For Be One Homes, accessibility isn’t a box to tick. It’s about making sure every customer can engage with the organisation in whatever way suits them, whether that’s browsing the website independently at home or getting face-to-face support in the community.
Finding the right fit
Around 250,000 people visit the Be One Homes website every year, so getting accessibility right matters.
“We’re always looking for ways to make our services more accessible for customers however they choose to engage with us.” says Jamie Moore, Communications Manager at Be One Homes.
After weighing up several accessibility solutions on price and features, the team chose the Recite Me Toolbar.
Two features in particular won them over: multi-language screen reader functionality and a document reader tool for PDFs.
Supporting residents in person and online
Since introducing the Toolbar, the response from customers and colleagues alike has been overwhelmingly positive.
“Colleagues in our UCAN community centres have told us how the Toolbar has been useful in facilitating in-person support appointments where the customer’s first language isn’t English. Colleagues are able to translate, and read aloud, related content on our website to aid understanding.”
The Toolbar has also won strong backing from Be One Homes’ Scrutiny Panel.
“Members of our Scrutiny Panel, some of whom have disabilities, have been incredibly supportive of us introducing the Toolbar, dating right back to when we first demoed it in early 2025,” Jamie adds.
Scrutiny member Leah said:
“I like the ruler function on the recite bar. It has made a really positive difference when reading blocks of text for me. I also like the audio function when looking for the right tool and the quick reset feature is useful.”
And Scrutiny member Derek said:
“The most difficult thing on Websites is the lack of speed finding the subject you are interested in. The Recite Me toolbar has made time on the Be One site more effective. At first you feel uncertain but let the Toolbar do the work.”
What residents are saying
That enthusiasm has carried through to residents themselves. Following the launch of the organisation’s new website and brand earlier this year, members of Be One Homes’ customer feedback forum – Resident Voices Channel – shared their thoughts:
“I am most impressed with the accessibility tab.”
“It supports linguistic inclusivity through translation tools and plain English communication.”
“This will be very useful to vulnerable customers.”
“The toolbar is very good and the accessibility is fantastic. Well done to everyone involved.”
With strong support from colleagues, community panels and residents alike, the Toolbar has quickly become a valued part of how Be One Homes delivers a more inclusive digital experience. And the story doesn’t end there. The organisation is hoping to gather further testimonials from its Scrutiny Panel soon, adding even more voices to the mix.
If you’d like to explore how accessibility technology can support your website visitors, get in touch with the Recite Me team to find out more.
