“Accessibility means that everyone – even those facing additional challenges – can participate independently in everyday life,” Mark says. “We want to ensure that nobody falls by the wayside in the digital world. Whether it’s internet, television or telephony, everyone should be able to use these services without any problems.” Approximately one in five people face additional challenges. “This includes not only individuals with visual, physical or hearing impairments, but also the 2.5 million functionally illiterate people in the Netherlands.”
The curb-cut effect
VodafoneZiggo’s product development is driven by the concept of the so-called ‘curb-cut effect’. “This means that when you make something accessible to people with disabilities, it benefits everyone ultimately,” Mark explains. “Lowered kerbs are a perfect example of this. Originally designed for wheelchair users, they benefit many others too, such as parents with prams, young skateboarders, postal workers and elderly people with rollators. This is how we approach our work: we aim to develop products that benefit everyone.”
From SIM to shop
A great example is our approach to SIM cards. “Such a small piece of technology can be a big obstacle,” Mark explains. “Inserting a SIM card can be quite a challenge for people with motor impairments. The solution? The eSIM: a digital alternative that eliminates this problem. But until everyone can use an eSIM, we are making physical SIM cards as accessible as possible. This includes easy-to-open packaging, large contrasting letters on the card and a QR code linking to an explanation page, often supported by videos and always compatible with assistive devices. This way, we ensure that everyone – whatever impairment they may have – can easily get started.”
Our shops are another example of our commitment to accessibility. “When designing or adapting a shop, we adhere to the five Bs: Bewustwording, Bereikbaarheid, Betreedbaarheid, Bruikbaarheid, en Beleving (Awareness, Reachability, Accessibility, Usability and Experience),” Mark explains. “At every step, we consider what it takes to remain accessible, from the journey to the shop to the experience inside. Everyone should feel welcome and be able to find their way independently.”
The target audience and experts
Collaboration makes us stronger. A good example is our work with senior secondary vocational education (Dutch mbo) students, who came up with new ideas to make our TV services more accessible. “Their proposals were impressive,” Mark says. “They suggested a low-stimulus interface for our TVs and a remote control that makes it easy to enlarge subtitles. These innovations make life easier for many people.”
We also collaborate closely with partners such as Stichting Accessibility (Accessibility Foundation), which is affiliated with the Bartiméus, an organisation that support people who are blind or partially sighted. “They help us understand what’s needed to make our products and services more accessible. This collaboration with experts and stakeholders is crucial to achieving our goals. We engage with the target group, rather than just talking about them,” says Mark.
Online and offline
From SIM to shop, and everything in between. “Accessibility is visibly and invisibly intertwined with every aspect of our work – on our websites, in our apps and in our communications, for instance. We use language that the majority of the Netherlands can understand. But it doesn’t stop there. We are working hard to ensure that alt text accompanies all images, providing descriptions so that people using screen readers know what’s depicted in the image. All new videos will include readable subtitles and audio descriptions.”
Looking ahead
Although we’ve already made significant strides, there’s more to be done. The European Accessibility Act will come into effect in 2025, and we aim not only to comply with, but to go beyond, its requirements. “We want to embed accessibility into every aspect of our work,” says Mark. “Take our voicemail service, for example. We are working with the target audience on a solution where voicemails are automatically converted to text. This way, people who are hearing-impaired or unable to make calls can read their messages as they would a text message or email. This is just one of the ways we’re thinking ahead.”
We are not there yet
Despite VodafoneZiggo's efforts, the process isn’t always straightforward. “The biggest challenge is change management,” says Mark. “Internally, our goal is for everyone to understand the importance of accessibility and the specific needs of people with additional challenges. We want our teams to keep this large group in mind at every step in their daily work. We’ve already made great progress and are well on track, but we aim to keep improving. Everyone should be able to participate – not just by 2025, but now.”
