ACCESSIBILITY
BY MATTHEW ELEFANT, INCLUSIVE WEB
ILLUSTRATION PROVIDED BY ADOBE STOCK
THE HIDDEN ACCESSIBILITY CRISIS
WHY BOTH CUSTOMERS AND AGENTS WITH DISABILITIES MATTER NOW.
Digital accessibility is no longer a“ nice-to-have.” It’ s a business-critical issue that impacts customer experience( CX), operational efficiency, and brand trust. Yet many contact centers remain unprepared to serve customers with disabilities, creating frustration for users, unnecessary escalations to live agents, and real legal risks.
Modern contact centers lean heavily on digital channels— web chat, email, and self-service portals— but accessibility gaps remain widespread:
38 CONTACT CENTER PIPELINE
• Screen readers often fail to navigate chat interfaces.
• TTY systems are underused or poorly maintained.
• And agents frequently lack training to support customers with disabilities.
These shortcomings don’ t just frustrate customers. They increase workload, slow response times, and expose organizations to regulatory scrutiny.
MODERN CONTACT CENTERS LEAN HEAVILY ON DIGITAL CHANNELS... BUT ACCESSIBILITY GAPS REMAIN WIDESPREAD:...