ATO extends voice authentication to its mobile app

The ATO has expanded its voice authentication capabilities by integrating Nuance Communications' voice biometrics technology into its mobile app.

With the implementation the ATO has become the first organisation to implement a multichannel voice biometrics authentication process, Nuance said.

The ATO introduced voice authentication for its contact centre last year and has already enrolled over 1.5 million voiceprints. This capability has now been expanded to cover authentication through the ATO mobile app.

“The ATO is committed to delivering a contemporary digital experience for our clients and feedback has shown an overwhelming acceptance of voice biometrics in the call centre, making it a natural next step to bring this ease of access to the mobile app,” ATO Assistant Commissioner John Dardo said.

“Voice biometrics solutions have made the authentication process more convenient for taxpayers and service agents via the ATO mobile app. We’re proud to be the first organisation to provide this type of innovative mobile experience for our clients.”

Voice biometrics has been demonstrated to provide better security protection than traditional authentication methods including PINs, passwords, security questions and physical tokens.

For the ATO itself, voice authentication has the potential to save 75,000 hours of agents' and customers' time per year by eliminating the need for ATO agents to verify callers' identities before assisting them.

Image courtesy of Frédérique Voisin-Demery under CC