The COVID-19 pandemic has had a
marked impact on the lives of senior citizens in Israel, in terms of physical
distance from family members and the natural environment, social distancing, a
sense of isolation, and difficulty in obtaining various essential services.
In order to help this population
group deal with the challenges of obtaining various banking services, the
Ministry of Social Equality and Pensioners, the Banking Supervision Department,
the Association of Banks in Israel, and the banking system have formulated a
voluntary charter to make banking services more accessible to senior citizens
during the pandemic.
The measures detailed in the charter
come in addition to measures taken during routine times to assist senior
citizens in accessing banking services.
Each bank will, of course, be able to offer senior citizens additional
measures in accordance with its business and social considerations, beyond the
measures detailed in this charter.
Social Equality and Pensioners
Minister Merav Cohen said, “First, I thank the Banking Supervision
Department and the Association of Banks in Israel for formulating this important
charter. The banks provide essential
services to the elderly population, and during the COVID-19 period, going to
bank branches has become dangerous for this population group. Furthermore, there has been a clear trend in
recent years of closing bank branches and moving to digital services, which
makes it difficult for a large portion of the elderly population that are
unaccustomed to making transactions online.
In view of this, we held an extended conversation with the management of
the banking system, and established cooperation between the Bank of Israel, the
Association of Banks and the Ministry of Social Equality. The charter is an initial joint step, and I
hope that together, we will constantly expand our actions and make more
adjustments for our elderly population.
It is very important to maintain the independence of the elderly, and
that they can obtain services without being dependent on another person to help
them. We would be pleased to respond to
anyone who experiences difficulties, and we will do all we can to create
solutions.”
Supervisor of Banks Yair
Avidan said, “This charter anchors the specially adjusted service standard
for the senior population, and joins various other processes adopted by the
banks for this population group. The
Banking Supervision Department will continue putting special emphasis on the
challenges facing senior citizens in obtaining various banking services during
the COVID-19 crisis and afterwards, and will help as much as possible to make
things easier for them. I thank Minister
Cohen for the cooperation on behalf of senior citizens, and I commend the
Association of Banks in Israel and the banking system for their dedication in
implementing the charter.”
Association of Banks in Israel
Director General Eitan Madmon said, “On behalf of the banking system, I
thank the Ministry of Social Equality and the Banking Supervision Department
for their fruitful cooperation in improving and targeting the service provided
to the senior population. As with the
rest of the world and other sectors, the banking system has in recent years
experienced accelerated digital development for the benefit of its
customers. Alongside these welcome
changes, we are aware that elderly customers are naturally finding it difficult
to absorb technological developments.
This charter is an important step among the many steps taken by all the
banks to improve service to senior citizens.
The banking system will do all it can so that those finding it difficult
to adapt to the changes are not left behind.
It’s our duty.”
The following are the main points
of the new services agreed upon as part of the charter that will take effect on
January 13, 2021. The full charter
appears as an appendix to this notice.
1.
Each bank will provide
various alternatives to make banking services more accessible, in accordance
with the needs of senior citizens. These
include a mobile branch in locations that typically have concentrations of
elderly citizens, and sending services to their homes or nearby.
2.
The banks will improve the
telephone response given to senior citizens by creating a dedicated extension
for seniors or by creating a mechanism through which preference is given in the
call center’s automatic call routing system. The caller will be able to receive
a rapid response based on identification using only basic and easily remembered
items, and without typing in a PIN number.
The aim is to make it easier for elderly customers who sometimes cannot
remember their PIN number and therefore have difficulty in gaining preference
for a phone response.
3.
The banks will enable
customers aged 70 and over to be given preference in line at physical bank
branches. (The existing law exempts those over 80 from waiting in line.)
4.
The training program for
new bank employees will include training regarding senior citizens and the
importance of service that is adapted to their needs. The content of the
training program will be built in conjunction with the Banking Supervision
Department and the Ministry of Social Equality.
5.
The link between the
Ministry of Social Equality’s call center, *8840, and the banks’ call centers
will be tightened. This will include
direct contact with the center to provide a high-quality rapid response to
calls from senior citizens. Through this
channel, calls coming from the center will be given priority and will be handled
as quickly as possible by the banks. In
addition, employees of the senior citizen’s call center will be given training
by representatives of the banking system regarding banking services and the
rights of seniors.
6.
The banking system’s financial
education forum will provide the Ministry of Social Equality and the general
public with explanatory materials geared toward senior citizens. These
materials will contain information on making banking transactions remotely by
digital means and on increasing awareness regarding proper activity on the
Internet. They will also contain recommendations to improve how personal
details are kept and to prevent their misuse.
7.
Each bank is responsible
for notifying its senior citizen customers about the variety of banking rights
and benefits available to them, in the way the customer generally receives
notices from the bank, and for publishing such information on a dedicated page
on the bank’s website.