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ANZ introduces accessibility features on Visa Debit cards
ANZ introduces accessibility features on its Visa Debit cards
ANZ has launched a new Visa Debit card with accessibility features to make banking easier for customers with a disability.
Redesigned Visa Debit cards will feature bigger fonts, a notch that helps customers identify the correct way to insert a card into an ATM and EFTPOS machine, as well as raised dots indicating the right way up.
Around one million existing Visa Debit cards will be replaced as they come up for expiry. It is thought to be the first product of its kind in New Zealand.
The new accessible cards have passed the test with two vision-impaired lawn bowlers, Sue Curran and David Stallard. Both will be competing in the upcoming 2018 Commonwealth Games.
“I can’t read a newspaper, I can’t see things clearly and everything is blurry. So I am limited in what I can do,” Ms Curran said.
“But one motto the blind have used for many years is don’t let what you can’t do stop you doing what you can. I think any sort of enhancement to technology to help a vision impaired or blind person is fantastic.
“There is nothing worse than going somewhere and thinking ‘I can’t do this’ – you can do more with the help of products like this.”
Ms Curran and Mr Stallard both recall fumbling with their cards at ATMs, and bystanders often having to help them.
“This card will make a big difference because you have two dots on the front. I can feel it and put it into the machine, whereas with other cards I struggle. It’s brilliant,” Mr Stallard said.
ANZ Managing Director Retail and Business Banking Antonia Watson said ANZ aims to ensure its products and services can be used by everybody.
“We know that one in four New Zealanders identify with a disability*, so this is another step to provide accessible financial services,” Ms Watson said.
The new cards are designed to work together with the accessibility features at ANZ’s ATMs and branches.The new cards also work with all of ANZ’s mobile payment options, Visa payWave and ANZ’s contactless ATMs.
ANZ sought the help of people who have different levels of vision impairment to develop and test the new cards.
A video of David and Sue talking about how accessible products like ANZ’s new Visa debit card is helping the blind community is available here
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ANZ Bank New Zealand Limited
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