{"id":15851,"date":"2023-09-30T09:07:04","date_gmt":"2023-09-30T09:07:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mysourcefunding.com\/leadership\/a-look-at-how-genesys-and-lighthouse-works-joined-forces-to-level-the-playing-field-for-every-blind-person\/"},"modified":"2023-09-30T09:07:06","modified_gmt":"2023-09-30T09:07:06","slug":"a-look-at-how-genesys-and-lighthouse-works-joined-forces-to-level-the-playing-field-for-every-blind-person","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mysourcefunding.com\/?p=15851","title":{"rendered":"A Look At How Genesys And Lighthouse Works Joined Forces To \u2018Level The Playing Field\u2019 For Every Blind Person"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A little over a year ago, I posted a story about how artificial intelligence startup Replicant uses AI in making customer service centers more accessible. The San Francisco-based company wants to make calls centers more accessible\u2014and efficient\u2014for agents and customers alike.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we came to do is to automate mundane [calls] to customer service contacts, whether they are text messages or phone calls or other [types of] messaging,\u201d Gadi Shamia, Replicant\u2019s co-founder and chief executive officer, said to me in an interview last year via videoconference. \u201cAgents can focus on more complex, more emotional type of calls where it\u2019s really important to use human creativity and problem-solving abilities.\u201d<\/p>\n

As it happens, Shamia and Replicant aren\u2019t alone in their pursuits.<\/p>\n

In late June, cloud computing company Genesys announced a partnership with the Central Florida-based Lighthouse Works that the former said in a press release has \u201cresulted in significant career opportunities for the Blind or visually impaired.\u201d Genesys boasted in the press release\u2019s headline the joint venture with Lighthouse Works resulted in a 25% increase in new jobs for Blind Americans last year.<\/p>\n

The collaboration involves utilizing Genesys\u2019 Cloud CX platform and its proprietary API to give those who are Blind and low vision more opportunity for career advancement, most notably in customer service centers. The Lighthouse Works development team built a user interface using a custom API that integrates with the aforementioned Cloud CX system. The end result is a piece of software which \u201cdelivers audio cues to agents in real-time [and] equips those with blindness or vision loss with the tools needed for careers within a contact center.\u201d<\/p>\n

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In the announcement, Genesys noted its work with the Lighthouse came to be as a result of \u201cglaring lack of progress to support this talent-rich population [of Blind and low vision people] that faces a disproportionate rate of unemployment.\u201d Genesys added studies have shown people in the Blind and low vision community \u201cface significant challenges finding a job,\u201d with the unemployment rate standing at a staggering 70%. If given proper support and access to opportunities, both Genesys and the Lighthouse strongly believe Blind and low vision people can be tremendous assets to the workforce, with Genesys saying they are \u201cwell-suited to provide superior customer experiences in the contact center.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople with vision loss frequently face perception issues and skepticism from employers, not to mention navigating additional challenges, such as transportation and lack of workplace accommodations,\u201c Kyle Johnson, president and chief executive officer of Lighthouse Works, said in a statement included in the press release. \u201cBy partnering with Genesys, we\u2019re able to create more job opportunities for this underserved population, as well as bring a competitive advantage to our customers because of our unique workforce, not in spite of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

In an interview with me prior to the announcement, conducted in mid-May, Genesys CEO Tony Bates explained his company supports over 7,000 customers of all shapes and sizes. At the root of the company\u2019s work, he said, is creating \u201cincredible, personalized customer experiences through digital channels.\u201d With regards to accessibility, Bates told me \u201cnothing is more important\u201d than having empathy for disabled people and providing them tools with which to succeed at their employment.<\/p>\n

Bates called Lighthouse Works \u201can incredible partner\u201d to Genesys, saying he felt very fortunate Lighthouse CEO Kyle Johnson took the time to speak to the Genesys leadership team. In the cloud computing sector, where efficiency and effectiveness is paramount, Bates said technology is the differentiating factor in making everything work. More pointedly, Bates shared his enthusiasm for the impact Genesys and its tech stack has on enabling those in the disability community to thrive and meaningfully contribute to society. In many ways, accessibility is the conduit through which the ultimate user experience is created.<\/p>\n

For his part, Johnson explained Lighthouse\u2019s mission as providing rehabilitation and educational training to individuals who are Blind and low vision. Lighthouse Works, he told me, strives to \u201clevel the playing field\u201d for Blind and low vision people in terms of living and earning.<\/p>\n

For Sophia McCall, the partnership has led to her to prosper.<\/p>\n

McCall, who works at Lighthouse Works, lost her eyesight at age 39. In an interview concurrent to Bates and Johnson\u2019s, she told me she first linked with Lighthouse Works in 2016 as she was coping with the loss of her vision and contemplating how to best move forward. She appreciates the technology Genesys and Lighthouse Works have created together because, essentially, she can perform all the same tasks a sighted person can do, and communicate with customers from the call center without them necessarily being aware of her condition. McCall said she likes to \u201csurprise people\u201d with her disability, telling me she wants to \u201cshow people, despite your disability, [when] you\u2019re given a fair playing field\u2014which would be accessibility\u2014you can go as high as you want.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI love talking about [accessibility],\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Bates sung McCall\u2019s praises, saying she has incredible abilities and her perspective as a blind person has proven invaluable to the organization. In terms of potential, Bates emphatically asserted that McCall is \u201cnowhere near the top rung of her ladder\u201d and will \u201cchange a lot of people\u2019s lives and the work that she does, whether with us or anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

As to the future, both Bates and Johnson shared optimism about the work they\u2019re doing together. Both men believe technology is extremely powerful in giving disabled people like McCall access to flourish in the world. \u201cMy hope is that we co-develop technology that really does democratize and equalizes people around the world,\u201d Bates said of his company\u2019s work with Lighthouse Works. \u201cI think the root is we need more empathy. We need to know where people are coming from, and it\u2019s been a bit of a missing link in contact centers and customer service. Everyone should be on the same playing field and feel equal. If technology can help that create jobs, I think that\u2019s a wonderful thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnson wholeheartedly agrees, as does McCall.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s rare that we find systems that are fully accessible. But it\u2019s even more rare to hear from a chief executive, at a company as formidable as Genesys that is such a powerhouse, making that commitment and really believing in that commitment, Johnson said of working alongside Genesys. \u201cThat\u2019s incredibly commendable and it makes me very excited. I\u2019d like the massive opportunity for Genesys to set itself apart in the software world\u2014to be that leader that goes first and really show how, not only is [supporting accessibility] empathetic, humane, responsible, honorable\u2014it\u2019s also achievable and it also makes good business sense.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have a passion for empowerment of disabled people,\u201d McCall said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Read the full article here<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A little over a year ago, I posted a story about how artificial intelligence startup Replicant uses AI in making customer service centers more accessible. The San Francisco-based company wants to make calls centers more accessible\u2014and efficient\u2014for agents and customers alike. \u201cWhat we came to do is to automate mundane [calls] to customer service contacts, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15852,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[76],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-15851","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-leadership"},"yoast_head":"\nA Look At How Genesys And Lighthouse Works Joined Forces To \u2018Level The Playing Field\u2019 For Every Blind Person | Brandiary<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A little over a year ago, I posted a story about how artificial intelligence startup Replicant uses AI in making customer service centers more accessible.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, 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