Supporting Loved Ones During Challenging Times: Western Union Launches “Digital Location”

Alternative Video and Phone Channel Offered to Serve Customers Across Austria, Belgium, Italy, Portugal & Oman.

New Service builds on Western Union’s Continued Digital Services Success and Launches to Keep Essential Money Transfer Services Accessible to Customers during Movement Restrictions and Some Temporary Location Closures in Light of COVID-19.

DENVER & VIENNA & BRUSSELS & ROME & LISBON, Portugal--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU), a leader in cross-border, cross-currency money movement and payments, today announced the launch of Western Union’s “Digital Location,” a new channel for Western Union customers to have a personalized money transfer experience from the comfort and safety of their home.

Hands-on service has always been a key part of the Western Union customer experience at Agent retail locations. Commencing today, a pilot will enable customers in Austria, Belgium, Italy, Portugal and Oman to connect in multiple languages via a voice or video call to a money transfer personal-service assistant who will help them through the transaction. Customers will electronically complete their transaction funded by card for payout into Western Union’s global network of bank accounts, wallets or Agent retail locations.

As more countries implement COVID-19 lockdowns, shelter-in-place, or restricted movement guidelines and some Western Union Agent locations are directed to close temporarily by local authorities, Western Union is urging customers to use our global online services to send, monitor and payout their money transfers. For those customers who have not used an all-digital transfer in the past, need additional guidance through the digital transfer process or who may simply prefer doing business with a person, Western Union’s “Digital Location” now offers a personalized experience accessible from the comfort and safety of a customer’s own home. Western Union intends to expand this service to additional countries soon.

“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 Western Union President and CEO Hikmet Ersek. “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.”

Ersek continued: “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.”

Western Union has built the world’s most robust cross-border, cross-currency money-movement and payments network. From more than 70 countries, customers can send money around the world, check prices and exchange rates, and track their transfers at westernunion.com. In more than 40 countries, they can use the Western Union Mobile app. Customers also have the option of sending funds directly into billions of bank accounts, wallets and retail worldwide. Please be advised that as a result of restricted movement guidelines or requirements, customers are currently experiencing reduced access to retail Agent locations due to some temporary closures in areas of Italy, Spain and other parts of Europe, India, Argentina, and parts of the United States, among other geographies.

The company’s Agent network remains ready to serve customers in most parts of the world, but customers are advised to check the Agent Locator link for the status of the nearest locations.

Western Union Business Solutions continues to serve its Financial Institution, Education, Legal and Non-governmental organization clients, and supports them with cross-border, cross-currency payments.

WU-G

About Western Union

The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) is a global leader in cross-border, cross-currency money movement and payments. Our omnichannel platform connects the digital and physical worlds and makes it possible for consumers and businesses to send and receive money and make payments with speed, ease, and reliability. As of December 31, 2019, our network included over 550,000 retail agent locations offering our branded services in more than 200 countries and territories, with the capability to send money to billions of accounts. Additionally, westernunion.com, our fastest growing channel in 2019, is available in over 70 countries, plus additional territories, to move money around the world. With our global reach, Western Union moves money for better, connecting family, friends and businesses to enable financial inclusion and support economic growth. For more information, visit www.westernunion.com.