“Everything needs an app these days.”
Those were the words of my mum, a retired civil servant, when I spoke to her at the weekend. She is in her late 70s, independent and perfectly capable of managing her own affairs. Yet in the space of a single morning she encountered multiple situations where technology had become a barrier rather than a convenience.
She and a friend chose to visit a particular town because it was the only one nearby that still had an open bank branch. She wanted to pay in some cheques and transfer money between accounts, tasks that could easily be completed online. However, like many people, she has an instinctive distrust of internet banking and refuses to consider using it.
She travelled by bus because she could not use the local parking app. She had tried downloading it before but became confused during the registration process and gave up.
The pair also went to the cinema. As an Octopus Energy customer, she is entitled to discounted cinema tickets, but once again the offer could only be claimed and booked online. She had no idea where to start and felt overwhelmed by the process.
Individually, none of these things seem particularly significant. Collectively, they paint a picture of a world that increasingly assumes everyone is online, confident with technology and willing to manage every aspect of their lives through a screen.
While digital services undoubtedly offer convenience and efficiency for many, they can also exclude people who lack the skills, confidence, equipment, or desire to engage online. It is easy to frame this as an issue affecting only older generations, but that misses the bigger picture. Some people have disabilities, literacy challenges, language barriers, privacy concerns, or simply a preference for dealing with a real person. Others may not have reliable internet access or suitable devices.
Over time, today’s younger generations will become tomorrow’s older generations, and many will be more comfortable with technology than their parents and grandparents are today. Yet that does not mean the problem will disappear. Technology will continue to evolve, new systems will replace old ones, and there will always be people who struggle to keep up or who choose not to engage digitally.
As organisations increasingly move services online, it is important that they do not abandon traditional channels altogether. Digital options should expand choice, not remove it. Human interaction, face-to-face services, telephone support, and non-digital alternatives remain essential, not simply for older people, but for anyone who needs them. In the rush towards digital transformation, we should be careful not to leave behind those who still value, or depend upon, a more human way of doing things.
And for the record, my mum did manage one digital success that day. With help from a member of staff, she downloaded the Greggs app and claimed a free doughnut.
Verity Morrish
Digital Campaing Manager
