‘Game-changing’ app revolutionises customer experience for people with disabilities

The creator of the world’s first smartphone-operated pedestrian crossing has now devised the means to revolutionise the customer service experience for people with disabilities through the launch of a new app.

Gavin Neate has created WelcoMe, which enables people to contact businesses in advance of their visits to alert them to their visit and any special requirements they may have.

The app also provides businesses with information about the person’s disability or condition, enabling them to be fully prepared to welcome them and deliver the best possible customer service.

WelcoMe has attracted the support of some of the biggest names in business, including Royal Bank of Scotland and Diageo, and is becoming increasingly widely used by people across the UK.

Its client base is particularly strong in its native Scotland, though its expansion into England is continually gaining pace.

WelcoMe is the latest game-changing invention from multi aware-winning entrepreneur Gavin Neate, though his business Neatebox, after his creation of the disability-friendly pedestrian crossing in 2011, which was adopted in a number of Scottish towns the following year.

This later became a standalone business, Button, which enables users to press a range of buttons remotely, such as those to open automated doors.

“With Button, we are enabling people to press buttons without actually having to press them, through using their smartphones,” says Gavin, whose inventions are inspired by his 18 years as a mobility instructor with Guide Dogs for the Blind.

“The need to this was particularly apparent with pedestrian crossings, where people in power chairs, for example, often couldn’t get near enough to be able to press it. Once we had created that, we realised we could press buttons for anything.

“And through that, the realisation that your phone was interacting with the building gave me the idea that if we can do that, why don’t we interact with the people in the building so they can know you are coming in.”

Through the creation of WelcoMe, what were previously significant causes of anxiety for people with disabilities can be removed, says Gavin.

“I saw so many times during my time as a mobility instructor that when you went into a cafe or a shop, people would speak to me rather than the person with the guide dog. But through WelcoMe, we are putting that person at the heart of the interaction.

“In one fell swoop, this helps staff to provide the best service, and also helps the person to get rid of the anxiety levels they probably had previously in going to premises,” he says.

“Through the creation of their profile on the app, the staff member will know what they look like, and they’ll know when they are going to arrive and if there is anything they need.

“If they have a guide dog, they may like some water, or if they use a wheelchair, they may need a ramp. They can also alert the venue to if they are exempt from wearing a mask. This can all be done in advance of the person’s arrival, without having to explain anything publicly, meaning they can enjoy their experience in a way they may not have done previously.”

WelcoMe has won a number of awards in recognition of its innovation, and the positive impact it is having on society.

“I didn’t want to be an inventor, it just happened, and we are now disrupting the norm to create a better place and better experience for people who really need it,” says Gavin.