Batopin ATM network unveiled upgraded voice guidance on Thursday for blind and partially sighted users at its cash machines in Ghent, aiming to make everyday banking tasks easier to complete independently.
The software is designed to help users withdraw cash, check their balance and cancel a transaction without assistance.
Voice guidance has already been available on the machines for some time. When users plug in earphones, they receive spoken instructions and the screen switches to privacy mode.
In the updated version, the machine gives clearer guidance on where to find the card reader, keypad, cash dispenser and receipt printer. Users can also skip parts of the instructions.
"Many people still do not know the functionality is there," said Arthur Joos of Batopin.
He said the software had been updated on the basis of feedback from users and from organisations including Unia.
The Braille League also took part in the testing. “Not everyone knows it is possible,” said communications adviser Koen François.
He said independence was crucial for users. According to the organisation, payment terminals with touchscreens remain particularly difficult to access.
“That is a very big problem for our clients. On a touchscreen, you do not have that sense of orientation,” François said.
The CASH network currently has more than 940 operational CASH points. Batopin plans to expand that to 1,065 locations by the end of 2027.
Batopin is a partnership between Belfius, BNP Paribas Fortis, ING and KBC/KBC Brussels.
