The National Commercial Bank (NCB) has introduced a new audio-guided feature on select automated banking machines (ABMs), aimed at improving accessibility for visually impaired and illiterate customers.

The feature, which has been in development for nearly four years, is now available on 40 of the bank’s 300 ABMs across the island. It enables users who are blind or have difficulty reading to independently conduct basic transactions such as withdrawals, balance inquiries, and deposits.

Speaking at the launch event held at the bank’s Matilda’s Corner branch on Monday, Danielle Cameron Duncan, vice-president of payments and digital channels at NCB, expressed pride in the achievement, lauding it as the first of its kind in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean.

She said that with almost 4 per cent of Jamaicans living with some amount of visual impairment and another one per cent completely blind along with nearly 12 per cent of adults facing literacy challenges, the latest feature comes to market as a well-timed innovation that was carefully designed to have real-life impact.

NCB, as the island’s largest commercial bank, currently processes over 2.4 million transactions and $40 billion monthly on its large financial services network.

Touting the real-life implications of the more-than-$46-million investment, she said that prior to the feature’s roll-out, thousands of Jamaicans previously had limited access to their own finances via ABMs without assistance.

“With this new audio guidance feature users can now just simply plug a standard pair of headphones into the ABM and get clear voice prompts guiding them through their transactions, securely and independently,” she explained.

The initiative, she said, forms part of NCB’s broader commitment to accessibility across its digital and in-branch platforms.

“We first introduced this feature via our mobile platform, and now it’s being extended to ABMs. As we continue to support communities with special needs, we are also adding more wheelchair ramps as we work to enhance both the accessibility and functionality of our machines,” she further told the Jamaica Observer during an interview following the launch.

Kevin Ingram, group head of Branch Sales, highlighted the broader significance of the move.

“Accessibility matter especially when it comes to banking in today’s world. We are here today to celebrate a series of efforts that will make banking more accessible to all members of our society, especially those who have had to navigate a system that was not built with them in mind. The audio-guided solution has been introduced across select ABMS in all 14 parishes, with one in every NCB branch.”

As Jamaica’s largest commercial bank, NCB says the new technology is part of its wider strategy to promote financial inclusion and serve all customers with dignity. This latest move builds on the earlier roll-out of Braille kits, which have now been installed on over 90 per cent of its ABM network.

Productive Business Solutions (PBS), the bank’s technology partner, will be responsible for ongoing maintenance and monitoring to ensure the machines continue to meet mandated uptime standards.

“Working alongside our partners NCR, we sought to introduce this audio guidance solution on ABMs. Outside of the existing Braille function that is powered by the sense of touch, this latest addition will allow vulnerable users to listen to pre-recorded voice commands that will help them to process transactions at the ABM,” Cheryl Rodney, senior account manager in charge of NCB’s portfolio, also said to the Business Observer.

Members of the blind community have welcomed the innovation, describing it as transformative.

“I no longer have to worry or rely on strangers for assistance,” said Daemion McLean, chairman of the Jamaica Society for the Blind. “This is a game-changer. The gold standard has now been set, and we hope other financial institutions will follow suit. We are deeply grateful to NCB for being a visionary and giving us greater independence.”

Shemar McDonald (left), systems engineer and technical project lead at PBS partner, assists Jermaine Barrett, a bank customer, member of the disabled community and chair of the Jamaica Association for Debating and Empowerment (JADE), to check his balance using the audio-guided feature on the ABM. (Photos: Joseph Wellington)

MCLEAN…I no longer have to worry or rely on strangers for assistance