Hey Buddy
Times change – and research told us that customers in Italy wanted a combination of digital support and human engagement with our teams.
Our answer was to create Buddy R-Evolution, which responds to customers' requests, offering them a better way of banking and enabling them to manage their day-to-day finances more efficiently.
Since its market debut in 2018, our digital service model has grown rapidly, serving over 410,000 customers, with particular appeal among younger customers. Now we have gone one step further. In effect, Buddy R-Evolution is a new "remote branch" that puts customers at the centre. A technologically advanced digital platform, Buddy R-Evolution lets customers choose how and when they access our services, no matter where they are. This is a complementary model – not an alternative to traditional branches – which embodies UniCredit's enduring pledge to adapt, evolve, and meet customers’ needs. In short, it is a digital extension of our branches: we are one Bank, regardless of the model chosen by the customer (physical branch or remote branch with extended hours).
Our ambition is for Buddy to become an ecosystem of services, with our client at its heart. The model is constantly evolving and will be enriched over time – offering new benefits to all our clients.
'As a Bank we are committed to putting our customers at the centre of everything we do. This means that we want to serve them in the best possible way. We listened to their requests: they wanted a combination of digital support and human engagement with our teams on the ground. They wanted choice and flexibility. They wanted a better way of banking. This is what inspired the creation of Buddy R-Evolution, which responds to customers' requests, offering them a better way of banking and enabling them to better manage their day-to-day finances. Buddy R-Evolution's journey has just begun, and we will continue to improve by listening to these requests. This launch is an important proof of our commitment to work with our customers and give them what they want. Putting our customers truly at the centre of the way we do business and our commitment to digital transformation are the fundamental pillars of UniCredit Unlocked. Buddy R-Evolution is a tangible demonstration of how we achieve both."
Group Chief Executive Officer and Head of Italy