Mike Fox, a software developer for Lighthouse Works, is proud of his contribution to developing the … [+]
People with vision impairments often experience a career crisis. In the United States, over 50 million Americans have some degree of vision loss, and nearly 70% of them are unemployed. When you consider that more than 2.2 billion people globally have a vision impairment, the scale of the issue is magnified.
Not only does this present an accessibility issue, but it’s also a tremendous waste of a talented workforce that’s desperately seeking job opportunities. Mike Fox, a vision-impaired software developer at Lighthouse Works, loves finding ways to improve accessibility for the blind.
So when the question of how to improve Lighthouse Work’s call center software was posed, he jumped at the chance to help his company collaborate with Genesys. The result? A software solution that improved call center support software accessibility, created new jobs and made the unique technology available to businesses across the globe.
A Developer With A Vision
Lighthouse Works is a business process outsourcing organization with a mission to establish careers for individuals who are visually impaired or blind living in the US. Fox has worked for the company for 10 years, though his path to his current role has been somewhat unconventional.
Similar to many Lighthouse Works employees, Fox has vision loss. Furthermore, like his peers, he doesn’t let it hamper his effectiveness. Using screen magnifiers and custom settings, Mike found tremendous success at the organization and quickly became Lighthouse Works’ lead software developer. When Lighthouse Works wanted to explore ways to improve accessibility for its call center workers, Fox was the perfect person for the job.
A Collaboration With A Mission
Lighthouse Works set out to find a partner who would be a good fit for the company’s mission. Genesys Cloud CX, a global cloud leader in AI-powered experience orchestration, fit the bill and had a proven track record of creative solutions that supported non-profits.
Lighthouse Works liked Genesys for its flexibility and composability, which allows the organization to customize the solution to fit the needs of not only its workforce, but also its diverse customer base, which spans public sector agencies to national, for-profit businesses.
In addition, the platform’s open APIs and deep AI capabilities would enable Lighthouse Works to redefine what’s possible in employee experience when working with call center technology. The mission for the partnership? To provide more accessible tools for Lighthouse Works’ visually impaired contact center staff.
There’d be a unique spin, though: Fox became the primary developer of the custom accessibility application. The application incorporates advanced screen-reading software and a simplified user interface that makes it accessible for folks with vision loss. The technology can automate repetitive behaviors, customize hotkeys to an agent’s preference and even create a custom user interface based on agents’ abilities.
Speaking with me recently, Fox noted, “It was rewarding to work directly on a project that helps solve a challenge I personally face. The lack of career opportunities for people with blindness or vision loss is unacceptable, and it means a great deal to me to be a part of the solution.”
Beyond Lighthouse Works
The Lighthouse Works formula has been successful. The software solution has improved call center support software accessibility, helping Lighthouse Works employ over 300 visually impaired people in the United States.
“People with vision loss face tremendous challenges finding work,” said Kyle Johnson, president and CEO of Lighthouse Works, during a conversation with me. “Our collaboration with Genesys is enabling us to turn our unique workforce into a competitive advantage for us.”
But why limit the success to just Lighthouse Works?
Added Johnson, “Both Genesys and Lighthouse Works knew the solution was way too valuable to keep it to just our company. So we expanded the collaboration to find a way that the solution could be applied more universally for all call centers. This way, any call center could easily find a way to create a more inclusive workforce.”
The result was the EquiVista app, which will launch on the Genesys AppFoundry in September of this year.
Undeniable Impact
Olivier Jouve, Chief Product Officer at Genesys, loves seeing the collaboration come to life as EquiVista rolls out globally. As he shared with me, “In partnering with Lighthouse Works, we’ve had the opportunity to bring life-changing technology to combat a global problem that affects millions of people.”
Fox is excited about the promise of his achievements scaling outside of Lighthouse Works to help call centers around the globe create a more accessible working environment.
Naturally, the app — recognizable by its fox logo — serves as a nod to Mike Fox’s tremendous role in its development. All proceeds from the app’s purchases will go directly to Lighthouse Works, which supports career opportunities for the blind and visually impaired. A true win-win collaboration.
Further reflecting on his involvement, shared Fox, “I’m fortunate to work for an organization that would take a chance on me and allow me to pursue my passions. I never thought I’d be able to have such an impact on folks like me who really need this kind of technology. Not bad for someone who’s bad at math and didn’t think a developer career was possible.”
The Bottom Line
The Lighthouse Works and Genesys partnership is an excellent example of the power of empathy, when teamed with the right technology, to have a truly positive impact on the world.
In an era defined by capitalism and profit-at-all-costs, there are still organizations doing great things, and the oft-unheralded people behind these businesses deserve a sizable share of the spotlight, too.
