ASL Now Launches Mobile App for Deaf Consumers

ASL Now, powered by Connect Direct, today launched the ASL Now mobile app that connects American Sign Language (ASL) users with trained customer service agents who are fluent in ASL.

ASL Now also provides users with a directory of companies offering customer support directly in American Sign Language. Users can scroll through the list of companies, find the one they need to call, and click to connect with a trained deaf customer service agent over video.

"With just a tap of a finger, ASL users can contact their favorite companies and talk to someone in their native language. This communication access attracts new customers and builds loyalty," said Pat Myers, president of the emerging markets division at Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD), in a statement. "Businesses that use ASL Now show that they are allies to the deaf community by creating jobs for deaf people and providing accessible communications."

ASL Now partners with companies to hire and train teams of deaf and hard-of-hearing customer service agents, establishing dedicated customer service solutions for their customers who are deaf. Businesses establishing an ASL Now team are automatically included in the ASL Now directory, introducing their products and services to new audiences. By partnering with ASL Now, businesses can save up to 35 percent compared to the cost of using traditional third-party interpreters, get more one-call solutions, and have call lengths reduced by up to 33 percent.

"CSD has always sought to create equitable communication and employment opportunities for the deaf community. This app does that," said CSD CEO Chris Soukup in a statement. "ASL Now makes it easy for deaf consumers to get the same customer service that a hearing person would get, with no third parties or added communication barriers in their daily lives."