28 Sep Self-service or staff – hearing access at every tillpoint

Self-service checkouts currently total around 80,000 in UK stores. [note:source? Couldn’t find this] They give shoppers choice between interacting with staff or paying for their shopping independently.  Whatever the shopping experience people prefer, customers need to be able to hear questions or instructions from the assistant – human or otherwise.

There is a growing range of technologies such as Auracast™, hearing loops and more for large spaces where people are one of a number listening to the same voice. However, hearing loops remain the best solution for one-to-one interactions.

Sound is received by a directional microphone that picks up the server’s voice and only minimal levels of surrounding sound.  The sound is converted into a magnetic signal and transmitted via a small loop of copper wire that sits beneath the counter.  If a customer’s hearing aid or cochlear implant has a telecoil and is set to ‘T’, it converts that signal back into sound, putting the server’s voice directly into their ear.

Discreet and simple to install, hearing loops can make a huge difference to customers with hearing loss who struggle to have a conversation at the till, a customer service desk, deli counter or anywhere else they need a server’s help.

And they work in the same way at self-service till points.  Here, rather than the server’s voice, the hearing loop transmits the machine’s automated instructions.

Hybrid tills are being introduced in major supermarkets, giving retailers the flexibility of providing staff during busy periods or allowing customers to serve themselves.  Well-designed hearing loop systems serve the customer’s needs in both situations, offering accessibility however the till is operating.

The latest building regulations state that every till point in a store should be fitted with a hearing loop.  Currently, many stores will have just two or three checkouts with hearing loops but this puts the onus on the shopper to find one that works for them.  Having a loop at every till offers them equality with other shoppers in being able to go to any one they choose.

Equal access and an equal experience are ultimately what stores should aim to offer, whether they’re serving customers in person or not.