We've all been there - you roll up to the drive-thru restaurant, look at the menu board, make your choices... then drive right up to the serving window. And instead of your order waiting for you, you see confused people.
For deaf and hard of hearing people, ordering at the drive-thru can be a gamble. If you're a regular customer, then chances are the staff knows what to do when you arrive. If you're new, then the situation can become uncertain. Some servers will remain calm and work with you, others will freak out. Clearly, we need a better way to handle this.
Patrick Hughes, a midwestern businessman and CEO of Inclusion Solutions thought so too, and decided to do something about it. His solution is called OrderAssist. We talked with Carey Siegel, a hard of hearing employee at Inclusion Solutions, about how OrderAssist takes the drama out of ordering your lunch.
PC: What is OrderAssist?
Carey: OrderAssist is a patented system that allows deaf/hard of hearing customers to better communicate with restaurant employees while using their drive-thru operations...it also enables employees to be better prepared for deaf and hard of hearing customers.
PC: What has been your role in OrderAssist, and what are you doing with it now?
Carey: Deaf community outreach, promotion, trade show booths, helping out with media coverage, contacting business owners.
PC: How did the idea for OrderAssist begin? Who was involved?
Carey: There were several people involved:
- Howard Rosenblum, a deaf attorney, helped us with legal and advocacy
- Robin Jones, a hearing representative from the Great Lakes ADA Center
- Liz Vasquez, a deaf high school student working at a summer job
- Jessica Miller, a hearing college intern, conducted a survey (6400 people) which led to?the launching of OrderAssist
- Carey Siegel, a deaf employee currently employed with Inclusion Solutions
After development of Big Bell, our flagship product, Robin Jones approached company owner Patrick Hughes to fix the problem at drive-thrus when deaf customers pull up to a speaker box.
PC: How long have you worked for Inclusion Solutions?
Carly: 3 years
PC: How long has OrderAssist been available?
Carly: 3+ years
PC: How many installations of OrderAssist exist?
Carly: 30 Culver?s Restaurant locations
PC: What challenges have you faced in getting OrderAssist accepted by businesses?
Carly: The attitude that they don't have any problem with deaf customers in spite of all the newspaper stories and media coverage of unfortunate encounters...that it won't increase sales or profits...too costly... I even hear: ?I didn't know that Deaf people drive...can't they can just walk in? It's not that big of a market...we don't have any deaf people in our town,? etc.
We had a deaf salesman for a year responsible for contacting business owners and CEOs directly, via video relay and mailings. Some responded, some gave him a runaround or didn't express interest.
It seems as though most companies don't know how powerful our market is and how much the deaf community talks together about good things and bad things. To me, it seems like we are considered part of an ADA compliance game rather than a powerful and loyal customer base. There have been plenty of isolated incidents around the country that collectively show a big problem.
PC: What reactions have you gotten from deaf customers using the system?
Carly: Great system, great concept. They ask for a touch screen and what they don't know much about is the cost for businesses to put touchscreen systems in. Our product reflects the spirit of the ADA, which is a readily achievable standard, to make their places more accessible without much expense or burden.
PC: Is there anyone else working to serve deaf people in this market niche?
Carly: Not that I'm aware of.
PC: What do you think is needed for more widespread adoption of OrderAssist?
Carly: Education, awareness. If the Deaf and HOH community got behind us right now, the whole community, not just deaf and HOH people, will be more sensitive to Deaf issues. Since most of restaurant business comes through the drive-thru, the world would begin to physically see a barrier for us that has been absent before, as with movie theatres, phones, captions, etc.
PC: How can businesses contact you for more information?
Carly: E-mail: csiegel(at)inclusionsolutions.com
VP: 773-338-9612
Video Relay: 800-314-5232
PC: Where can potential customers learn more about OrderAssist?
Carly: We have a website at DeafDriveThru.com
Inclusion Solutions: Inclusion Solutions
OrderAssist Information: OrderAssist Information
There's also another article on OrderAssist: IndyStar article on OrderAssist
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Kevin McLeod is a dual Canadian/American citizen with a diverse background in creative arts. His web development experience includes work for Gallaudet University, iXL and the Washington Post. His writing, graphic design and editorial service for the deaf press has included the GA-SK Newsletter, the NAD Broadcaster, and Silent News. He currently works as a Mental Health Technician at the National Deaf Academy in Mount Dora, FL, the world's only psychiatric treatment center designed for deaf residents.