Deaf Friendly Bank ideas? International welcomed!

I don't believe this would be something new. There are/were several deaf-friendly banks in Knoxville, Tenn., where the deaf community is fairly-sized. They had phone numbers for TTY/TDD only and some of the employees knew sign languages.

Bank of American used to have TTY services based in Kansas. Its recently shut down few years ago because less people using TTY to call BOA. So that means the demands for TTY services has greatly declined.

Local bank is somewhere dying concept of bank. Today we are changing into Internet based banking services. You can pay your bills through your bank account via website. I know many major bank do that and even offer free bill mail paper checks. Mean you do not need to waste your money on PO stamps when bank has it covered for you.

I have been customer of Bank of America, Wells Fargo, US Bank, Chase and Riggs (local bank in DC). First 4 banks offer online banking and it rocks! My wife had local bank and it sucked because we couldnt view online banking or mail check via website. She eventually closed her local bank and opened with me to mega banks.

Most local bank do not offer those kind of advance billing cycle system to pay our bills. Much easier than the previous generation.
 
I am so glad you brought this up,,,,I had the most frustrating time with BOA just now and I am not exaggerating, I spent over 1 hour and 45 minutes on the VCO with relay operator,,, they either switched me to Calif. cust. service rep. when I am have both accounts and am dealing with my FL account,...then they hung up on me and the operator 4 times after waiting and going through the whole process of identifying myself,,which each time I had to identify myself,,, I was so so so frustrated at them I had to take a nap and go through the phone system again with relay after I had gained my composure. So,, the lack of knowledge of use with VCO is really lacking with them,,because they just very quickly switched me over and over again to Calif. account. without giving me chance to explain the problem is in FL So, when I called the last time..I said Please do not switch me to Calif. customer service! My problem only became so what resolved after all this. :shock:

This is a good example of reason why we need videophone customer service to reduce confusion. I mean reduce, not eliminate entirely. We can see several bank will follow this concept shortly after one bank launch it.

Thank you for sharing your experience of frustration.
 
How much money do you think a bank will profit from this? The reason I ask is that a bank will do anything if it can profit from it. Most banks are experimenting with unmanned branches now, they also have robust online banking where you can request everything you mentioned and still live 1000 miles away. In 5-10 years manned branches will start to decline if they exist at all. I work in the IT department for Toronto Dominion (TD Bank) and I see alot of cool things coming down the pipe for all sorts of customers, deaf, blind etc..

I checked out your bank website. TD Bank Financial Group

Why dont you ask them to develop Deaf Service Division. Work toward full communication services. Dont think local but toward national wide.
 
I checked out your bank website. TD Bank Financial Group

Why dont you ask them to develop Deaf Service Division. Work toward full communication services. Dont think local but toward national wide.

I was going to, thats why I was asking about profit, so it could help my suggestion. I wasn't asking how much your bank will profit specificaly, I just wanted to know how this was figured in. Banks tend to ideas that profit more than anything else. TD Bank is the third largest in Canada and on it's way to become a powerhouse in the US as well.
 
I am using them as an example. It could be any bank.

Wells Fargo? Citibank? Chase? Or US Bank?

:giggle:

Unfortunately for me--all those banks are at least 40 miles away from me! The only banks near me are local banks--Bank of the Pacific and Great Northwest Federal Credit Union.

That's all. :)
 
:giggle:

Unfortunately for me--all those banks are at least 40 miles away from me! The only banks near me are local banks--Bank of the Pacific and Great Northwest Federal Credit Union.

That's all. :)

Do you use online banking tools? Does your local bank offers you online banking? Its awesome tool to use. Once you see how it works with paying your bills. You can set up autopay your bills. Example - comcast bill is always flat rate every month. Then you can set up auto pay every month to make sure you pay the bill on time and never miss one.

Or manually pay each bill by insert the amount into the bank online then they will send check for you. Most bank offer free sending paper check. All you have to do is click send. No more licking stamps, running to the PO before it close. You can stay home cool during summer, and warm during winter without leaving your home. Very easy process to do.
 
Do you use online banking tools? Does your local bank offers you online banking? Its awesome tool to use. Once you see how it works with paying your bills. You can set up autopay your bills. Example - comcast bill is always flat rate every month. Then you can set up auto pay every month to make sure you pay the bill on time and never miss one.

Or manually pay each bill by insert the amount into the bank online then they will send check for you. Most bank offer free sending paper check. All you have to do is click send. No more licking stamps, running to the PO before it close. You can stay home cool during summer, and warm during winter without leaving your home. Very easy process to do.

Sorry for the late response....

My bank does have online banking tools that I utilize on a regular basis. As for paying bills on-line--I don't do that as I prefer to have a paper trail. :)

I think the video customer service is a good idea because I can actually inquire about business loans, home loans, in my language. :)
 
Sorry for the late response....

My bank does have online banking tools that I utilize on a regular basis. As for paying bills on-line--I don't do that as I prefer to have a paper trail. :)

I think the video customer service is a good idea because I can actually inquire about business loans, home loans, in my language. :)

Indeed... that the whole point of deaf friendly bank national wide. More freedom to communicate in our own language.

I know there are few local small bank that offer these features but we need to think in larger aspect of deaf community. If we offer full services in national wide, more deaf can benefit from this type of services when they have job transfer from one state to another. Local cannot offer that type of services.

Its all about business and demands in 50 states.

Maybe lead to international concept.
 
Deaf Service Division

Hi. I really like all of your ideas. My name is Bradley. And I work at a very large bank here in the USA. I work in the call center, to answer any wuestions and help customers when something is wrong with there account or as simple as , what is my balance?. My best friend of 6 years is Deaf. I learned ASL through him. And I do a lot in the deaf community. I was suprised to find out that Banks realy do not help the deaf community. They have to call the relay service, then it goes to the bank fraud department and to ensure it is the real person then back to relay, then to a customer. I really want to try and create a Deaf Division at my bank. It would hire a lot of people in the deaf community and give them great jobs. Train them in customer service and how the bank works. So when a deaf person VIDEO CALLS in to a bank. A Person Deaf or ASL trained would answer and take care of there problem. ONE CALL. Not 5 diferent people or a wait time. What do you guys think?
 
Hi. I really like all of your ideas. My name is Bradley. And I work at a very large bank here in the USA. I work in the call center, to answer any wuestions and help customers when something is wrong with there account or as simple as , what is my balance?. My best friend of 6 years is Deaf. I learned ASL through him. And I do a lot in the deaf community. I was suprised to find out that Banks realy do not help the deaf community. They have to call the relay service, then it goes to the bank fraud department and to ensure it is the real person then back to relay, then to a customer. I really want to try and create a Deaf Division at my bank. It would hire a lot of people in the deaf community and give them great jobs. Train them in customer service and how the bank works. So when a deaf person VIDEO CALLS in to a bank. A Person Deaf or ASL trained would answer and take care of there problem. ONE CALL. Not 5 diferent people or a wait time. What do you guys think?

:hmm: a bank with videophone setup and a deaf employee answering the calls and handle everything from checking,saving , online banking administration to credit card bills issues ? it will be a first! If you can actually convince CEO at a nationally recognized bank like bank of america, citizens bank, HSBC, key bank then count me in as an customer!! In fact, give me a call to be an employee in a call center for customer service :D
 
:hmm: a bank with videophone setup and a deaf employee answering the calls and handle everything from checking,saving , online banking administration to credit card bills issues ? it will be a first! If you can actually convince CEO at a nationally recognized bank like bank of america, citizens bank, HSBC, key bank then count me in as an customer!! In fact, give me a call to be an employee in a call center for customer service :D

It could also open up job openings for us too :)
 
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