Dealing with change: The New RBC manager

 

She is quite different from my other manager, Nadya. She is not as friendly but nevertheless she appears to be quite welcoming.

It always takes time to get used to a new manager but I am ready.

Maura seemed to like her when we met. So this is a good sign.

If you would like to learn more about me as a sight loss coach and author then I invite you now to visit http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as a sight-loss coach and author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

We must not give up: The bank that does not get it

They are located outside North America and I have only run into this very chronic and irritating problem because of having to deal internationally.

They do not understand when told that a customer is vision-impaired and needs help to set up online banking because their website is difficult to navigate.  They do not even understand when told that  documents need to be sent to the customer in an alternate format.  They sit there and tell you to use voiceover to navigate the website.  They do not even understand when you say that the problem is not with the computer or iPhone; it is with the website.

I can only be left to conclude that this bank either does not care, does not understand, or simply does not get it.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly sight-loss coach and advisor, wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as a sight-loss coach and author then I invite you now to visit http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as a sight-loss coach and author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids, with their wide eyed smiles and infectious laughter, is secured forever.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhanAnd like me on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

A funny experience: The teller who did not know

I guess that I should take it as a compliment whenever someone does not realize that I am vision-impaired and yes, I sure do!  There are times that I truly enjoy this but on the other hand there are times when I am not too happy about it.

I guess that you cannot have it both ways.  It is either going to be that the person in front of me realizes that I am vision-impaired and they adapt accordingly.  Or they do not realize and then I need to improvise.  Or that they do and then they are not sure what to do and then here is where I become a trainer.

Tellers usually fall into any of these categories and I'll say that, for the most part, they take things as they come.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advisor, wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit
www.donnajodhan.com.

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts!
www.donnajodhan.com/takeanother5.html.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

A rare and special lady: Saying farewell to Manon

It was so very somber, the day that I had to say farewell to Manon.  I first met her in 2006 when she was introduced to me as my new banking officer. From then until May 2017, she was a constant in my life.

I knew then that I was losing someone very special!  Someone who had so many times gone out of her way to ensure that my needs and requirements were met.

Manon did everything possible to ensure that I was comfortable when carrying out my banking.  She never made me feel inadequate and I sure appreciated her positive attitude whenever it came to ensuring that my documents were properly signed, initialed, and executed.

I would say this: Manon's friendly voice sure matched her personality! There could never have been a more perfect match!  She loved the Canadiens hockey team and so did I.  She loved to laugh and so did I.  She loved to chat and so did I!

Good luck, Manon, now that you are retired.  Stay well now and never lose your happy spirit.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day. 

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts! www.takeanother5.com

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Counting money with the bank teller

This is my way of making sure that the teller at the bank gives me exactly what I have asked for.  That is, the exact amount of money.

So this is how it works.  I approach the customer counter and there I give over my bank book to the teller telling them how much I need and in what denominations.

Next I give them my bank card and they ask me to enter my pin number.  Then, after a few minutes, they return with my money.  They proceed to count the money in front of me and I listen carefully for the sound of the money being counted.

The teller counts orally as she goes and I count silently to myself along with her.  Then the teller asks me if I would like my money in an envelope or in my hand.  I chose the former.

Now my visit to the bank is over and I am sure that I have received the correct amount before I leave.  It works for me as someone who is blind but I am sure that it is not much different for someone who is sighted.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit  jodhanmysterybook.club/about-the-author
There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.
Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Telephone banking is for me

Ever since telephone banking came into existence, I have taken full advantage of it. I really enjoy doing my banking this way. It gives me privacy and independence. It allows and enables me to conduct my banking transactions in privacy and I do not have to ask a sighted person to assist me.

So what is telephone banking all about? Well, where I bank which is at the Royal Bank of Canada, I use a 1-800 number to do my banking. I can carry out such banking transactions as: Pay bills, check account balances, transfer funds, deal with credit transactions, update accounts, plus so much more.

Telephone banking is fast, independent, and I am the only one who needs to communicate between me and my accounts. No having to ask anyone for help and staff is available to me by simply pressing the 0 button.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day and inviting you to go out there and tell others about telephone banking. Visit www.aph.org to learn more about the world of blind persons.

Techniques of banking

I can only speak for myself when it comes to how I do my banking and I encourage you to talk to other blind persons to see how they do it. The first thing for me as a blind person is to ensure that at all times, my confidentiality and privacy are protected.

So, I pay my bills using the phone system of my banking institution. I also check my account balances and transfer funds if I need to. It is a great phone system and affords me total privacy. If I run into any difficulty then I can get immediate help from a customer service rep on the phone and I have never had any difficulty with this service.

If I need to have any banking forms completed, then I go to my bank branch and they are always ready and willing to help me. For everything else, I go to them as well. The trick of the trade for me is to retain and maintain my confidentiality and privacy. I do not engage in any sort of online banking because I am not comfortable. Nor do I do any online purchasing because of not being comfortable entering my credit card information.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day and inviting you to go out there and share my blogs with others.
Visit www.nfb.org to learn more.

At the bank

In the normal scheme of things, I do my banking over the phone. That is, I use my bank's phone system to do such things as pay bills, transfer funds, and check my account balances. Occasionally though, I visit my bank branch in order to either obtain cash or to cash or deposit a cheque. Sometimes I need to obtain a money order as well.

Most of the tellers at my branch know me so there is never a problem whenever I interact with them directly. They speak directly to me. They ask me questions, and we engage in friendly banter. However, whenever I happen to run into a new teller, the fun sure starts.

They often start by asking the person with me what would I like to have done; "What does she want to have done." I allow them a bit of time and when I have had enough I calmly say: "I would like to have ..." Or, "You can ask me directly. No need to ask my friend." My friends and even my mom are always very in tune with this scenario as whenever they are asked they simply say "I don't know, ask her!"

In most cases, it works but sometimes it takes some work on my part to help them understand that I can speak and think for myself. O well! Just another day in the life of a blind person.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and encouraging you to go out there and tell others about how a blind person interacts at the bank. Visit www.nfb.org to learn more.

When pin numbers are compromised

We are living in an age where touch screen technology has now become a reality and for many it is a blessing; but for others like me, it is a great concern. As a blind person, I feel very much at sea whenever I am asked to depend on sighted assistance to get things done.

Touch screen technology means that I now have to depend on sighted assistance to carry out my transactions and in many cases this will mean that I will have to divulge my pin number to the one who is helping me. On the surface, some people may not think that this should be such a problem but here is the real concern. The minute one’s pin number is given to a second party; one’s contract with the financial institution that issued the pin number has been broken.

In short: If I as a blind person find myself in a situation whereby I need assistance to use a touch screen in order to complete a transaction, it means that I will need to divulge my pin number to a sighted person and the minute I do so I would be breaking my contract with the financial institution that issued the pin number to me.

I do not believe that financial institutions have really given much thought to this, and as for the sighted world, they probably have not either. But I am sure that they would do so if they were directly affected. So as I see it, there are two major concerns for blind and sight impaired persons when it comes to touch screen technology.

First, the divulging of one’s pin number leads to the breaking of a contract between customer and financial institution, and second, the blind or sight impaired person has no control when it comes to being able to independently complete transactions on their own. All that they can do is to trust the one that is assisting them.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day and urging you to go out there and share my blogs with others. Visit www.nfb.org to learn more about the challenges being faced by blind and sight impaired persons when it comes to touch screen technology.

Paying My Bills

While many of us pay bills online, I choose to do it mainly through telephone banking.  I absolutely love this way of doing my banking.  I can pay bills, transfer funds, check on my account balances, plus much more.  It is private, confidential, and I have access to a customer service rep on a 7/24 hour basis.

 

I am not that comfortable with online banking because I am not too willing to enter my details online and I do not think that it has anything to do with being blind.  Many sighted folks feel the same way.  Telephone banking is a God Send to me and if I am unable to carry out a transaction using this method, then I make a trip to my nearest bank branch and there I interact with a live teller.  I do not use a banking machine.  If you would like to know more about how blind persons do their banking then you can visit www.nfb.org. 

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day.

How I Do My Banking

There is no set way for a blind person to do their banking but here is how I do it:  First, it is my preference not to use a banking machine.  There are several talking banking machines in my area but I prefer to stay away from these.  I go to the bank to do what most sighted persons use banking machines for; withdrawals and deposits. In addition, I go to the bank when I need to carry out electronic transfers.  I use telephone banking for everything else.

 

I really like using the phone to conduct most of my banking business because I can do it from the comfort of my home, at my convenience, and in total privacy.  I can do it at any time of the day and from anywhere.  I do not use Internet banking because it is my preference not to do so.  I know of several blind persons who use online banking but often time I find that the online banking facilities of some of our financial institutions are not very user friendly to blind persons.  I receive my statements in braille and so I am able to keep tabs on my accounts. 

 

Whenever I need to communicate with my investment adviser, I do so via email and he is very good at providing me with a lot of details in his emails.  Whenever I need to have cheques written, I have my mom or a trusted friend do it or I go to the bank.  I then use a signature guide to sign my name.  My banking institution has also provided me with cheques that contain raised lines so that I can write my own cheques.  The thing with this is however that I may not always know if my pen has enough ink in it and as a result I may sometimes write cheques that are difficult to decipher because of the faded ink.

 

There are companies that provide services to financial institutions so that customers can receive their statements in any of the following formats; braille, large print, or diskette.  Visit www.tbase.com to learn more.

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and urging you to go out there and help educate the rest of the world about how blind persons do their banking.