Accessibility for all: ReciteMe and Navilens
mySycous understands that there are many people who struggle with accessibility issues and that we need to make our website easier to use for people with various accessibility needs. This is why you can find the ReciteMe Assistive Toolbar on our website and Navilens codes on all of our correspondence.
We believe an inclusive online experience allows all our customers to easily access essential utility services and manage their account. 1 in 4 people fall into one of Ofgem’s vulnerability categories which means that a large amount of our customer base needs better online accessibility. There are an estimated 950,000 people across the UK that use heat networks. 1 in 10 people across the UK don't speak English as a first language, our ReciteMe Toolbar includes a translation feature to translate the website into over 100 languages with 65 text-to speech voices.
Navilens is an app that allows blind and visually impaired people to access information just by scanning a code using the app. Once you've scanned the code, the app will explain what's on your correspondence by using text-to-speech to tell you information such as what the letter says, more information about your metering and billing and your Guru or Secure device. As well as our correspondence, Navilens codes can be found on packaging for certain products such as Kelloggs cereals, Nivea skincare and Coca Cola just to name a few. This can help to make your shopping experience easier as it tells you what's written on packaging for different things. You can download the Navilens app from the App Store or Google Play Store.
Navilens Go is an app that can be used for public transport which is gradually being rolled out into different places across the world. The most recent example is at Euston Station in London, where they are currently trialling using Navilens codes to help visually impaired people find their way around the station. You can download the Navilens Go app from the App Store or Google Play Store.
The ReciteMe Assistive Toolbar is a software that we have added to our website that allows you to customise the appearance of the website so that it works for you. It allows you to change the language, download the text as an MP3 file to listen to later, read web pages aloud as well as PDF’s, change font sizes and colours, access an integrated dictionary and thesaurus as well as changing the background colour. You can watch the video below to learn more about how to use ReciteMe to get the best website experience for your needs while you navigate mySycous.com.
If you are a vulnerable customer, you can click here to complete the form to notify our team for you to be included on our Priority Services Register. You can also click here to see our FAQs on vulnerable customers and additional support we offer. This is where we answer questions about what ReciteMe is and how to access it as well as cost of living support and how to manage an account on behalf of someone else. If you need to get in touch with us via our form, you can fill it out in your preferred language if English isn't your first language. From there, we can respond to you via a message or a call with a member of our team who speaks your language or with a 3rd party translation service.
