Contacting organisations by phone does not suit everyone. Many people, and especially those with impairments, can experience difficulties in contacting businesses in a way of their choosing, having to be reliant on the phone and getting bogged down in complex call routing or automated services.
Employers’ Forum on Disability (EFD) with the support of BT have developed good practice guidelines (www.efd.org.uk/publications/your-call-is-important-to-us) advocating a mixed contact strategy, providing a variety of options from the traditional phone to email, live chat and now options via Twitter and other social media.
Direct person to person contact is preferable to having an intermediary aiding the conversation but sometimes help is needed, for instance when the customer prefers to communicate in British Sign Language. Today's technology makes video communication a possibility. BT is trialling a new contact method enabling BSL users to reach its customer services via the online Sign Video interpreting service (a social enterprise run by deaf people). The trial began in November 2011 and is proving popular with customers who just need a PC, webcam and broadband connection. For more information visit www.bt.com/bsl .