News

National Australia Bank adding audio to ATMs

November 25, 2003

SYDNEY - National Australia Bank is installing private audio jacks at its ATMs to help visually-impaired customers use them.

According to a report on Finextra, the bank plans to audio-enable 64 ATMs by the end of the month. Half of its national ATM network will be audio-enabled by May 2004; all new machines will include audio functions.

Dennis Pozzobon, The National's head of distribution, said the audio machines will enable customers to withdraw cash, print account balances and transfer funds. Deposit functionality is currently being piloted.

"The audio ATMs are simple to use as the voice message is transmitted privately via the customer's own headphones, and therefore provides independence and convenience without compromising the necessary security for financial transactions," Pozzobon said.

The move follows a pilot run on both Diebold and NCRATMs, and supported by Royal Victorian Institute of the Blind (RVIB) and Blind Citizens Australia, according to Finextra.