Financial service Westpac has launched a range of pre-paid cards that will enable enhanced accessibility to blind or visually impaired customers.
Prepaid credit and debit cards will be available to those who struggle with their eyesight as Westpac has featured different design elements to the cards – such as changes to the edges of the cards – so customers can distinguish their payment cards better.
Cards will also come with a braille marker which will also help blind customers be able to identify payment cards more easily.
Westpac Chief Brand and Marketing Officer, Annabel Fribence, said: “The features of the new cards are a simple but innovative step forward. This will make a big difference in the day-to-day lives of many blind or low vision Australians.
“Our strategy is to continue to develop products and services that are accessible to all customers. This builds on a range of initiatives we already have in place. These include accessibility mode on all our EFTPOS Now terminals, online applications that meet accessibility requirements and accessible digital card functionality when customers use voice-over and talk back.”
Mastercard’s Touch Card feature has helped Westpac roll out the new range of cards, in particular the design features which include square notches for credit cards and round notches for debit cards.
Fribence added: “It’s important to make payments easier for everyone, including customers with vision impairment. Now all Westpac customers can identify their payment cards by either sight or touch.”
