New Westpac update makes banking easier and more accessible than ever for vision-impaired Australians
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Big news for Westpac customers, especially those with vision impairment: the major Australian bank has rolled out a significant update to its credit, debit, and prepaid cards.
This update aims to make managing money more accessible and trouble-free for the 575,000 Australians with visual impairment, including the 60,000 who are permanently blind.
Westpac's new designs feature several key accessibility elements, including unique notches on the short edge of the card to help distinguish between different card types. These notches come in square for credit cards, round for debit cards, and triangular for prepaid cards.
This clever design makes it easier for customers with sight problems to identify the card they need, as well as which end of the card to insert into machines.
But Westpac didn't stop there—they also added a braille marker on each card to further assist in differentiating between card types.
These new card designs will be rolled out progressively to Westpac customers, ensuring that managing finances becomes a more straightforward and inclusive experience for everyone.
Annabel Fribence, Westpac's Chief Brand and Marketing Officer, expressed her enthusiasm for the new card design, stating that it would 'make payments easier for everyone'.
She also mentioned that the refreshed card design is just one of the many steps in Westpac's strategy to develop products and services accessible to all customers.
Westpac's efforts to increase accessibility don't end with these new cards. They have also implemented accessibility mode on all their EFTPOS Now terminals, accessible online applications, and digital card functionality when customers use voice-over and talk back.
'Now all Westpac customers can identify their payment cards by either sight or touch,' Ms Fribence added.
Blind Citizens Australia's Chief Executive, Sally Aurisch, praised the new card design as a 'simple yet impactful' measure for improving the experience of vision-impaired customers. She also highlighted how innovations like these could give customers with vision impairment 'extra confidence and independence when stepping up to the payment counter'.
Assistive technologies for people with vision impairment
Westpac's innovative card design is just one example of the growing range of assistive technologies now available for people with vision impairment.
Smartphone apps like Be My Eyes and Seeing AI are just a couple of examples of making a difference for people with vision impairment. Be My Eyes (available on App Store and Google Play) connects users with volunteer helpers through a live video call, and these helpers assist the user with various tasks like reading labels, navigating new spaces, or identifying items.
On the other hand, Seeing AI (available on App Store) is a Microsoft app that uses artificial intelligence to describe the world around the user, including reading text, recognising faces, and identifying objects.
Moving beyond smartphone applications, there's a wide range of assistive devices available as well. Products such as electronic magnifiers, talking clocks, and large-print keyboards can simplify daily life by providing vision-impaired users with easier access to information and improved usability.
Audiobooks and text-to-speech technology can be game-changers for those who love a good book. Numerous resources are available for people with vision impairment to enjoy literature in alternative formats, like Audible and the National Library of Australia's Vision Australia Library service.
These services provide thousands of titles in audio format, spanning from fiction to newspapers, ensuring everyone can enjoy their favourite stories, news, and articles.
It's exciting to see how innovative solutions like Westpac's accessible card design and these assistive technologies can empower people with vision impairment to lead more independent lives. We hope more banks will take note and introduce similar features in the future, making banking more inclusive for all Australians.
If you come across any other remarkable products or ideas, we invite you to leave a comment below or reach out to us directly. We would be delighted to hear about them—we might even feature them in a future article!
This update aims to make managing money more accessible and trouble-free for the 575,000 Australians with visual impairment, including the 60,000 who are permanently blind.
Westpac's new designs feature several key accessibility elements, including unique notches on the short edge of the card to help distinguish between different card types. These notches come in square for credit cards, round for debit cards, and triangular for prepaid cards.
This clever design makes it easier for customers with sight problems to identify the card they need, as well as which end of the card to insert into machines.
But Westpac didn't stop there—they also added a braille marker on each card to further assist in differentiating between card types.
Westpac has updated its cards to make them more accessible for blind and low-vision customers. Credit: Westpac.
These new card designs will be rolled out progressively to Westpac customers, ensuring that managing finances becomes a more straightforward and inclusive experience for everyone.
Annabel Fribence, Westpac's Chief Brand and Marketing Officer, expressed her enthusiasm for the new card design, stating that it would 'make payments easier for everyone'.
She also mentioned that the refreshed card design is just one of the many steps in Westpac's strategy to develop products and services accessible to all customers.
Westpac's efforts to increase accessibility don't end with these new cards. They have also implemented accessibility mode on all their EFTPOS Now terminals, accessible online applications, and digital card functionality when customers use voice-over and talk back.
'Now all Westpac customers can identify their payment cards by either sight or touch,' Ms Fribence added.
Blind Citizens Australia's Chief Executive, Sally Aurisch, praised the new card design as a 'simple yet impactful' measure for improving the experience of vision-impaired customers. She also highlighted how innovations like these could give customers with vision impairment 'extra confidence and independence when stepping up to the payment counter'.
Assistive technologies for people with vision impairment
Westpac's innovative card design is just one example of the growing range of assistive technologies now available for people with vision impairment.
Smartphone apps like Be My Eyes and Seeing AI are just a couple of examples of making a difference for people with vision impairment. Be My Eyes (available on App Store and Google Play) connects users with volunteer helpers through a live video call, and these helpers assist the user with various tasks like reading labels, navigating new spaces, or identifying items.
On the other hand, Seeing AI (available on App Store) is a Microsoft app that uses artificial intelligence to describe the world around the user, including reading text, recognising faces, and identifying objects.
There is an abundance of new technology available to assist individuals who are blind or have vision impairments in navigating their daily lives. Credit: Unsplash/CDC.
Moving beyond smartphone applications, there's a wide range of assistive devices available as well. Products such as electronic magnifiers, talking clocks, and large-print keyboards can simplify daily life by providing vision-impaired users with easier access to information and improved usability.
Audiobooks and text-to-speech technology can be game-changers for those who love a good book. Numerous resources are available for people with vision impairment to enjoy literature in alternative formats, like Audible and the National Library of Australia's Vision Australia Library service.
These services provide thousands of titles in audio format, spanning from fiction to newspapers, ensuring everyone can enjoy their favourite stories, news, and articles.
It's exciting to see how innovative solutions like Westpac's accessible card design and these assistive technologies can empower people with vision impairment to lead more independent lives. We hope more banks will take note and introduce similar features in the future, making banking more inclusive for all Australians.
If you come across any other remarkable products or ideas, we invite you to leave a comment below or reach out to us directly. We would be delighted to hear about them—we might even feature them in a future article!
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