RECITE ME SECTORS

Utilities Accessibility

Every home needs access to gas, water and electricity. Yet, utility services are not always readily available to all. Providing an inclusive experience online enables everyone to access vital utility services and personal accounts barrier-free.

Customers Face Online Barriers When Accessing Utility Services

People’s everyday tasks now take place online, such as managing energy accounts and paying bills. Many of the 14.1 million people in the UK who have a disability often encounter barriers online when completing these simple tasks.

Most consumers pay at least 10 separate household bills a month, and over 50% of these are paid online. Improving web accessibility and providing practical and efficient ways for customers to communicate online can avoid stressful situations for vulnerable customers.

Why Utility Organisations Need to Provide an Inclusive Online Experience

Increased Revenue

1 in every 5 people has a physical, visual, auditory, cognitive, or neurological disability. So if your website isn’t accessible, you’re missing out on 20% of the market share.

Support the Vulnerable

Every home needs access to gas, water and electricity. But when websites are not inclusive, vulnerable citizens cannot manage their accounts.

Enhanced Brand Image

Welcoming people with varied disabilities and access needs promotes your commitment to inclusion and sets you apart from the competition.

Let us show you how easy it can be.

Millions of utilities webpages made accessible through the use of assistive technology

Assistive technology on utilities websites can provide more practical and efficient ways for customers to communicate online and it can help use employee time more effectively.

The Recite Me assistive toolbar breaks down online access barriers making it easier to access information and advice online. Users can make single or multiple adjustments to a website to create a uniquely customised experience.

UNIQUE USERS

914,038

This is the total number of users who launched the Recite Me toolbar on utilities websites.

PAGES VIEWED

4,536,739

This is the total number of pages viewed using the Recite Me toolbar.

INDUSTRY AVERAGE

+83%

Higher than the industry average pages viewed per session.

Download our Online Accessibility Guide for the Utilities Sector

Find out some of the leading utility organisations we work with and how assistive technology can help support customers in vulnerable circumstances.

Customers

See the love!

“It's important to us at Utilita that our services are accessible to everyone, which is why we decided to implement the ‘Recite Me’ accessibility toolbar on our website. The toolbar has already made a huge difference to our customers, in the first month alone it helped over 1,000 users view our website in the best way for them.”

Lauren Sanders

Marketing Manager, Utilita

“It's important to us at Utilita that our services are accessible to everyone, which is why we decided to implement the ‘Recite Me’ accessibility toolbar on our website. The toolbar has already made a huge difference to our customers, in the first month alone it helped over 1,000 users view our website in the best way for them.”

Lauren Sanders

Marketing Manager, Utilita

“As the largest energy and services provider in Britain, it’s vital that our online customer support is accessible to all the diverse communities we serve around the country, which is why we are proud to launch the “Recite Me” accessibility toolbar on our website.”

Cecil Edey

Conduct and Consumer Vulnerability Manager, British Gas

“As the largest energy and services provider in Britain, it’s vital that our online customer support is accessible to all the diverse communities we serve around the country, which is why we are proud to launch the “Recite Me” accessibility toolbar on our website.”

Cecil Edey

Conduct and Consumer Vulnerability Manager, British Gas

“British Gas Energy Trust helps people in financial need, and accessibility is essential – especially for those who don’t speak English as their first language. The Trust is delighted that with the support of Recite Me, the British Gas Energy Trust now provides barrier-free access to our online application forms. Enabling people with a range of accessibility issues, including visual impairments, dyslexia, colour blindness and other forms of neurodiversity, as well as those who need to use alternative languages to apply.”

Jessica Taplin

CEO, British Gas Energy Trust

“British Gas Energy Trust helps people in financial need, and accessibility is essential – especially for those who don’t speak English as their first language. The Trust is delighted that with the support of Recite Me, the British Gas Energy Trust now provides barrier-free access to our online application forms. Enabling people with a range of accessibility issues, including visual impairments, dyslexia, colour blindness and other forms of neurodiversity, as well as those who need to use alternative languages to apply.”

Jessica Taplin

CEO, British Gas Energy Trust

“We chose to install the Recite Me assistive toolbar to make our website accessible and truly inclusive to all. The internet can be an incredibly intimidating place and anyone who finds it difficult to understand or communicate is at a significant disadvantage.”

Louise Beardmore

Customer Services and People Director, United Utilities

“We chose to install the Recite Me assistive toolbar to make our website accessible and truly inclusive to all. The internet can be an incredibly intimidating place and anyone who finds it difficult to understand or communicate is at a significant disadvantage.”

Louise Beardmore

Customer Services and People Director, United Utilities

“Recite Me was the easy choice for Cadent not only because it was straightforward to implement but because it is so user friendly for our customers and has such a broad range of features to support accessibility. We particularly like how an online customer can save their preferences, meaning that when they return to our pages they continue to have a personalised and hassle-free experience.”

Jo Giles

Customer Safeguarding Manager, Cadent

“Recite Me was the easy choice for Cadent not only because it was straightforward to implement but because it is so user friendly for our customers and has such a broad range of features to support accessibility. We particularly like how an online customer can save their preferences, meaning that when they return to our pages they continue to have a personalised and hassle-free experience.”

Jo Giles

Customer Safeguarding Manager, Cadent