roberto Ortiz, Global Head of Security Culture and Training at BBVA (People Information Security), speakers addressed the need to educate, inform and raise awareness of cyber attacks to protect the identity and finances of network users.

This partnership deal will let BBVA employees take an official master’s degree in Big Data, gain recognition as data scientists or achieve an industrial doctorate in data science. In addition, the agreement will enable students at Universidad de Navarra to carry out research alongside BBVA and even join the bank later on.

A total of 15 new BBVA USA branches will open in early 2021, as announced by the bank recently, with all branches being opened in the bank’s Texas footprint. One of the biggest, and more unique, differences of these modern branches is the new Personal Banker Bar, a feature meant to replace a traditional teller line, and enhance the consumer experience.

Garanti BBVA Vice President İlker Kuruöz, together with Fatih Sarı, journalist and technology columnist, participated in 3T3, a program where they analyzed the pandemic's impact on business.

Álvaro Garrido has been safeguarding the integrity of BBVA's assets for the past three years. In his role as Chief Security Officer (CSO), he’s responsible not only for the Group’s physical & digital security, but also for its fraud prevention efforts, an exceptionally broad range of duties for such a large company and, at the same time, a great professional challenge.

BBVA’s digital development strategy of the past several years is now strongly supporting the digital management of customers' finances. The implementation of agile work methodologies, DevOps practices—coordination across different teams throughout software development—and a global perspective were key for digital solutions to provide value and become scalable among business units and countries. Thanks to BBVA's commitment to technology and new ways of working, the bank was able to guarantee service quality, adapt its way of working—with 90% of employees working from home—and, at the same time, enhance its response capacity.