[On-site Video] "Ah, that's refreshing" Letters Enlarged on 'Senior-friendly ATM'... Hearing Reactions from the Elderly

[Asia Economy Reporter Seunggon Han, Intern PD Hyewon Lim] "You put money in, take it out. It's so good because you can see it clearly."

Recently, Shinhan Bank's 'Senior Customer Customized ATM (Automated Teller Machine) Service' has been receiving positive reviews from the elderly.

From the perspective of elderly customers, the ATM service text, which used to appear as 'tiny print,' has been changed to large, easily visible guide text that can be seen even from a distance. For senior customers who wear glasses or have poor eyesight, this is like "a blessing in a drought."

Above all, since the text is now clearly visible, cases where elderly customers previously asked people around them, "What does this say?" or "Please look at this for me," have decreased, allowing them to focus more on financial transactions, according to the elderly.

Customers met on-site also highly praised this aspect. One customer smiled and said, "The updated ATM is definitely more convenient," adding, "First of all, the large text is great." He continued, "Before, there were many buttons to press, which was inconvenient, but now that has been reduced, so it's better."

As praised by the elderly, the newly updated ATM service uses large letters and simple financial terms, and the ATM's voice guidance speed is about 70% slower than before.

The screen of the 'Senior Customer Customized ATM (Automated Teller Machine) Service' recently introduced by Shinhan Bank. Photo by Asia Economy YouTube capture

Shinhan Bank, where the 'Senior Customer Customized ATM' has been installed, also expressed satisfaction.

Lee Hyeryeon, branch manager of Nangok Branch, said, "Before introducing the senior-customized screen, the small text and complicated screen layout made it very difficult for customers aged 60 and over to use the ATM alone, and we often had to assist them. After introducing the new screen tailored for senior customers, many customers can now use it easily and comfortably on their own, and we receive many compliments that the large text is very easy to see."

Choi Yunseon, senior digital strategy chapter lead, explained, "This ATM provides a simple and concise screen with large letters and easy language tailored to the eyesight of elderly customers, along with a slow speech service that guides users at about 70% of the previous speed. It is being applied first at branches with a high proportion of senior customers. In the future, we plan to introduce various items not only to provide senior-customized services on digital devices but also to improve senior customers' accessibility to banking services."

Bae Jieun, assistant manager of Sillim-dong Branch, who came up with the idea for the 'Senior Customized ATM,' said, "Elderly customers had difficulty seeing and hearing well, so communication was challenging. They also had a lot of trouble with digital methods when filling out slips and forms. Many customers said the small text was very difficult, and many found it hard to use the ATM machine." She added, "The most positive feedback is definitely that the text has become larger. Now, the most common comment is that they are glad they can handle their banking slowly on their own."

Meanwhile, Shinhan Bank plans to first introduce the senior-customized ATM service at five branches including Sillim-dong and gradually expand it. Additionally, customized services focusing on tasks frequently used by senior customers will be applied step-by-step to digital devices such as ticket dispensers, number displays, and digital kiosks.