ACCESSIBLE CALL CENTERS: AN
ESSENTIAL LINK TO JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Presenter(s)
SSB Technologies/BART Group Street
Day
Phone: 703-637-8955
Fax:
703-734-8381
Email: mary@bartsite.com
Presenter #
Paul Rosenfeld
SSB Technologies/BART Group Street
Day Phone:
4156242710
Fax: 7037348381
Email: paulr@ssbtechnplogies.com
Presenter
#3
Scott
McCormack
Day
Phone: 703-442-5023
Fax:
703-734-8381
This workshop will explore two case studies that describe a comprehensive solution
for creating call center work environments that are accessible for persons with
disabilities.
BART Group, an adaptive technology firm specializing in adaptive technology
solutions for the blind and low vision population, was contracted by two major
corporations to offer expertise that would make their call center work
environments accessible for employees with disabilities. Both corporations were
seeking to tap into a resource pool that has historically been extremely under
utilized, and both companies have experienced success in the goal of securing
dedicated and enthusiastic employees that just happen to also have a
disability. Traditionally, the unemployment rate for the blind hovers around
the 70% level. The challenge was to create a total program solution that would
address issues from training to attaining call ratios that would match or
exceed call ratios of non disabled employees. The goal was to define the
elements of that program so that it would be repeatable at call center
locations all over the country. The creation of this program has met with some
difficult challenges and training dilemmas that are an opportunity to pool the
resources of national disability organizations, local agencies, other
disability resources, corporate management teams, and the BART Group. The end
result continues to be a project, spearheaded by some very dedicated call
center managers, and offers a unique and valuable partnership whereby blind
employees will gain meaningful employment and call centers will gain employees
that traditionally have a high retention level, even though the call center
agent position has traditionally had a low retention level.
History
The Marriott program was started in Santa Anna California under the direction
of Kellie Perez with a training class of five students several years ago. The
program was deemed to be successful by both the Marriott call center management
team and the blind employees. Enthusiasm for tapping this pool of employee
resources was shared with reservation centers across the country and several
other centers showed interest.
Another
corporation, Delta Airlines, also wanted to create a call center that would be
accessible for employees with disabilities that could be utilized at all of
their centers. BART Groups technical expertise, arid creative consultation,
helped to build a successful outcome for both of) these corporations. Today,
both companies continue to be dedicated to
hiring and supporting disabled agents, and are enjoying the benefits of this
talented and enthusiastic group of employees.
Issues
and solutions
The initial request for input from Bartimaeus Group involved the implementation
of training materials for a blind/low vision class in
The training material was not accessible to JAWS (a screen reading software)
The blind students could not keep up with the class without the on line
training material and they needed more individual training time
Quizzes and tests were not accessible and no substitute was available that
could he used by the trainee without one on one assistance
Efforts to recreate a special class using alternate material and more one on
erie assistance resulted in an extended training class
Other
issues also surfaced. These included everything from advertising for the
positions, interviewing, networking resources, and coaching company executives,
trainers, and managers. The blind employees needed additional training with
mobility, dress, note taking, and other corporate culture issues.
Both
corporations were using JAWS screen reading software, and they needed a
comprehensive program to script JAWS and to update those scripts as changes
were made in the software
that agents were using. Additionally, decisions needed to be made about use of
Braille displays. This decision alone has many elements, from how to deal with
multiple brands of displays, corporate ownership versus individual ownership,
budget, liability and scripting issues. Braille displays are also difficult to
manage from a space, storage, and liability standpoint. The advantage of using
a Braille display is that it puts dead space time on par with sighted
colleagues. Using only JAWS an agent has to listen to information in one ear
and listen to the customer in the other, making dead space time longer.
Adaptive
equipment is often purchased from each reservation center budget and budgets
are tight. Therefore hiring a blind low vision agent does have additional cost
when compared to a sighted agent. This leads to creating corporate policy to
address these budget issues. Additionally, since many call centers do not use
assigned seating, adaptive work stations create seating and shift flow issues
that need to be addressed.
Other
issues that PART helped create solutions for included:
Defining working relationships with partners so that corporate needs could be
met in
finding job applicants, and training them so that they are job ready for the
corporate
environment.
Training for management on adaptive technology, blindness culture, blindness
issues,
mobility, and inclusion in the work place.
Peer to peer training information so that work relationships among peers
would be
enhanced.
Information on resources for partnerships to enhance the opportunities for
companies
in finding the right fit in employees and the right support for the employee.
Ways to standardize training, policy, and employment practices so that they
could be easily used from center to center across the country.
Financial resources that would make adaptive equipment available without
impacting each centers budget.
Resources to help management with conflict and mediation issues with their
blind low vision agents.
Education on guide dogs, and information on the various guide dog schools so
that partnerships can be formed to better support guide dogs in the work place,
their handlers, and their interaction with sighted peers.
Partnerships
are very important to the success of training classes. One company has
developed a lead in class that takes up the first four weeks of the training
regime. It addresses issues for blind agents that are important to them as they
enter the workforce. This four week class dovetails with the training
curriculum for the call center.
Another
essential component is to manage the JAWS scripting that is needed to keep
software accessible. This can be done by someone internally or hired from the
outside with a company like BART Group. Training with the programming team
minimizes the complexity of this task and is highly desirable. When corporate
programmers are given more direction to code the software programs in ways that
would make it accessible, the amount of scripting needed is minimized. The
standardization equipment (both hardware and software) is extremely important.
Both
companies have been successful in hiring, retaining, and incorporating blind
agents into their call centers. These employees have proven to be a valuable
asset. The overall retention rate has been high, and their job performance and
attendance excellent.
BART Group is an expert in providing total solution packages for accessible call center environments. A blend of corporate consulting, and IT expertise in the adaptive technology arena has helped corporations create success stories that are repeatable in their call centers across the nation. As adaptive technology experts in the field of accessibility solutions we have provided our corporate clients with a partnership that is creating accessible call centers: an essential link to job opportunities.
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