Automated Phone Services
Posted: January 23, 2012 Filed under: Accessibility, Thoughts | Tags: Accessibility, AT&T, Automated Answering Leave a commentAm I the only one who gets frustrated with those automated phone services?
The other day I had to put money on my pay as you go phone… something that should take just a couple minutes took 30 minutes to do. Of course there is no actual human to speak to and once you get stuck in the loop you can’t get out. I hung up and tried from the beginning and still couldn’t get to where I wanted to be. At least with this service I can somewhat understand the options which is my problem for most of these automated services. Maybe it is just me but after 3 or 4 different options I forget what I was even calling to do… and of course the list never states exactly what you are looking for, instead, you have to figure out exactly what category it would be in… for me it always seems like what I am calling for can fit into multiple categories and it is horrible if you pick the wrong category and end up with more menus.
How do you get out of this cycle?
I personally have had some success in yelling really loud in the phone… then I finally get a live human person but some services must not have any live human people available. So then what are you suppose to do?
What is worse are those automated services where you have to speak and can’t type in your answers… seriously? do any of those really work? I think I speak clearly and I can never get them to recognize what I am saying… what happens to people who have speech issues?
Should it be mandatory for all automated services to have a live human operator available by pushing ‘0’ at any time during your call?
What kinds of accessibility has been lost since technology has taken out live human workers?
Tip of the Iceberg
Posted: January 16, 2012 Filed under: Accessibility, Thoughts | Tags: Accessibility, Accessibility Awareness Leave a commentI was just thinking about all of the different aspects of accessibility and how far this concept of accessibility awareness reaches.
Right now I am looking into basic Accessibility Awareness. Focusing in on thinking about accessibility which I hope will create discussion on What is Accessibility. This is just the tip of the iceberg…
Other topics to look into include:
* Accessibility within Society
* Accessibility in the Virtual World
* Accessibility for the Consumer
* Accessibility for the Employee
*Accessibility for the Employer
* Accessibility of Basic Needs (food, water, shelter)
* Accessibility to Health Care
* Accessibility Laws and Procedures
* Accessibility Advocacy
So many thoughts at this moment… I am sure I will add to this list as I go along…but I think it is best to take it one step at a time. 🙂
What is Accessibility?
Posted: January 14, 2012 Filed under: Accessibility, Thoughts | Tags: Accessibility, Communication, Emotional, Financial, Hearing, Mental, Physical, Visual 4 CommentsI have been trying to figure out this so called ‘accessibility’. I can not claim on what accessibility looks like in your country but I can question accessibility in the places I have been and the laws within the United States.
I try to put myself in other’s shoes as much as I can and ask a lot of questions. I want to know what is difficult for people of all abilities. I am learning about accessibility awareness more and more which makes me believe this is an important topic that needs to be addressed in a global sense. We are not cookie cutouts so the environment should not be that way. The environment around us needs to be flexible and change because each and every one of us is unique.
What is ‘Accessibility’ to me?
Accessibility is creating an environment where everyone no matter their abilities can access all things as independent as possible.
Below are a few types of accessibilities I believe we need to be aware of. With a short comment of how I think of these accessibilities. (There are many more than what is on this list that I am figuring out as I become more aware)
Physical Accessibility: The ability to move within a given environment freely.
Communication Accessibility: The ability to communicate in the environment with any form of communication.
Visual/Hearing Accessibility: The ability to freely discover an environment as independent as possible.
Mental/Emotional Accessibility: The acknowledgement that everyone processes differently and that the environment respects the time, process and opinion or way of doing things of the individual.
Financial Accessibility: To have a quality environment for people of all income levels.
I have started questioning places who claim to be accessible which will also be covered in this blog.
Please feel free to comment and share your stories of accessibility.
Thanks!
The most frustrating question.
Posted: January 14, 2012 Filed under: Accessibility, Thoughts | Tags: Accessibility, Accessibility Awareness Leave a commentAs I have been trying to find ways to make environments more accessible or learning about accessibility in so called ‘accessible’ environments the most annoying question I am asked is:
Do you need accessibility?
I was working on an concert for people of all abilities and while setting up the space I requested there be a space for someone with a wheelchair. I was then asked if I was expecting someone in a wheelchair.
At McDonalds I asked about the hearing/speech accessibility in the drive thru. I was then asked ‘why, do you need it?’
Working with a web designer and asking them to make the website more ‘accessible’… the web designer responds ‘I don’t think that is necessary’
Is a place accessible if they are not accessible all the time?
Is a place accessible if you have to ask for accessibility?
Is it possible to be too accessible?
R U Accessible 