Assisting Customers who are Blind or Vision Impaired

Good customer service for all settings

At reception

Offer to guide or accompany the customer over to the reception desk. Find out more about how to guide a person with sight loss safely.

If the customer needs to complete a form, standard practice is for a staff member to read out the questions, and write down the answers on the customer’s behalf.

• If the customer is required to provide a signature, ask the person if he or she would like to use a signature guide – a simple device to help people who are blind or vision impaired to write their signature in the appropriate place.
• If you are entering information into a computer, explain exactly what you are doing and why.
• When the customer is leaving, make sure they have picked up all of their belongings. Make sure they know their way by giving clear verbal instructions or offer to guide or accompany them.
• Find out more about meeting and greeting people with sight loss.

In a waiting room

• Offer to guide or accompany a person with sight loss from the reception desk to the waiting area.
• In the waiting room, try to find a seat for the person near to the door so that they will not trip over hazards in the waiting area such as toys, mats or low coffee tables.
• Try to make sure that help is available for a person with sight loss who is in a queue. It is frustrating to miss a turn as it is embarrassing to jump the queue unintentionally.
• If possible use the person’s name to call them when it is their turn rather than saying ‘next’.
• Let the person know if there is a ticket system. Ensure that the person knows what their number is as they might not be able to see it.
• When changing shifts inform other staff that the person has a sight problem and may require assistance.

Making a payment and leaving

• Ask the person how they would like to pay.
• Offer to show them where to sign on cheques or credit card slips.
• Ensure that the person has complete privacy if they are entering a PIN or password.
• Count the person's change aloud, coin by coin, as you place it into their hand.
• Identify any other person that becomes involved in the transaction. For example, 'My manager is here now, on your right-hand side.'
• When handing more than one item to the customer explain which is which.
• When leaving make sure the person has picked up all of their purchases and belongings and knows the way out.
• Offer to guide or accompany the customer to the door.

Specific settings

In a shop

Provide information about your products:

• Offer to guide or accompany the customer around the shop
• Offer to describe your products and services
• Offer to read the labels and the prices
• Tell the person about any special offers.

Labelling products

• Provide clear, bold, large-print prices.
• Make good use of colour and contrast to highlight different products.
• Provide clear spoken announcements of, for example, special offers, etc.
• Provide well-designed signage throughout the shop. Find out more about accessible signage.

Shopping from home

Some people with sight loss may like to shop from home. This way they can make their own choices about what they want to buy independently. People with impaired vision can also either do their shopping over the telephone or on the Internet. Make sure your website is accessible to people using screen-reading and magnification software. The Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool provides further information about making websites accessible. For NCBI services relevant to making your website more accessible, including website auditing, user testing, consultancy and training, please contact NCBI Centre for Inclusive Technology.

In a restaurant

• Braille and large-print menus are very helpful. Ask customers with impaired vision if they would like to use either of these formats. NCBI's Media Centre offers a Braille transcription service
• Producing your menu in clear print will make it easier for all customers to read your menu.
• If your menu is not available in Braille or large print, offer to read the menu aloud.
• When serving the meal, offer to describe the location of food on the customer’s plate as corresponding to the numbers on a clock face. For example, tell the person that their hamburger is at 3 o'clock and their chips are at 9 o'clock.
• You can also use this method to describe the location of other items on the table; for example, if the dinner plate is directly in front of the person, you can say that the ketchup is above the plate at 1 o'clock, and the person’s glass is at 2 o’clock.
• Ask the person whether they would like you to refill their cup, before doing so. If you refill it without telling them, it could cause a spill.
• If you are filling up a person’s glass or cup, don’t fill it to the brim, in case it spills as they lift it.

In a B&B, guesthouse or hotel

• On arrival, greet the person in reception and assist them with checking in. Offer to guide or accompany them to their room after check-in. It might be helpful to tell the person exactly where certain things are located, for example the breakfast room, the swimming pool and other facilities.
• Inform the person where the telephone in the room is located and the number at which reception can be called for information or if assistance is required.
• On arrival at the hotel room, it would be helpful to offer the customer an orientation tour of the room. This would involve telling the person where objects are located, including light switches, bed, wardrobe, bathroom, shower, toilet, power points, hair dryer, towels, tea / coffee making facilities and the telephone.
• Tell the person that you are describing the room from left to right.
• Many people with sight loss enjoy television, so don’t be embarrassed to ask the person if they would like the TV switched on. Tell the person where you are leaving the remote control so that they can find it when you are gone.
• Inform the person of the emergency escape route from their room. Do the route.

Going for an appointment

This section is relevant to all healthcare professionals such as GPs, opticians, dentists, chiropodists, pharmacists, hospital staff, beauticians, etc.

Prior to an appointment

If you know that a person is blind or vision impaired, ask them if they would like to receive appointment letters in large print, audio, Braille, or via email. If you provide a reminder text message service, be sure to inform the person of this service. Nearer to the appointment time, telephone or send a text message to the patient (only if the person has confirmed that they can in fact receive and read text messages) to remind them of their appointment. Tell them if they need to bring anything with them and ask them if they know their way.

Offering medical care to a person

• If you are offering medical care to a patient with sight loss, speak to the patient directly by addressing them by name so they will know that you are speaking to them.
• Introduce other people present, for example a nurse, an assistant, etc. Indicate where people are in the room and say when these people leave the room.
• Most people who are blind or vision impaired will be able to dress and undress themselves without assistance. Ask the person if they need assistance.
• When asking the person to lie on the examination couch, give explicit verbal instructions and place their hand on the couch. Assist only if necessary. Speak before touching the patient and explain verbally what procedures are to be undertaken.

Providing medical information to a patient

Just like everybody else, people who are blind or vision impaired want to know about their medical condition and what their treatment might involve. When giving the person a prescription, medical certificate or appointment card, place it directly in their hand and say what it is. Some people with sight loss may not be able to see to read it. Where possible, make this information available in large print using a thick black felt-tip marker or whatever format the patient requests. Give clear instructions about medication and further tests and appointments and ensure that the person has understood.

Dispensing medication

• When handing more than one item to the patient explain which is which. For example, your medicine is in the bag in the right hand and here is your shampoo.
• Put medication in different sized and shaped containers so that the person can distinguish between them.
• Containers that are different colours can also be helpful. Consider placing an elastic band or illuminous tape on the containers to make them look and feel different.
• Weekly pill organisers with raised letters and larger print can be helpful. These are available from NCBI; LoCall 1850 33 43 53.
• Consider using talking labels for medicines, also available from NCBI.
• Write the names of the medicines and important information in large print using a thick marker or read instructions onto a cassette tape.
  When the person is leaving, ensure that they know the date and time of any future appointments. Make sure they can find their way out by giving clear instructions or offer to guide or accompany them.

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