The Customer Effect

How banks are reaching out to visually impaired customers

  • Banks are required by law to offer equal access to disabled customers, and to comply they've rolled out a series of features to improve access
  • Rather than being perceived as a burden, banks now see blind and other disabled customers as previously untapped customer segments
close

Email a Friend

How banks are reaching out to visually impaired customers
Hashim Kirkland is like millions of other Americans who track their bank balance and pay bills on a mobile banking app. He also happens to be blind. "Usually, what I do is go find the app on my iPhone, double-click, then I scroll to find what I need," he said. "[The banks] are willing to work with you, helping out with the app if you have a problem; they're willing to go the extra mile." Beyond the talking ATMs the major banks have offered for years, banks are rolling out service enhancements that emphasize voice -- tools that can enhance accessibility for visually impaired customers. A notable example is USAA's mobile app's voice-guided deposit the bank debuted last year, a feature that lets visually impaired customers deposit checks by taking pictures of them, following voice prompts. Others have made a push on voice-activated services, including TD's VoicePrint authentication that rolled out earlier this year and last year's launch of Capital One's Alexa skill, which lets customers check balances, track spending and pay bills. Instead of seeing accessibility requirements as a burden, banks are now seeing them as opportunities to reach a large market segment, with the National Federation of the Blind estimating there are 10 million people who are blind or visually impaired in the U.S. "The majority of banks realize that they're reaching an untapped marketplace -- about a trillion dollars [of transactions] are controlled by people with visual impairments," said Glen Schubert, evp of marketing at Braille Works, a company he said helps major U.S. banks offer reading materials to visually impaired customers, including audio statements and marketing materials, as well as accessible PDF documents. Of course, a lot of this is simply following the law. Banks are required by law to accommodate Americans with disabilities, including those who have visual impairments. Banks must offer customers additional tools to ensure their customers can access services, regardless of a disability. And banks have a history of failure here; for example, in 2011, Wells Fargo paid $17 million to settle a lawsuit filed against the company claiming that it didn't offer equal access to services for customers with hearing impairments. For banks, a more recent push has been in making websites accessible, which is covered under legislation. Due to technology-driven service enhancements, Kirkland said he doesn't think there's a huge amount more banks can do for blind customers -- except in the realm of security. Despite opportunities to use talking ATMs, Kirkland said he prefers getting cash the old-fashioned way, by lining up to see a teller. "Even by using headphones [at a talking ATM], people could be standing over you, watching you put in your pin," he said. "It's a lot safer to go to the teller."

0 comments on “How banks are reaching out to visually impaired customers”

The Customer Effect

‘We don’t make that much money on them’: The opportunities and gaps in banking with Gen Z

  • While Gen Z is estimated to have $360 billion in disposable income, only 33% of them are using a financial provider. 
  • David Donovan, EVP of Publicis Sapient, talks about the opportunity Gen Z represents for FIs and why they are failing at capturing the demographic's attention.
Rabab Ahsan | June 30, 2023
The Customer Effect

How are consumer habits and spending changing due to economic turbulence?

  • Economic turbulence is changing consumer spending.
  • 66% of people say that the current economic situation is making them reconsider how much they put aside for their emergency fund, while others are pushing away travel plans and dipping into their 401k.
Rabab Ahsan | April 27, 2023
The Customer Effect

22% of Americans think ‘net worth’ only applies to wealthy people

  • American consumers are more aware of celebrity net worth than their own.
  • Younger consumers, those heading towards retirement, and women are the most likely to not keep track of their net worth.
Rabab Ahsan | April 20, 2023
The Customer Effect

Trouble in paradise: How layoffs are affecting consumer relationships

  • The recent wave of layoffs is impacting consumers’ relationships.
  • 80% of those who were laid off themselves would consider leaving their spouse if they got laid off, too.
Rabab Ahsan | April 14, 2023
The Customer Effect

Quick Take: Scrutinizing the impact of inflation on consumers’ finances

  • Troubles in finance paradise continue. With passing months these anxieties have been growing and are reflected in other parts of customers’ financial habits as well.
  • With rising inflation, how are increasing rents, embedded finance, & layoffs affecting consumers' financial anxieties?
Rabab Ahsan | April 05, 2023
More Articles