Design For Dignity
Retail Guidelines

What matters to customers with disability?

Evolving needs and higher expectations

The most recent AND survey on banking accessibility in 2016* Survey was across all bank customers and verbatim comments could be about any bank or credit union. revealed a higher level of sophistication, expectation and advocacy than had been seen in many previous surveys. People are asserting that their rights as consumers and citizens should be met, saying things like: “Treat me like I am a valued customer” and “Organise interpreters when needed”.

AUSLAN

“Providing AUSLAN to gain access to information that hearing people have access to without a problem. I want to be able to feel comfortable and relaxed without any worries — that would make my day, to have the ‘PAH’ (meaning ‘I understand’) and leave the building with a smile on my face!”
“It would be phenomenal to be able to receive information and services using my native language… AUSLAN! Australian Sign Language, by means of educating the staff or easy access and provision of interpreters and translated information in AUSLAN online!”
“Caption their videos online and recognise the national relay service as an acceptable communication channel.”

Systems

“Banks should provide an individualised access profile [like] a centralised platform where the consumer with a disability can advise the bank about their access issues, which are resolved and reasonable adjustments are put in place and implemented throughout the banking experience.”
“Have a fingerprint application that would enable my son to access his account. But, due to financial carelessness, that the fingerprint scan option would ideally be coupled with a cap.”
“Being able to communicate directly with the customer service in branch using AUSLAN and/or using chat online directly with customer service officers instead of using NRS.”
“Organise an iPad where I could access a video relay interpreter on the spot, and this would provide me the opportunity to speak with a banker and have information be 100 percent accessible. Subtitles to be included in all the videos on social media.”

Integration

“Be more integrated, products and services are spread across multiple areas making dealing with multiple enquiries/issues difficult as you need to interact with multiple people and systems, all with different levels of accessibility.”

Marketing

“I have never seen any advertising or marketing campaign that is either about the services my bank provides or represents people with a disability in the mainstream advertising campaign — that would wow me.”

Disability specialists

“Provide someone I can call and get through to without much automation, this person would specialise in helping people with disabilities, be understanding, helpful and friendly. They would make sure that I understand or ask if someone else can help me also.”
“An opportunity to meet my local branch staff so we can get to know each other would be great because relationships built on trust are important to me. Then I would feel more confident about talking to my friends at the bank when I needed help with my banking.”

Good process for key moments

“To ensure that the bankers don't ask each time for our Power of Attorney docs that they know each time that we have the right documentation on file and that we have the rights to act on behalf of the person with the disability. This would remove the stress of attending to our transactions.”