BANKS nationwide will soon be required by law to put measures in place that guarantee everyone can use their services, even the elderly, technologically-illiterate and those with disabilities or diversities.
Spain's government has released details of new procedures all high-street financial entities will be obliged to follow to ensure 'inclusiveness' – that nobody is left out in the cold from a basic public service that is as essential to daily living as electricity, water, telecommunications and transport.
Although local councils and regional governments in more isolated, rural parts of Spain, or those with a high retired population, have been making waves for some time to get banks to make themselves accessible, the real driving force behind the changes is 78-year-old Carlos San Juan and his online petition, which has gathered close to 700,000 signatures.
The retired doctor says he does use the internet, but his knowledge of it is fairly basic and his main concern is other people his age and above who cannot, or do not have a connection, as well as those who cannot afford a computer or a bang-up-to-date SmartPhone compatible with banking Apps.
After a local high-street bank attempted to charge him for withdrawing money over the counter rather than from a cashpoint, Carlos' now-viral response was: “I'm elderly, not stupid.”
The national government's reaction to the 'elderly uprising' has been swift and complete, and acts as proof that it is, indeed, listening to the people it represents.
Six-monthly analyses and reports will be drawn up by the Financial Inclusion Observatory to make certain that all banks comply, and that the new measures are working, as well as making recommendations for improvements.
Here's an outline of new legal obligations placed on banks to ensure everybody can use them.
Toll-free telephone assistance
Telephone-based services, as an alternative to online, App-based or face-to-face assistance will be reinforced, and the protocol signed by Spain's banking community commits them to guaranteeing the caller will always be able to speak to a human, not a standard recorded message.
Phone lines will be free of charge, so that those who do not have internet access or cannot get to a bank in person will not be forced, by default, to pay more than everyone else for the 'privilege' of having and managing an account.
Read the full article at thinkSPAIN.com