Managing your Finances from your iOS Device: a Snapshot of how I Believe Things are now, and what I hope they Could Become

Introduction

Until 3 or 4 years ago, I did most of my financial dealings over the phone or using my bank’s website. Although more recently I have used the app for 99 percent of my dealings involving finances (in fact, I prefer the app more than the website), the app has some problems. Due to the world population going more mobile than ever before, financial institutions as well as other industries are forced to embrace the digital age or get left behind. But what is the result for blind iOS users, and how can things change for the better?

These are my own views as a totally blind iOS user, although I am interested to find out how other users find money management through their iOS device. Please feel free to comment and confirm or squash my suspicions. I also apologise in advance, because the politics surrounding the arena of accessibility go further than the title of this post, I haven’t edited these out though as I believe them to be just as important so hope you can appreciate and comment on these points if you would like to.

How taxing is your banking app?

It’s just my view, but it feels like the answer to the above question is “slightly taxing,” although it is getting better. I am based in the UK and use the NatWest app, which for the most part is accessible—apart from a few instances of button labelling being unclear, as well as a lack of alternative text for other items to indicate their function, and some items that are ambiguous and a user has to guess what function will be performed when activating an item. It’s fine now because I understand the layout of the app, but at the risk of sounding over-confident I would say that it also has something to do with my confidence with technology and in particular guessing and getting it right. I am fully aware though that this approach doesn’t work for everyone and it can cost time, battery life, data and sanity to try and keep on top of your money if you have a really inaccessible app, or just don’t want to play the guessing game and get it wrong.

Looking after the pennies

At the time of writing, the NatWest app gives me access to all the usual functions you would expect. I am able to view statement information, although I struggle to view more than a month’s worth of transactions due to the lack of response to touch events; meaning that when I tap and flick to view a statement from more than a month ago, the app does nothing. I can, however, transfer money; pay my contacts; view payees; and get happy or depressed depending on the figures when I view my available amount Smile.

So what’s the problem really apart from the brief accessibility short-falls listed above? It’s the little things… Actually it’s more than that, it’s not having the ability to do in the app what I could do at my PC on the full desktop website. Recently I had to modify the date of a regular payment but I couldn’t do it from the app, and had to log in via my PC instead. In the grand scheme of things it isn’t really an issue, but like many people reading this it is easier to do things while I am on the go, and frankly I don’t want to have to be on hold waiting for an agent to answer my call, or have to sit at my computer if it is possible to use my iPhone. This particular frustration I admit was due to a lack of functionality rather than an accessibility problem, although it would be nice to be able to have this function in the app but do you think I have been able to speak to someone about it yet?

Again unless I have time to sit on hold (which I don’t,) we have a problem. I can’t tell the developers, so they don’t know, and the last time I tried I was on hold for half [an [hour. (No, it wasn’t a free phone number, and I had no Skype credit at the time, oh and no they didn’t have a contact email for the developers.)

the current landscape, politics and education

I wrote this post over 3 months, which gave me a chance to persist and call the customer service team again. Thankfully I got the message through, telling the agent what I was trying to do, what I couldn’t do and what I would love to happen in future updates for the app. Having received an apology and no visible change in the odd labelling or additional functionality to the app yet, it could be said that I wasted my time. I disagree for the following reasons:

I have the option of calling again, and I already took the name of the person who answered my call initially, I can also politely explain again the issues and ask for a call back, or provide my email address as a follow up contact. This gives the bank in this case the chance to at least listen and respond. Worst case scenario being that not much happens but I tried, and they have it on file. At best a fix is implemented, but it is also worthwhile to remember that such things can take time.

We all know that accessibility for some is not at the top of the list of priorities for many reasons, and security and stability are just a couple of other items which I would class as equally important to a developer. So here we have our nugget of politics, how do we respond?

Keep doing what we are doing. Not necessarily threatening legal action (unless of course all other diplomatic roads have been taken.) It’s worth remembering though that most organisations will at least respond better to constructive criticism and suggestions rather than a letter from a solicitor. This would be our education, in educating the people who need to know we are dealing with the politics of prioritising fixes.

Moving towards a usable and accessible future?

This is our current landscape of educating, and if you find yourself reporting problems to an organisation, suggest an alternative if you can. If on the other hand you just feel that it doesn’t work and it should but don’t know where to start, let who ever listens know your concerns. It’s always worth offering to act as someone who might be willing to answer any questions that a developer might have about accessibility. This helps both them, and you.

I hope that as assistive technology becomes more mainstream, the process of informing the people responsible for web and app design about accessibility becomes easier. Many companies have someone who either works in the accessibility industry, or who hopefully will have an outside organisation who can be contacted to help. Ideally, multiple ways of contacting the developers will also become more mainstream—making it less frustrating to pass on useful and important information. Sadly, there will always be some who simply don’t care. They are the ones who will eventually learn through education; loss of sales; and at worse, legal action, that as we all rely on our mobile and assistive technology more than ever, more can be done—and should be done—to improve money management, as well as anything else you use on your device.

This post has slightly gone from focusing on one aspect and taken in other factors, but I hope you will understand why I have allowed this to happen. One last thing: Use PayPal, it’s great. Clearly-labelled tabs, clearly-labelled buttons and input fields…but of course I would check the bank before you spend smile.