Greater focus on accessible and inclusive payments

Dutch banks work to ensure that their digital and other services are readily accessible. Vulnerable groups, such as older people and people with disabilities, should be able to manage their banking independently so that they are not financially excluded.

Banks pursue this individually and, since 2020, have also discussed it in the Accessibility and Inclusion Working Group (WTI), coordinated by the Dutch Payments Association. In this working group, banks exchange ideas on how payments can better meet the needs of vulnerable groups. Over the past year, the working group devoted considerable effort to jointly improving and scaling up accessibility initiatives.

Personal support

Customers can still visit a bank for help with and questions about their daily banking. This is possible at 940 bank branches, for example during walk-in consultation hours, and at approximately 500 branches of Regiobank, as well as at a growing number of service points (around 300). At a customer’s request, banks provide support at home, and older customers can request personal telephone support without automated menus. Banks also offer extensive online support, ranging from online workshops to individual help via video banking. Bank websites and VeiligBankieren.nl(opens in new window)  offer dozens of explanatory videos that anyone can watch at any time.

Successful pilot with libraries

A good example of a joint initiative by banks in 2021 is the Online Banking pilot with libraries in Rotterdam. The pilot gives the participating organisations greater insight into people’s willingness and reluctance to learn digital banking. This enables them to develop a collaborative approach involving different organisations to help people bank digitally and independently.
The success of the Rotterdam pilot has led to its continuation in other cities and regions. It has also enabled individual banks to expand their own support for digital banking.

More help at home for more people

Mobile advisers and coaches help customers at home with payments and other banking matters. Wherever possible, they also help customers develop their digital skills so that they can subsequently manage their banking independently at home. These visits complement telephone and video-call support, saving customers a trip to a branch.
An adviser visits around five customers at home each day. Banks expanded their teams of mobile advisers and coaches over the past year. Since 2021, one bank has had 50 advisers on the road each day, while another doubled its number of mobile advisers in 2021 to help even more people across the country.

Cooperation with older people’s organisations

Together with organisations representing older people, banks organise local events and activities on safe and independent digital banking. Banks also involve retired bank employees to provide one-to-one information and assistance.
The COVID-19 pandemic meant that fewer in-person meetings and conversations could be held over the past two years. As soon as it is safe and responsible to do so, the banks and organisations representing older people intend to expand these in-person initiatives again.

Accessibility at the Dutch Payments Association annual conference

In 2021, the Dutch Payments Association released an episode of betaalTV on accessibility, as well as an infographic which is also available as an audio recording. Like the 2020 conference, the Dutch Payments Association’s annual conference on 19 May will again address accessibility and inclusion in payments.