TCN Releases VocalVision to Market for Visually Impaired

By Casey Houser
Contributing Writer

For people who are visually impaired, interaction with computer systems can present a serious problem. Not only do such systems primarily present information visually, navigation of computers with specialized software that uses audio-based commands, for instance, can still be cumbersome. This is not just a problem for consumers in their own homes. It also affects businesses, and the large population that works at call centers across the globe may find itself affected more than many other groups.

TCN, a provider of cloud-based call center software, is trying to change the status quo with the recent release of its new virtual call center product, Platform 3 VocalVision. The Platform 3 virtual call center provides call center agents with the tools they need to complete dialing, record calls, and transfer calls to other agents, among many other functions. VocalVision takes the virtual call center one step further by offering the same functionality to the visually impaired via voice commands and by working with the Job Access With Speech (JAWS) screen reader software.

Jim Kerlin is the president and CEO of Beyond Vision, a not-for-profit that seeks to connect employment opportunities with people who are legally blind. He commented on the functionality it offers employees and its ease of use.

“We've been impressed with TCNs VocalVision cloud-based phone service,” Kerlin said. “They have been very willing to customize the solution to meet our employees accessibility needs. So, our employees like the system and its ease of use. It has enhanced the level of service we can offer our customers through its call recording and time reporting capabilities. In the future, we plan to use the system to measure and report productivity and utilization metrics, just as we do in our manufacturing environment.”

Until recently, VocalVision has only been available to a select number of businesses, including Beyond Vision. Now, however, TCN will offer the software to the overall contact center market and will pair it with Platform 3 going forward. TCN commented that it is excited to bring the product to a wider audience and that it hopes the software will assist visually impaired individuals and help them obtain new jobs.