Business : Relay Iowa Enhances Business Training Efforts to Improve Accessibility to Iowans

Relay Iowa is expanding its statewide efforts to help businesses better recognize and respond to Relay calls—improving accessibility for individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have difficulty speaking. Through its Relay Friendly Business program, Relay Iowa equips businesses with training that reduces call hang-ups and enhances customer communication.

Making a telephone call to schedule an appointment, confirm prescriptions or check on an account balance is a part of everyday life. For individuals who have difficulty hearing or speaking over the telephone and use Relay services to make calls, these everyday contacts can sometimes cause frustration if a business or organization is not familiar with Relay and how it works.

Relay Iowa’s outreach team has been busy performing virtual training within the state to multiple businesses and organizations educating on how to recognize a Relay call and the benefits of staying on the line.

Most recently, Relay Iowa presented Relay Friendly Business training during a monthly meeting hosted by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach with an objective of empowering Iowans with resources and education facing real-life challenges.

“Every person deserves equal access to communicate with businesses and services they rely on daily,” said Emilie Banasiak, Outreach Coordinator for Relay Iowa. “By helping organizations recognize and confidently handle Relay calls, we’re not only improving customer service, but also strengthening accessibility and inclusion across Iowa communities.”

About Relay Iowa: Relay Iowa is a 24-hour service that enables individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, DeafBlind or have difficulty speaking to communicate freely with friends, family and businesses over the phone. Relay Iowa offers multiple service options available to fit individual communication needs. To learn more, visit RelayIowa.com.