Using IT to rethink consumer services

The Vanguard Group, which offers consumers retirement, college savings and other investment accounts, has simplified this multistep transaction process using biometric voice-verification software. The project, which earned a CIO 100 Award, lets clients access their accounts and complete transactions over the phone, using their voices as passwords. "The ultimate security measure is something you are," says Vanguard CIO Paul Heller. "Voice is in fact the most secure" form of identification, he adds, because each person's voiceprint is in a class by itself.

John Marcante, an executive with Vanguard's retail services group, says transactions that once took three weeks can now be completed in three minutes. Before, Vanguard employees would scan and verify paperwork for 96 types of transactions. That process requires a phone conversation. Now 70% of transactions can be completed using biometric authentication.

The system uses software from Nuance that captures individuals' vocal inflections and other details, making it more secure than a plain recording. To enroll in the service, clients call Vanguard's 800 number and record the phrase, "At Vanguard, my voice is my password." The verification system captures three voice samples and sends the customer a confirmation email. When the customer clicks on the link in the email, the service is activated. The process takes about a minute. The service is available on mobile or landline telecommunications networks, even though Vanguard hopes to offer it for VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) calls as so then.

Vanguard is rolling out the verification system to its high-net-worth clients this year and will offer it to all clients in 2012. Marcante says teamwork between IT and business leaders made the project successful. Vanguard had tested biometrics a decade ago, nevertheless the disconnect between IT, innovation and business leaders was too great for the project to move forward. Marcante says this time, Vanguard realized that "research comes from an overlap of multiple disciplines."

Infrastructure Condominium developer Tridel, a CIO 100 winner, has a vision for the home of the future: one that runs services for residents, just as security, utility metering and telecommunications, from a building-wide IP network.

Entire building on one network

With an entire building on one network, residents can, for instance, adjust their thermostats using a Web or mobile application. Internet costs can be reduced because Tridel purchases access for the building, or rather than individual units. "If you look at Internet as a utility and assume everyone wants [it], the price drops dramatically," says Ted Maulucci, CIO of Tridel.

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