"RNIB offers Thames Water the flexibility and support we need to meet our customers' requirements" Chris Betteridge, Thames Water.
Background
Providing customers with information in accessible formats has been a priority of Thames Water for over fifteen years. Chris Betteridge, Customer Communications Consultant at Thames Water, has been at the forefront of the company's evolving response to the needs of disabled customers.
Working with RNIB
As part of a range of measures to provide inclusive service for every customer, Chris has worked very closely with RNIB to provide a rapid bill service for their blind and partially sighted customers.
Benefits for Thames Water customers
Whilst their sighted customers already benefited from an automated billing service that allowed quick turnaround of information, Thames Water decided that a similar service should be available for their customers with sight problems.
RNIB automated document solutions meets this need.
Whenever a bill is generated by Thames Water for a customer needing a Braille format bill, the information is automatically sent via a modem to RNIB. This is processed immediately and the bill sent directly to the customer. As a result of this service, all customers receive bills on the same day.
What made it possible
Thames Water found the key to providing tailored accessible information to their customers was the introduction of a comprehensive database system. This system codes all customers according to their personal requirements. For blind and partially sighted customers, for example, codes are given for the format of information required, including braille, large print or audio.
Although some documents are automatically available in all formats, others are available on request. Here, we offers either our rapid business service or manual transcription service, depending on the urgency of the request and the complexity of the document.
Contact us
RNIB Disability Access Services
Phone 01733 37 53 70
Email businesslink@rnib.org.uk