Robots: the next generation of bankers?

He said he also found it “practical and convenient” to withdraw or deposit cash using facial recognition technology at the automatic teller machines.

It’s a simple matter of linking a banking card with a mobile phone number and recording your face. The machines do the rest.

Any problems in the outlet? Just contact one of the patrol robots programmed to deal with any circumstance that may arise.

Jiang’s conclusion?

“It was really novel and fun,” he said, after talking with the robots. “They tell me almost everything I need to know about the bank’s services.”

For Yuan Yunke, Jiang’s girlfriend and a first-year postgraduate at the Economics School of Shanghai University, first impressions were not so favorable.

She said she is concerned that graduates like her, majoring in economics or finance, may never find jobs in the future.

Jiang tried to jolly her up by noting that bank personnel in the future will be liberated from drudge routine work and can be deployed to more creative jobs.

Xie Yong, a local resident in his 40s, said he felt a bit confused after visiting the unmanned branch.

“The younger generation prefers to do transactions via mobile banking applications, while many senior citizens may find high-tech banking difficult to master,” he said. “I don’t quite understand why the bank needs such an outlet here. It may not attract much traffic in the long term.”

For now, the novelty of the new outlet is attracting customers of all ages.

Guo Lanying, a 63-year-old Jilin Province lawyer on a business trip in Shanghai, said she found the facilities at the branch interesting and helpful. She told Shanghai Daily that she hopes to see more such outlets in other cities in China.

Unlike online banking, clients at the branch get receipts showing their transactions. She said that was reassuring.

“After all, regulations on online banking services aren’t comprehensive yet in China,” she noted. “We consumers want to protect ourselves.” Shanghai is on a brand-building campaign to enhance its profile globally. This ongoing series focuses on city industry and economic news related to the elevation of the city’s reputation in four target areas – services, manufacturing, shopping and culture.