Inclusion is about leaving no one behind. That all parts can belong to a whole on equal terms. An aspect that is not easy if we apply it to the senior group and the unstoppable digital revolution that we have been experiencing for a few years. Here the distances become great. And it is that, while the world is advancing digitally at full speed —something especially fostered by the pandemic—, at a time when many of the procedures we carry out with the administration, health or financial institutions are done through a screen , the elderly tend to be left behind, becoming a more vulnerable group in this new scenario.
More than 9 million people in Spain are over 65 years of age. This is a figure that will double in 40 years and, for this reason, information and training by all the actors involved so that the senior group does not get trapped in the digital divide are essential and necessary. In this context, to achieve real and effective inclusion, governments and companies have redoubled their efforts with programs and initiatives designed specifically for them. Thus, at Banco Santander they have devoted all their efforts to continue offering a quality service to their customers, adapting to the circumstances of the moment and paying special attention to people over 65 years of age. As?
More than 550,000 senior customers have already made use of the extended cashier hours, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., available at all branches. Because it is a group that, among other peculiarities, continues to maintain and update savings books. For this type of face-to-face operations, those over 65 have the figure of the digital ambassador, present in each of the offices to attend to the needs of the elderly.
The entity has also reviewed the protocols for preferential care, referral and management with the senior group. Banco Santander branches continue to offer senior customers personalized attention without referring them to digital channels, unless that is their wish.
Added to this measure is the possibility of carrying out any financial operation to withdraw or deposit cash at any of the 4,600 Correos offices thanks to the “Correos Cash” initiative, which also offers the possibility of receiving money at home; the availability of its digital channels at all times and the priority in telephone attention by its Contact Center teams. In order to attend to all these procedures, the training of more than 4,500 employees has been reinforced with 9,000 hours given in terms of improving experience, service and skills.
Remote care for our elderly must be an easy task for them and that is why Banco Santander has launched preferential care for the senior group, with extended hours (Monday to Sunday, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.) for emergency situations (fraud, card theft...), which has enabled it to serve nearly 370,000 customers since its launch. And it is that people over 65 years of age constitute a group that is especially using these channels, in which they are attended as a priority on the telephone 915 123 123 to reduce their waiting times and avoid setbacks.
Managing applications on mobile devices is not without complications for those over 65 years of age. In order to digitize the senior group, after a long process of listening and attending to their demands, Banco Santander has adapted its "app" specifically for them with initiatives such as "Pioner@s". For this reason, its application allows the user, among other things, to choose the visual aspects and, above all, the type of use that he wants to give it, so that he can carry out both the most complex operations and the most basic consultation activities.
The application also simplifies product management, minimizing the visual load of data, something important for easy understanding. A solution to carry out all kinds of procedures from wherever and whenever, in a personalized way, without losing human "contact", and full of functionalities.
As it is not only a matter of improving service channels, but also of providing tools to those who need them, Banco Santander has focused on programs aimed at promoting financial education for seniors. Last year, more than 2,100 people from this group received 189 training sessions in financial and digital education.
This is the case of "Finance for Mortals Senior Edition", a program that addresses three major themes: key concepts on cybersecurity (main scams and fraud, prevention against cybercriminals or tips for a safe digital life), basic training on digital banking (main channels and use, access and identification codes or practical navigation through the "app" and the web) and use of ATMs and "Correos Cash" (operations with and without a card, useful and usual procedures or the use of the Correos service through from post offices or postmen).
A second program, "Financial Education for the Elderly", seeks to promote the financial inclusion of seniors through training in the management of technologies, digital identity and cybersecurity, as well as applications, "apps", websites and other specific supports. In the form of an interactive course on cyberfraud aimed at any user, which incorporates everyday situations that anyone could face on the Internet, is "Cyber Heroes". The program offers users simple security tips to help protect them against scams, such as phishing or smishing (fraudulent messages to lure people into a scam via email or SMS, respectively).
