Connect Assist’s win for inclusive video technology to help deaf and hearing-impaired people
Digital services provider Connect Assist is celebrating winning Bronze at the annual European Contact Centre & Customer Service Awards for its innovative helpline for the deaf community, Sign Assist.
The ECCCSAs are the industry’s largest and most prestigious awards programme, recognising organisations, teams and projects across Europe that are leading the way in delivering exceptional service to customers.
The annual event was held in London, hosted by TV presenter and journalist Fiona Bruce, with awards presented by former British Olympic athlete Linford Christie.
Connect Assist’s British Sign Language (BSL) video helpline, Sign Assist, was commended in the Best Innovation in Customer Service category, reflecting its ground-breaking customer innovation. Launched in April 2022, this unique service, which also celebrated a win at the annual Welsh Contact Centre Awards recently, is designed to remove barriers for those in the Deaf community, allowing BSL users to access support and communicate in their native language.
As the first UK contact centre to offer the service, Sign Assist uses their live video engagement platform to connect deaf and hearing-impaired people directly to staff fluent in BSL and those with lived experience from the deaf community, to offer a truly inclusive experience for all.
The result follows a win for Sign Assist in the ‘Best Inclusion Strategy’ category at last month’s Welsh Contact Centre Awards.
Connect Assist is a provider of contact centre and digital services. Since launching in 2006, Connect Assist, which is based in Nantgarw in South Wales, has been working with organisations in the public, private and third sectors, ensuring the delivery of high-quality contact centre services that have a positive impact on thousands of people every day. It currently employs more than 400 people.
Ron Moody, CEO at Connect Assist, said: “With Sign Assist, we want to be able to support the Deaf Community by giving them the help and support they need by communicating with them in the right way. It’s very gratifying that this innovative service has again attracted industry recognition”.
Amanda Mullans, Sales Director at Connect Assist, added: “We are absolutely delighted that the ECCCSA judging panel have recognised this service as a Winner in the Best Innovation in Customer Service awards category, for the outstanding contribution we offer to the deaf community. We hope to inspire others to push for greater innovation to meet customers’ needs and raise standards in the industry.”
