FNB banking customers can now access instant emergency response services, anywhere, anytime via the FNB banking app.
Powered by South Africa’s leading security and medical response marketplace, AURA, the in-app panic button, GuardMe, is available to all FNB customers who register for the service.
The solution allows FNB customers to immediately request rapid mobile emergency response in the event of an emergency or the threat of a crime such as theft or hijacking. As soon as the panic button is activated, the AURA-powered platform auto-dispatches the closest armed response vehicle to the customer’s location throughout South Africa.
With a network of the best vetted armed response providers, AURA was selected to roll out the service to FNB customers following a successful pilot project as a staff benefit.
AURA founder and CEO Warren Myers says the technology ensures FNB customers get the fastest response to an emergency. “The FNB GuardMe emergency button instantly connects users to AURA’s nationwide network of thousands of armed responders and dispatches the closest vehicle to a distress call.”
AURA uses smart auto-dispatch technology on its safety marketplace platform. “What this means is that AURA has distributed thousands of devices which are embedded into the emergency responder’s vehicles. This eliminates the requirements for human operators to find and dispatch a response vehicle to their location. Responders are dispatched and navigated to a customer’s location in an ‘Uberised’ fashion,” Myers explains.
Commenting on its successful collaboration with AURA, CEO of FNB eBucks, Johan Moolman, says: “The safety and security of our customers remains a priority and we are delighted to partner with like-minded organisations that can enable our customers to protect themselves by using the power of our integrated platform.
“FNB and RMB Private Bank customers can register to gain access to 250 armed-response service providers, 2 500 armed-response vehicles, and over 5,000 armed-response personnel via the FNB or RMB Private Bank App. FNB and RMB customers can also sign-up friends and family that don’t bank with FNB/RMB.”
Customers can use the FNB or RMB Private Bank App to activate a distress panic button in an emergency without logging in. This service is free for the first three months and thereafter will cost R 19.90 per month per user. Customers can sign up additional family members and friends as they choose. Additionally, customers can earn up to 100% of their subscription fees back in eBucks (limited to 6 members per month).