“Alexa, Pay My Capital One Bill”
Sometimes, the mobile payments world can get a little meta, and we see how a mobile payments venue can actually be used to pay off another mobile payments venue’s charges.
Amazon’s Alexa recently stepped up to bat on this point, as it recently tied in with Capital One and allowed users to bank by voice, including reviewing various transactions, making payments, or beyond.
Users interested in adding this capability first must be Capital One bank customers, as it only works with Capital One for now.
Once that’s taken care of, users can add the skill to Alexa using the standard Alexa mobile app, and then by inputting username and password, Alexa can access the account and carry on with normal functions.
Users will then be able to use the Alexa system through Amazon devices, including the Eco, the Tap, the Dot, or Fire TV.
Naturally, users will likely think twice before adding this skill to portable devices. Home-based devices, though, could find it welcome, even an entertaining and convenient way to handle banking.
Though it wouldn’t be surprising to see few users take advantage of this in general; Alexa is still somewhat new, and some reports of Alexa “going haywire”, misinterpreting commands and engaging in activities it was never ordered to engage in are unnerving.
At one point, a user found a connected thermostat suddenly jump to 70 degrees because Alexa heard its name in a radio broadcast playing sufficiently nearby to trigger its systems.
Others might be leery of connecting Alexa to finances with Amazon’s security stance, after Amazon dropped device encryption from Fire OS, a decision reversed when users protested.
In the end, the new skill seems like a clever idea, but it’s not really solving a problem. Were there that many people who had a hard time handling their Capital One accounts? Or is Amazon here just pushing the gee-whiz factor to its limits, attempting to draw interested users to a platform that may not be seeing all that much activity?
It’s not that Amazon had a bad idea here, it’s just that Amazon’s new connection to Capital One isn’t likely to offer that much value. Time saved and entertainment value are all fine and well, but when it comes to credit cards and mobile payments, I’d sooner have protection and ease of use than convenience and a Star Trek feel.