'Live Chat' set to increase accessibility for BT customers

Live Chat, a new, instant-messenger style function, is now available on BT’s Inclusion website www.BT.com/inclusion. The new feature offers customers another way to get information, resolve queries or make purchases and will be particularly beneficial to those who have difficulty communicating via the telephone. The service will particularly benefit people with disabilities, for example those who struggle with voice calls due to hearing and speech impairments.

Live Chat provides access to a BT customer service advisor without the need to speak over the phone. Users simply type in their question and a dedicated advisor responds straight away.

BT’s Live Chat support covers all aspects of customer service ranging from billing queries, account changes and product and service advice – for example, guidance on phones suitable for people with an impairment. Customers can also request BT literature in alternative formats such as in large print or as a text file suitable for screen reading software.

Dr Lorraine Gailey, chief executive officer, Hearing Concern LINK said: "Customer service departments often assume that a user is happy to deal with them on the telephone and alternative, text-based, options are either unavailable or difficult to track down. We support the concept of BT's 'Live Chat' real time text system and have asked Ofcom to encourage further usage of such communication amongst other service providers."

Warren Buckley, director of strategy and e-services, BT, said: “We want customers to be able to communicate with BT easily and know that communication over the telephone doesn't work for everyone. Live Chat offers our customers an alternative way to interact with BT and enables them to be confident that someone is on hand to answer their questions in real time.

“This is just another addition to the accessible services we offer customers to ensure they have the means to find out about our products and services and manage their communications in a way that works for them.”

In this initial phase of its development, Live Chat support is available from 10am-5pm, Monday to Friday.