Major bank releases accessible debit card

On 31 October, ANZ released debit cards with a larger font and tactile indicators to help customers orientate and identify cards. The cards have high visibility leading edges designed to help with identifying the correct way to insert cards into ATMs and EFTPOS terminals. They also feature contactless technology, allowing users to ‘tap and pay’ wherever such payments are accepted.With support from Vision Australia, ANZ ran focus groups to test the new card design with people who had different levels of vision impairment. The participants who took part in the focus groups commended ANZ for not only being the first bank in Australia to add accessible features to their cards but for seeking valuable input from customers who are blind or have low vision, Vision Australia general manager advocacy Ms Karen Knight said. These mbers of the community are at risk of being left behind in the digital banking world if institutions like ANZ don’t consider accessibility when developing products for their customers. ANZ general manager deposits and payments Ms Kath Bray agreed, saying, With almost 360,000 Australians who are blind or have low vision, accessibility needs to be considered as a key elent of the customer experience we offer. We will continue to use innovation and technology to make banking more accessible and easy for our customers. The move follows the Federal Government’s launch of a new, accessible $5 banknote on 1 Septber 2016.In an ANZ report, former Australian disability discrimination commissioner Mr Grae Innes said that making payment mediums – especially the cards and mobile devices starting to replace more traditional money – more accessible went beyond inclusion and to the sustainability of companies and the broader economy. It’s critical, he said. As we’re interacting more with an economy that is not a cash-based economy, if facilities like this are not accessible, then you are actively locking people out of economic participation.