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We, the PwD of India...

SPEAK OUT ON Banking Air Travel
W e d n e sd ay , Marc h 28, 2012

Banking With Specific Requirements In India

BANKING TESTIMONY ONLINE FORM : Experiences As A Person With Disability
Have you ever experienced on grounds of apparent / perceived disability : Denial of opportunity to open bank account in first place?! Restricted choice of account type with no chequebook facility or insistence on joint signatory? Inflexible banking staff, Inaccessible banks, ATMs, netbanking / mobile banking...? Loan refusal despite credit-worthiness? Extra special treatment not offered to regular customers? We need to know exactly whats on your mind: the good things, and the bad memories... The purpose of this questionnaire is to identify all the issues and problems people with disabilities in India face with respect to banking services. This questionnaire is limited mostly to accessibility issues as broader issues such as changing of banking law/contract law are not quick fixes. Do remember that the more inputs we receive, the more detailed the feedback and solutions we can offer the banking sector. Your inputs and opinions will also be collated so as to measure policies against the facilities and services provided;and submitted to the concerned authorities. THERE ARE DIFFERENT SECTIONS - CLICK CONTINUE AT THE END OF EACH ON THE WEB FORM Only the starred questions are mandatory - so this shouldnt take much time to fill. Of course the more information you fill, the more useful data that's available in the public domain. Also the sooner you complete the form, the better your chances of redressal...so please hurry and find the time ! We welcome your feedback as this would bring about greater visibility of issues faced - thanks in advance ! All data will be collected on this online, open-access spreadsheet- http://bit.ly/bankingright This form will be LIVE in future as well so log experiences whenever you can ! Please make sure you have half an hour of uninterrupted time to complete before starting. By clicking agree in the next section you can proceed with the survey. * Required

Context, Content, Consent & Confidentiality

Context, Content, Consent & Confidentiality

Persons with disabilities face a wide range of problems in relation to banking. While there are some regulations of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) relating to banking by persons with visual disabilities/blind/low vision, these are not implemented properly. In addition, there are no regulations relating to people with other disabilities who may require special assistance when it comes to banking operations, other than regulations which prescribe that banks/ATMs must be provided ramps. Moreover, banks are not aware of international best practices, in terms of technology solutions, provision of assistance and process changes to be made with respect to persons with disabilities to ensure that even the existing regulations are complied with. In addition, no penalties are prescribed for banks that discriminate against persons with disabilities etc. How Can We Make Banking In India Accessible For Persons With Disabilities? We hope this initiative will lead to answers and solutions to this question. The purpose of this survey is to address the real-life problems many of us face with banking and disability. You are invited to participate in this pro bono research survey being conducted by Centre for Internet & Society, Daisy Forum of India, Inclusive Planet Centre for Disability Policy and other disability-focussed groups in India. Your participation in this survey is voluntary. You may choose not to participate or withdraw at any time without being penalised. The procedure involves filling an online survey that will take approximately 30 minutes with screen readers and less without. Please complete the same at one sitting - due to multiple limitations this form cannot be saved partially and continued later. The survey questions will be about your banking experience when affected by disability in any way. We will do our best to keep your information confidential. To help protect your privacy, the surveys will not contain information that will personally identify you, unless you are open to being contacted for further inputs. The results of this study will be used for pro-disability banking advocacy initiatives. If you have any questions about the research study, please email diversity@inclusiveindia.info Thank you for your time!

PLEASE CONSENT ELECTRONICALLY TO PROCEED WITH ONLINE SURVEY * Please select your choice below. Clicking on the "agree" button below indicates that: you have ready the above information you voluntarily agree to participate you are at least 18 years of age. If you do not wish to participate in the research study, please decline participation by clicking on the "disagree" button. AGREE : I am above 18 years of age and volunteer to participate. I have read and understood the terms above. DISAGREE : I decline participation.. I do not wish to proceed to the survey.

INDIVIDUAL DETAILS

Full Name * Fill ANON if you wish to remain anonymous and don't want to be contacted for policy clarifications

Age (as on 2013) Enter years in number format, eg: 18

Gender Options : Female, Male, Other Female Male Other:

Email Id * (Personal Preferred)

Current location ZIP preferable, else City & State

Type of difficulty / disability * Check whatever applies ( multiple clicks ok ) Vision Mobility / Dexterity Hearing Speech Cognition / Memory Psychosocial Hidden / Invisible Other:

BANK DETAILS

Bank Name Enter bank name in full ( eg : not SBI, but State Bank of India )

Bank Circle Enter bank location : city / village

Bank Branch Enter bank locality / neighbourhood

Enter bank locality / neighbourhood

Account Type * Account type held if any ( check whichever boxes apply, multiple clicks ok ) Savings a/c Regular Savings a/c linked Government Pension Savings a/c linked Salary Savings a/c linked Social Security Scheme / allowance Current a/c ( Entity, Business, Organisation ) Term Deposit a/c Demat a/c Trading a/c No a/c held / Not Applicable Other:

Account Operation * How do you hold and operate your PRIMARY / SAVINGS account? ( Check whichever option applies ) Solo Joint (with family member / friend) Proxy Safeguard (Guardianship / Power of Attorney) No a/c held / Not applicable Other:

Services obtained * Check banking channels, products & services used ( Check whichever boxes apply, multiple clicks ok ) Cheque book facility ATM / Debit Card Credit Card Loan facility Mobile Banking Net Banking Locker Facility No a/c held / Not applicable Other:

BANKING SERVICE ACCESS

Accessing Bank Channels ( branch, ATM booth, website, telecom ) / Instruments ( ATM machine, EFT-POS , medium of authentication) / Paperwork ( forms, passbook, pay in slip, challan, statements ) STAGES : Opening, operating & managing bank account / Service ( Approach, entry, seeking help, exit, depositing money, withdrawing money, pass book updation, obtaining transaction and bank information )

Have you had any accessibility issues in these product / service areas ? * Select 1 of the 3 options - from left to right : Yes, No, Other. (If question not applicable, choose Other) Yes Physical Access to bank / ATM booth Internet Banking Mobile Banking ATM Machine Debit Card / Credit Card Cash withdrawal Cheque / Cheque book issue Signature (issues / mismatch etc) Account Information via Bank Statement / Passbook Safe and secure information on transaction, fund balance etc No Not Applicable / Other

ACCESS EASE RATING SCALE ( across banking channels ) Service grade ranging from left to right :1 = Poor, 2 = Average, 3 = Good, 4 = Excellent, 5 = Not Applicable ) 1 = Poor INFRASTRUCTURE = Reach & Usability of Branch / ATM Infrastructure, Equipment, Furniture INTERNET = Portal, Payment Gateway TELECOM = Mobile Banking, IVR, Customer Care CONSUMABLES = Cheque Book, Pay In Slip, Challans, Pass book, A/c Statement, Debit Card, Credit Card, Receipts PEOPLE = Manager, Personnel, Customer Care PRODUCTS = Obtaining / Operating / Managing basic banking services WITHOUT glitches or discrimination 2 = Average 3 = Good 4 = Excellent 5 = Not Applicable

If your own cheques have being dishonoured on account of signatures not matching do you feel that the signature mismatch was on account of your disability? * Not Applicable - I don't have cheque facility No - While I have cheque facility, I have not faced problems with signature mismatch Yes & No - My own cheques have been dishonoured due to signature mismatch, but this was not on account of my disability. Yes - I have faced problems with my own cheques dishonoured due to signature mismatch on account of my disability.

BANKING RELATIONSHIP

Has your relationship manager been able to handle the unique difficulties you may be facing on account of your disability? * I don't have a bank account yet

I have a bank account but no relationship manager No, my relationship manager has not been able to handle my disability related issues effectively. Yes, my relationship manager has been effective in handling my unique difficulties on account of my disability,

Has this ever happened to you? * Options left to right : Yes, No, Other. (If question not applicable, choose Other) Yes DENIAL - Bank refused to open account DISCRIMINATION - Non-statutory requirements / restrictions of services offered to 'regular' customers DIFFICULTY - Problems faced in opening a regular account vis-a-vis 'regular' customers Refusal of debit card / credit card facility Suspension of a/c due to disability Victim of financial fraud because of your disability Difficulty in interacting with banking staff No Not Applicable / Other

SERVICE EXPERIENCE : Any denial, discrimination or difficulty faced in following stages ? * Check 1 of 5 options. From left to right : 1 = Denial of service, 2 = Discrimination in service, 3 = Difficulty faced, 4 = No problem, 5 = Not Applicable . Denial Account Opening Account Operation Account Management Issue of debit card Issue of cheque book Loan application Discrimination Difficulty No Problem Not Applicable

PROBLEMS & SUGGESTIONS FEEDBACK : Elaborate on Yes / No responses above with background & details
Account refused? Extra documentation insisted on? Choice restricted? *^&%$ Bank Service Inaccessible? Unbelievably accommodating Customer Care ? Crib, vent, rant or gush away !

COMMENTS : Experience in starting, operating and managing banking service ( Elaborate reasons for denial, discrimination, difficulty faced in text box below ) Account refused? Extra documentation insisted on? Choice restricted in account type / services? Enter how, why, name of the Bank and details

COMMENTS : Reach & Accessibility of Bank Channels - Entry & Operations in Branch, ATM kiosk, Internet Portal, Telecom Facilities ( Elaborate in text box below ) ( PHYSICAL = bank exterior, bank interior, ATM kiosk exterior, ATM kiosk interiors, Furniture etc) ( INTERNET = Portal / Payment Gateway. ) ( TELECOM = IVR / Customer care )

COMMENTS : Availability & Usability of Equipment, Instruments & Consumables. ( Elaborate in text box below ) ( Equipment = ATM etc. ) ( Consumables = Cheque Book, Pay In Slip, Challans, Pass book, A/c Statement, Debit Card, Credit Card, Receipts ) etc

COMMENTS : Accommodations & Flexibility - People, Products & Processes : From difficulty with cheque dishonourment due to signature mismatch to relationship manager efficacy ... Elaborate in text box below ???

COMMENTS : Miscellaneous feedback - ( Enter any additional inputs in text box below ) ???

You have reached the end of the survey. Thank you!

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