Ithmaar Bank, a Bahrain-based Islamic retail bank, has introduced additional new services at its main branch for customers with special needs.

The new services, which were introduced before the end of last year on the request of the Central Bank of Bahrain, the kingdom’s banking and financial services regulator, include adapting the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) to offer voice-guided sessions for cash withdrawals, balance enquiries and Personal Identification (PIN) changes.

The ATM height was also lowered to provide easier access from a wheel chair.

Ithmaar Bank also assigned a dedicated, clearly-marked desk to serve customers with special needs on a priority basis; created new Braille forms for visually impaired customers; and adapted existing procedures to further improve their Islamic banking experience.

The bank also assigned employees to special training courses – including sign language for banking terms – so they may better serve customers with special needs, it said.

“As a pioneering Islamic retail bank, Ithmaar Bank has long recognised the important role we must play in serving our local community,” said Ithmaar Bank general manager, banking group, Abdulhakeem Al Mutawa.

“Although we offer all our products and services to all customers without discrimination, we have always gone that extra mile in supporting those who require additional assistance,” he said. – TradeArabia News Service