Virtual reality training for prospective bank advisors

Prospective bank advisors can now realistically simulate and train concrete advisory situations using virtual reality as part of their training at the Austrian Volksbank Academy. The application even includes different conversation processes.

The Volksbank Academy, the training and further education institution for the approximately 4,000 employees of the Austrian Volksbanks, and the Viennese multimedia agency CREATE.21st century are now working together in the field of innovative learning by means of virtual reality. For the innovative learning programme, CREATE, a multi-award-winning specialist in digital learning communication, will record typical counselling situations in the bank using VR 360-degree technology and prepare them interactively. In this way, a virtual counselling interview is created for training purposes.

Individual training depending on the course of the conversation

Depending on the selected interactions of the advisor, different conversation processes are simulated. A demo version is already available, and from the summer onwards it will be used throughout the Volksbank Academy's training courses.

"We are pleased to take a pioneering role in this exciting innovation. Volksbanks traditionally see themselves as advisory banks, and highly trained employees are an integral part of our strategy. Training by means of VR technology will contribute to being able to respond even better to the needs of customers in practice," say General Director Gerald Fleischmann and Academy Managing Director Barbara Czak-Pobeheim.

Counsellors also train empathic conversations

"The aim is to track the learning progress in real time and to automatically suggest new exercise examples tailored to the learner. This gives the trainer an immediate overview of where his group's learning potential lies for the attendance phase. In this way, the trainee not only trains counselling conversations based on product-specific knowledge, but also his sense of empathy," said Czak-Pobeheim in an interview.

Christoph Schmidt-Martensson, CEO of CREATE, adds: "In Volksbanken, we have found an innovative and open-minded partner to put our research results into practice on a large scale. The goal of the joint project is to create the most immersive learning experience possible for employees."

A demo version is available. From the summer onwards, the Volksbank Academy wants to use the glasses in practice throughout the country.

Source: boerse-express / Fondsprofessionel / Volksbank