Recently, China’s Industrial Bank (CIB) Yangpu Sub-branch in Shanghai received a heartfelt thank-you letter from Mr. Shen, a hearing-impaired customer.
Mr. Shen, an 84-year-old with hearing disabilities, shared that he had always been reluctant to go out due to his condition. However, the sub-branch staff consistently treated him with warmth and respect, patiently providing barrier-free services such as sign language guidance and written instructions. He was very grateful for their sincere service.
The construction of an accessible environment is a crucial foundation for ensuring equal social participation for people with disabilities, the elderly, and other vulnerable groups. Statistics show that China has over 85 million people with disabilities and more than 310 million aged 60 and above, reflecting a widespread and urgent societal demand for accessibility.
As the nation implements a series of measures to vigorously advance accessible environment development, bank branches embedded in communities are also striving to meet the diverse needs of special-needs customers through a combination of “invisible care” and “tangible convenience.”
Barrier-Free Communication, Heartwarming Service
“Hello, welcome!” At CIB’s Shanghai Jiading Sub-branch, silent but eloquent sign language conveys sincere greetings to deaf customers.
Near the branch, a local printing company employs many deaf workers who regularly visit to open salary accounts. Whenever these customers enter using sign language, the branch service manager immediately welcomes them, offering patient guidance through fluent signing to facilitate transactions.
n recent years, CIB Shanghai Branch has successfully trained a team of “sign language interpreters.” Lobby staff undergo professional sign language and first aid training, with daily morning sessions dedicated to sign language drills and barrier-free service simulations. This ensures thoughtful, professional assistance for deaf customers and other special-needs groups.
Recently, 69-year-old Aunt Wang visited CIB’s Shanghai Dabaishu Sub-branch for an overseas remittance. Staff member Xue Ying meticulously wrote each step on paper, guiding her through the forms. To ensure easy future reference, Xue printed key instructions in large-font materials, earning the customer’s grateful smile. “Building an accessible environment is an ongoing journey,” Xue reflects. She believes that, these grassroots efforts not only carry profound meaning but also motivate continuous service improvements for diverse customer needs.
“True accessibility requires both environmental and informational inclusion,” emphasized an executive from CIB Shanghai Branch. “Whether explaining account-opening requirements, detailing card-binding procedures for WeChat and Alipay, or providing risk notifications, we ensure every critical message reaches customers, genuinely safeguarding their rights.”
Every Centimeter Counts for Tangible Convenience
At CIB’s Shanghai Anting Sub-branch, an elderly wheelchair user ascends the access ramp with ease, its prominent anti-slip stripes providing reliable safety along this “convenient pathway.”
Anting Sub-branch stands as a model of accessible environment construction, having undergone multiple “centimeter-level” tests and inspections before its March opening this year.
“We’ve exceeded national standards by reducing the ramp slope to 1:20 and adjusting self-service machine heights from 1.2 meters to 85 centimeters,” explained an executive from the branch, pointing to architectural plans. “Every single centimeter adjustment serves one purpose: maximizing convenience for customers with disabilities.”
In this “centimeter-level effort,” Anting Sub-branch meticulously deliberated over the installation spacing and height from the ground for handrails, hooks, and signage, while embedding service awareness into every hardware design: The push-button automatic door of the restroom enables one-touch opening and closing from both inside and outside; all password keypads and key signage in the branch feature embedded Braille, along with a Braille version of the branch floor plan; individuals with hearing impairments can communicate with staff using tools like writing boards, hearing aids, and voice calculators; and individuals with physical disabilities can utilize dedicated barrier-free counters for transactions...
During the trial operation of Anting Sub-branch in February this year, a wheelchair-using customer experienced the branch’s barrier-free restroom. The spacious layout, assistive handrails for standing, and changing benches left a deep impression on him. “I was initially worried about inconvenience when using it alone, but I never expected every need during the process to be met. It’s so thoughtful—even more comfortable than at home,” he remarked.
To date, CIB Shanghai Branch has installed barrier-free access in all sub-branches where hardware conditions permit. Lobbies are equipped with wheelchairs, reading glasses, magnifiers, and other convenience facilities. The Pengpu Sub-branch of the Pension Finance Service Center and 32 community sub-branches providing elderly financial services are equipped with standing aids, while 61 sub-branches have established dedicated barrier-free service windows.