How to teach an elderly person to use e-banking

It is a given that older people are not particularly familiar with technology. Therefore, they often visit a bank in order to be served “in person”.

But it is also a fact that we are going through a period of travel restriction, with an emphasis on the most vulnerable age groups of the population to the new coronavirus. Moreover, in order to protect public health, the banks themselves have changed the way they operate in some cases. Thus, some transactions in branches have been abolished, protecting citizens from unnecessary travel.

Based on these two facts, older people are forced to adjust their way of acting in terms of meeting their obligations. This is where technology comes to the rescue, allowing anyone to make transactions and payments without having to be at a physical bank branch. So even your elderly family members, who may not be as familiar with technology, it's time to get started use online services that will give them access to transactions from the safety of their home.

Familiarity with e-banking will open up new horizons for them, allowing them to carry out their transactions from the safety of their homes.

Of course, the use of an ATM is still an option that can solve the problem in some cases. A visit to a bank's ATM, even with a mask and caution, is much safer than staying indoors in a branch, while allowing for transactions that have been eliminated in branches (e.g. withdrawing cash up to €400, depositing cash up to €1000, updating the movements and balance of an account or paying a third party's bill). However, becoming familiar with e-banking can offer additional possibilities and open up a new world to an older person, which they will really love.

Educating grandparents in the online transactions

Η digital education is something that is necessary nowadays, even for older people. And the truth is that familiarity with a computer, a tablet or a smartphone is something that can be achieved by everyone, even if to some, at first, it may seem impossible. With a lot of love and patience, you can be the person who will train your father, mother and even grandfather or grandmother in the use of a technological product that will make their life and of course their transactions easier.

Explain how he or she can make transactions, such as an online payment and, of course, stay by his or her side as long as necessary so that he or she can manage on his or her own, always with patience, smiles and a positive attitude. Ask him to take notes throughout so that he can refer back to them next time.

Together, choose the transactions your relative will do most often, and create «a user guide» by taking screenshots of each step, and creating an electronic document or printing it out. To pay bills, use an underlining marker to mark the information to enter on the bill payment order (e.g., electricity).

Shortcuts and pre-settings

For even greater convenience, you can set up each device yourself, so that even beginners can use it more easily. For example, put shortcuts on the desktop to make it easy to find what you're looking for, or enlarge the font on your mobile phone and use a simplified interface (there are options in the accessibility menu of many mobile devices). smartphones) that will make it easier for him. You download programs and applications that will be necessary and protect him by installing an antivirus or making sure that the device he uses has a safe environment.

Don't forget to activate the OTP One Time Password service, to add an extra layer of security to your online transactions, and explain to your relatives that their mobile phone can act as a «security key».

Did they forget their passwords? Get new ones, online!

One of the most common problems faced by users of the e-banking at older ages is that incorrectly enter the passwords them to the service. Did you know that you can get online - for you or your older loved ones - passwords for online or mobile banking? Very easily, if someone is a customer at a bank and has an active debit card in their name, they can issue online from home codes and connect directly to the e-Banking or the Mobile App of his/her bank in order to carry out transactions. Identification is done simply with the card and PIN, and for additional assistance, you can also contact the bank's helpline. Even if your relative forgets or blocks his/her login codes, he/she can retrieve them online again in the same way - easily!