Itaú Empresas invests in technology to support the expansion of everyday retail | Itau

To ensure that companies make the most of this potential, Itaú Empresas ensures that companies can keep up with this pace and invests in technology, automation and data, designing a strategic acquisition operation for retail.

“Operational excellence is the foundation of the Network’s value proposition. Our role is to be a strategic partner for retail. We provide technology, intelligence and support so that businesses can grow efficiently and securely. Every advancement in infrastructure and performance is designed to drive sales and generate real value in the end,” says Angelo Russomanno, Director of Corporate Payments and Revenue at Itaú Unibanco.

This strategy is reflected in figures and in direct impact on retail: in November, the network reached a historic milestone, with more than 130 billion reais processed in transactions with debit, credit and Pix cards, the highest volume ever recorded by an acquirer in the country in a single month. The result represents a growth of 27.7% compared to the same period of the previous year.

With 100% systemic availability, the Network has demonstrated the strength of its technological infrastructure and its ability to operate at scale with high performance, stability and credibility. By ensuring smooth sales and reliable transactions, the company helps its customers be more efficient, sell more and operate more securely, even during periods of highest demand.

INTEGRATION: COMPETITIVE DIFFERENCE

Acquiring, banking, credit and management are unified in a single ecosystem, allowing the client to have a consolidated view of the entire financial flow, from sale to settlement. “The entrepreneur tracks sales revenue, available receivables, deposits and account balance in real time, without needing to switch between platforms,” specifies the director.

The institution’s proposal was to evolve the network beyond the role of acquirer by offering a performance and management space supported by technology, stability, security, speed and integration.

Another difference is the intensive use of data and artificial intelligence to optimize flows and anticipate needs, from transaction processing time to risk management.

“In addition to being a financial services provider, Itaú and Rede act as co-pilots of the business journey, helping entrepreneurs grow based on information, efficiency and technology,” says the executive.

This strategy is complemented by a robust and highly available infrastructure, with 99.999% uptime and 100% cloud-processed transactions, which generate stability, speed and continuity regardless of sales volume.

Transactional journeys are completed in less than 3.4 seconds. “In addition, the predictive monitoring and 24/7 service guarantee immediate resolution of any incident, thus avoiding financial losses,” adds Russomanno.

One of the bank’s most recent investments in innovation is the new Laranjinha+, co-created with clients to meet their key needs. To develop the technology, hundreds of entrepreneurs conducted research and tests were carried out in more than 5,000 establishments in different segments. According to the institution, entrepreneurs highlighted as main challenges the slowness of transactions, low battery life and lack of integration with management systems, which impact daily life and consumer experience.

The new generation features reformulated hardware and software, with up to 38 hours of battery life, a touchscreen, an illuminated physical keyboard, and 20% better performance than previous versions. However, the biggest advancement lies in the embedded intelligence that allows for management solutions, tax automation and applications customized by sector.

This means that a restaurant, for example, can place the order and pay directly at the table, that a clothing store can finalize the sale without going through the cash register and with real-time stock updating, and that a building materials store is able to automatically issue NF-e. “This turns the machine into a complete point of sale,” explains Russomanno.

The device allows the use of more than 100 applications integrated into the Conexão Itaú ecosystem, which ranges from business automation and inventory management systems to tax solutions and customer loyalty platforms. Rede and Itaú are integrated with the best software companies in Brazil to offer differentiated solutions for different business sectors. “We have a Laranjinha for each branch of activity, providing specific solutions to the client, depending on their region, size and activity,” explains Russomanno.

The Network service has also changed and now operates with an advisory and predictive model capable of identifying problems before they reach the entrepreneur. “Logistics has also been modernized: more than 70% of deliveries are made on the same day and the equipment replacement rate has reached the lowest time on the market,” explains Russomanno.

According to the director, internal tests and measurements have shown that using the new Laranjinha+ with integrated solutions through Conexão Itaú has achieved up to 40% more operational efficiency, a 70% gain in service agility, an average increase of 15% in net profit and a reduction of up to 30% in operating costs.