BARCLAYS bank bosses have been slammed after they paid customers to pretend to be blind or deaf to test staff.
Mystery shoppers got £45 each to visit branches with real or fake issues, such as mobility, hearing or visual impairments.
They reported back on how staff reacted to 1,600 vulnerable customer visits.
Research firm Ipsos was hired to recruit customers with Barclays accounts for the roles.
A Barclays instruction sheet reveals anyone signing up must have a current account with the bank, but can “fabricate a back story” about how they became blind or deaf.
It adds: “You would ideally have a real visual impairment.
“However you can fabricate this if needed.
“Please note that for those using a fabricated back story you must provide your feedback from the point-of-view of a customer with a real vulnerability.”
Disability charities blasted the bank over the “inappropriate” and “insulting” approach to disabled people.
Andrew Hodgson, of the National Federation of the Blind UK, said: “This is totally inappropriate.
“Barclays’ move is an insult to all blind, deafblind and partially sighted people.”
Barclays said: “We are committed to providing all our customers with the best level of service.
“While we set out to find mystery shoppers with experience of impairments, we can do better and will do so immediately.”
