Accessibility in technological solutions is becoming increasingly important in this modern work environment. We live in a technologically savvy world and therefore accessibility should reflect both the needs of employees and customers. During this blog, we will look at accessibility in coordination with Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement (CRM) from an employee-centric point of view.
Priorities can differ from organisation to organisation and while accessibility should be a priority for all, this is especially the case in the not-for-profit and public sectors. m-hance specifically works within these sectors and has a vast number of customers including Oxfam Ireland, Solent Mind and Christian Aid. Such exposure has enabled us to garner a large amount of expertise and experience of the challenges facing the charity community which we use to help organisations achieve their goals and resolve their problems.
Under the ‘The Equality Act 2010’ it is a legal obligation to make technology solutions more accessible. Furthermore, there is also a provision in place to provide details of this accessibility within a statement. The Act requires employers to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ in the workplace for employees so that individuals with disabilities are not put at a disadvantage. These adjustments can also bring benefits to employers, allowing and helping staff be as productive as possible.
At a recent m-hance event, Microsoft’s Hector Minto (Senior Technology Evangelist) used the statistic that “70% of disabilities are invisible – most people won’t admit they’re struggling” when talking about accessibility. So even if people don’t have an obvious disability, it doesn’t mean that they would not benefit from accessible systems.
Microsoft Dynamics Customer Engagement conforms to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 and EN 301 549 accessibility standards along with several others. Microsoft’s accessibility certificates are available digitally and can be found online.
Microsoft also has a dedicated Disability Answer Desk, which is available to help any individuals with any accessibility queries across all products should anyone require extra assistance.
Here at m-hance, we are committed to making solutions accessible for people. We aim to be involved with Microsoft’s Accessibility policies and deliver them through the Digital Inclusion initiative. We prioritise catering to the needs of any specific individual, providing help and resolution to the highest standard.
In terms of m-hance’s commitment to meeting accessibility needs in Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement (CRM), this includes:
- Working with Microsoft to help identify accessibility issues for them to resolve.
- Having accessibility as a key objective and principle at the heart of any customer’s project.
- Following best practice in solution design and configuration so that Dynamics 365’s inherent accessibility is not compromised.
- Tailoring the user interface for specific users/groups of users, where necessary. This can be done through specific CRM apps; simplified navigation; tailored form layouts.
- Helping customers evaluate assistive technologies to get the best result for each user/group of users. Sharing experience from working with other customers with accessibility needs.
- Promoting the use of up-to-date core software on user PCs, such as Windows 10 and a modern web browser like Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. It’s not uncommon to find older versions of software installed on user PCs. It helps to be on the most up-to-date software, plus some of these include accessibility tools of their own.
We are passionate about accessibility and inclusion for all. Through our partnership with Microsoft and through our own initiatives, we strive to cater to the needs of all those who use our solutions and make the most of all employees’ talents. We believe that every person should be empowered by technology and accessibility has a major part to play in this.
