Contacta

Press Release - 07/09/2005

Contacta is bestseller for Disability Discrimination Act compliance at Waterstones

Waterstones are the latest major retailer to choose Contacta to help enhance their customer service. The book retailer has installed Contacta Mini InfoLoopä systems at the main cashier position in all their bookstores nationwide - some 200 branches in total.

With Contacta InfoLoop™ systems now in place, anyone who wears a hearing aid can enjoy a better book-buying experience at Waterstones because they will now be able to enjoy clearer communications with counter service staff.

As Paul Hayward, Retail Key Account Manager at Contacta, commented:
“ In retail environments, good communications are essential to avoid irritated customers and frustrated staff. Once the doors open and other customers are around, even a bookshop can get pretty noisy. Waterstones understands the importance of managing the customer experience. They were quick to see the benefits of induction loops, particularly in terms of customer satisfaction and accessibility for those who are hard of hearing.”



		In the UK almost 9 million people are deaf or hard-of-hearing, of which about 3.5 million are of working age (16 to 65-years-old)*. Hearing impairment is a recognised disability under the terms of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 [DDA], and it is now a legal requirement for all service providers, including retail stores, to take positive action to assist those with a disability (including those with hearing difficulties).

		The installation of Contacta InfoLoop systems, which constitute an ‘auxiliary aid’ as defined by the DDA, has helped Waterstones comply with the requirements of the Act.

		Contacta InfoLoop™ induction loops are the most versatile and cost-effective way to equip retail premises to help all those who wear a hearing aid. Not only do hard of hearing customers get a better service, but members of staff with hearing difficulties can also enjoy a better working environment.

		Contacta Mini InfoLoop™ systems are designed to be fixed under the sales counter or desk. So they don’t take up any valuable sales space, and there are no trailing wires or other obstructions at this key point of interaction between staff and customers. The only visible element is the increasingly familiar yellow induction loop sign that tells customers of the availability of InfoLoop™ assistance.

		The Mini InfoLoop™ system is designed to be left permanently ‘ON’ during working hours, and provides a clearly defined area of transmission to ensure privacy. So all the customer has to do is to switch their hearing aid to the ‘T’ (Telecoil) position – and they will be able to hear clearly what the service staff member is saying with little or no background noise intruding.

		Waterstones has joined an impressive list of other national names in virtually every retail sector – both high-street and out-of-town – who have also installed Contacta Mini InfoLoop™ systems in their branches. These include W H Smith, Marks and Spencer, Sainsbury, Asda, Mothercare, Gap and Blockbuster; Moss and Lloyds pharmacies; and HSBC and Lloyds TSB banks.

		Contacta InfoLoop™ is now firmly established as the No.1 provider of induction loop solutions for all industry sectors in the UK.

		*Source: RNID