ESB introduces a new braille-billing system

Customers receiving ESB bills in braille have expressed their satisfaction at the quality of their latest bills. These are produced by a new internal Braille production system, introduced in January. It was jointly-sourced by the Equality and Diversity Office and ESB Customer Supply, in consultation with the National Council for the Blind (NCBI). ESB has more than 70 braille-billing customers at present.

The previous Braille production method had a number of weaknesses that included possible damage to braille characters if folded or punched in certain ways.

Following discussions and braille production demonstrations at the NCBI Media Centre in Finglas, Ciaran Gogarty, ESB Access Officer and Paul Armstrong, ESB Customer Supply braille-billing specialist, recommended that ESB should install a state-of-the-art system in line with NCBI best-practice criteria. The new production facilities were installed and tested at Leopardstown Road in December 2007.

They include a new Index A4 embosser, Duxbury Braille- Translation software which converts computer-generated print to braille and a new computer with more secure dataprotection features. The Embosser is encased in a custom-built acoustic cabinet and hood, which is quieter than the old machine and less-intrusive to people working nearby. The paper used is the same A4 continuous feed type that NCBI use for its own publications. The postal tube has been replaced by an equally-robust A4 envelope, which has been very favourably commented on by a number of Braille customers.

While customer feedback since January has been very positive, ESB is always willing to consider suggestions that may improve the layout and format of braille bills. Not all ESB customers with sightloss are braille readers. For those who are not, ESB Customer Supply offers the alternative options of large-print bills and talking bills. At the moment, 60 customers receive large-print bills. The talking-bill is a service where ESB phones the customer, or their nominee, and reads out the bill details to them. A printed standard-size copy of the current bill then issues to the customer. So far, only six customers have taken up this option, but further applications for this alternative billing service are always welcome.

If you wish to avail of any of the alternative billing options mentioned – braille, large-print or talking bills – please contact the following:

• ESB Customer Supply, Leopardstown Road, D18 Tel: 01 6042493
• National Customer Contact Centre, LoCall 1850 372 37 You can also email them direct at: http://www.esb.ie/main/energy_home/contact.jsp
• ESB Equality and Diversity Office, 27 Lr. Fitzwilliam St., Dublin 2. Tel: 01 7026705