Cross-currency money transfer firm Western Union has announced the launch of Digital Location, a new tool that enables people to send money from home.
A pilot of the new channel is being introduced in Austria, Belgium, Italy, Portugal and Oman. Users can choose phone calls or video in multiple languages to connect to a money transfer personal service assistant. A card is used for payouts into any bank account, digital wallet or agent locations supported by Western Union.
Some Western Union Agent locations are closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Anyone who has never used an all-digital transfer can get help with Western Union’s Digital Location. The company plans to launch the service to more countries in the near future.
“Western Union is committed to drawing on our history of innovation and our agile cross-border, cross-currency platform to serve our customers in whatever ways they require in this unprecedented environment,” said Hikmet Ersek, Western Union president and CEO. “Due to limited services via retail locations in some areas impacted by restricted movement guidelines, we are seeing increased demand for our online services. We are happy to now offer another way for our customers to reach out to their loved ones with care and support.”
Western Union Agent locations are open in many areas, but customers should check the status before heading out.
“It is more critical than ever to enable our customers to send money to family and loved ones or help importers and exporters to pay their suppliers. Money flows are a vital source of income for many of our customers, including our business clients and partners. Amid all the current uncertainty, we are doing everything we can to keep money moving to where it is needed most,” Ersek added.
Western Union’s cross-border, cross-currency money-movement and payments network is available in over 70 countries worldwide. Users can also check exchange rates and monitor transfers at westernunion.com. Over 40 countries have the ability to use the Western Union Mobile app.
Western Union recently partnered with Integral for a new risk management mechanism called Integral BankFX. Western Union will use Integral’s technology for its electronic foreign exchange (eFX) risk management technology across the Western Union Business Solutions program.
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