Common Uses of Biometrics in Business [Examples Included]

Password fatigue is real. Entrust found that over half of people have to reset a password at least monthly because they simply forgot it. That’s a lot of frustrated employees and overwhelmed IT departments.

The math adds up quickly. Every forgotten password means a help desk ticket, lost productivity, and usually some colorful language from whoever got locked out right before their big presentation.

Companies are exploring biometrics as an alternative. Fingerprint scanners for clocking in. Face recognition for building access. Voice verification for phone systems. The technology that seemed futuristic just a few years ago is now showing up in everyday business situations.

Turns out the best security system is the one people can’t lose or forget.

Before we dive into how businesses are using biometrics, it’s worth understanding that there are several different types of biometric technology available, so let’s first explore what options exist.

Types of Biometrics

Biometric systems fall into two main categories: physiological biometrics and behavioral biometrics. 

Each type offers different advantages depending on the business application. Below, we will discuss the four most commonly used biometrics:

1. Fingerprint Recognition – Scans the unique ridge patterns on fingertips. Widely used in smartphones, time clocks, and door locks. Companies like Apple use it for device unlocking, while manufacturing plants use fingerprint scanners for employee time tracking.
2. Facial Recognition – Analyzes facial features and bone structure. Common in security cameras, airport checkpoints, and retail stores. Facebook uses it for photo tagging, while hotels like Marriott are testing it for keyless room entry.
3. Iris Scanning – Reads the unique patterns in the colored part of the eye. Found in high-security environments and some smartphones. Banks like Wells Fargo have piloted iris scanning for ATM access, and Samsung includes it in select phone models.
4. Voice Recognition – Identifies people by vocal characteristics like pitch and tone. Used in call centers and smart assistants. Banks like HSBC use voice biometrics for phone banking authentication, while Amazon’s Alexa recognizes different family members.

In the following sections, we’ll explore real-world use cases showing how businesses across different industries are implementing these biometric technologies to solve specific challenges and improve their operations.

Fingerprint Recognition

Fingerprint scanning has become the most widely adopted biometric technology in banking because it strikes the perfect balance between security, convenience, and cost-effectiveness.

1. Mobile Banking Authentication

Banks ditched PINs for fingerprint login because customers kept forgetting them. The compound annual growth rate for biometric implementation in banking stands at 22.8% for the period 2020-2025, with fingerprint biometrics accounting for ~61% of total market revenue. 

Your phone already does the work. When you open your banking app, it scans your fingerprint locally and only sends an encrypted yes/no signal to the bank. No actual fingerprint data travels over the internet. This way, customers complete logins faster than typing passwords, plus they don’t need to reset forgotten credentials anymore.

2. Employee Security

Fingerprint scanners solve the classic problem of employees sharing passwords or losing keycards. Manufacturing plants use them for time clocks to prevent buddy punching. Banks install them on vault doors and server room entrances.

The technology creates audit trails automatically. Every door entry gets logged with a timestamp and specific employee identity. No more wondering who accessed what when.

3. Payment Cards

The newest development puts fingerprint scanners directly on payment cards. Industry analysts project 95 million biometric payment cards in circulation by 2025. Instead of entering a PIN, customers place their finger on a sensor built into the card. The fingerprint verification happens locally on the card itself, so existing payment terminals work without upgrades. 

Voice Recognition

Voice biometrics leverages the unique physical and behavioral characteristics of human speech patterns, making it nearly impossible for fraudsters to replicate convincingly.

4. Phone Banking

HSBC UK’s innovative voice biometrics system, Voice ID, has prevented almost £249 million of customers’ money from falling into the hands of telephone fraudsters in the last year, with the rate of attempted fraud down 50% year-on-year. The system works by analyzing over 100 vocal characteristics while customers speak naturally during calls.

Traditional phone banking required lengthy security questions. Voice recognition happens in the background while customers explain their needs. Over 2.8 million active customers now use the service, with around 14,000 customers enrolling each week. The technology even works when people have colds or speak quietly.

5. Call Center Authentication

Voice biometrics transforms the awkward verification process that traditionally started every customer service call. The system creates a unique voiceprint for each customer based on physical characteristics like vocal tract length and behavioral patterns like speaking rhythm.

Why voice authentication works in call centers:

• Continuous verification – The system monitors throughout the call, not just at the beginning
• Fraud detection – Compares against known fraudster voiceprints in real-time
• Agent productivity – Staff spend time solving problems instead of asking security questions
• Regulatory compliance – Creates detailed audit trails automatically

HSBC reported a 72% reduction in telephone fraud in January 2022 compared to the same month the previous year, with fraudulent calls dropping from 1,340 to 370 in that period.

6. Mobile Apps

Voice recognition in banking apps helps customers who struggle with small touchscreens or have visual impairments. Instead of tapping through menus, they speak commands after voice verification.

The technology handles noisy environments by focusing on vocal characteristics rather than sound clarity. Banks report higher engagement among elderly customers who find voice commands easier than navigating complex mobile interfaces.

Facial Recognition

The widespread availability of cameras in smartphones and branches has made facial recognition the fastest-growing biometric technology in banking applications.

7. Account Opening

Banks use facial recognition to streamline new customer onboarding while maintaining strict identity verification standards:

• Document verification – Compares live customer images against government-issued photo IDs in real-time
• Fraud detection – Identifies signs of tampering, deepfakes, or document manipulation
• Time savings – Reduces account opening from 45 minutes to under 20 minutes
• Youth accounts – Verifies parent or guardian authorization for minor account holders
• Compliance tracking – Creates audit trails for regulatory requirements automatically

The technology eliminates the need for customers to present multiple forms of identification while maintaining security standards that satisfy banking regulations.

8. Video KYC

Nearly 330 million new bank accounts were expected to be established digitally by 2025, up from 184 million in 2020. Remote account opening through video calls incorporates facial recognition for identity verification without requiring in-person visits.

The technology compares live video feeds against submitted identity documents in real-time. It detects attempts to use photos or recorded videos instead of live interactions. During the pandemic, many banks expanded video KYC services to maintain account opening capabilities while branches were closed.

9. Branch Security

Facial recognition systems in bank branches identify known threats while welcoming recognized customers. The technology monitors customer behavior patterns, identifying individuals who may be under duress or acting suspiciously.

Regional banks use facial recognition to identify frequent customers and streamline their branch experience. The system maintains customer privacy by storing encrypted facial templates rather than actual photographs. Branch managers receive real-time alerts about security concerns while getting notifications when important customers visit.

Iris Scanning

Despite being the most accurate biometric method available, iris scanning remains primarily deployed in high-security banking environments due to specialized hardware requirements.

10. VIP Banking

High-net-worth customers receive enhanced security through iris scanning for exclusive banking services. Private banking divisions use iris recognition for access to VIP lounges and private meeting rooms where confidential financial discussions occur.

The technology appeals to wealthy clients who value both security and the prestige of advanced authentication. Swiss private banks implement iris scanning for safety deposit box access, providing security levels that match the value of stored assets.

11. Vault Systems

Bank vaults use iris scanning for the highest level of access security. The system maintains detailed logs of who accesses vault areas and when, supporting regulatory compliance and security audits.

Iris recognition works through safety glasses and doesn’t require users to remove protective equipment, making it practical for vault environments. 

12. Executive Authentication

Senior banking executives use iris scanning for access to the most sensitive areas and information systems:

• Executive floors – Restricts access to C-level strategic planning areas and board rooms
• Trading systems – Controls high-risk trading platform access and large transaction approvals
• Crisis centers – Ensures only authorized executives can access emergency protocols
• Audit compliance – Creates detailed logs of executive access to sensitive systems
• Multi-location access – Provides consistent authentication across different branch locations

The technology eliminates concerns about lost access cards or forgotten passwords during high-stress situations requiring immediate access to secure areas.

Other Common Uses of Biometrics in Business

Biometrics isn’t just for banks anymore. Companies across industries are finding creative ways to use fingerprints, faces, and voices to solve everyday business problems.

As you can see, Biometrics even show up in places you might not expect. The technology works because it solves real problems like forgotten passwords and time theft.

How to Verify Biometrics using Signzy?

Setting up Biometrics involves three key parts: collection, storage, and verification. While collection and storage are straightforward technical challenges, verification is where things get complicated. This step determines whether your system actually recognizes legitimate users while keeping fraudsters out.

The good news is you don’t need to build this from scratch. Ready-to-use verification infrastructure exists that you can plug directly into your existing systems.

We, at Signzy, provide exactly this kind of solution. Our APIs integrate through simple REST calls, letting you add enterprise-grade verification without rebuilding your infrastructure.

Want to see how accurate the verification is for your use case? Schedule a demo to test the technology with your specific requirements.