[New-york-news] Wegmans Becomes the First Aira-Enabled Supermarket Chain in the United States

[Mike Robinson]

NOTE: (Wegman's has also reaffirmed their policy of providing exceptional
customer service to everyone.  They have contacted all their supermarkets
and set policy with regard to assisting anyone who requests it.  They also
reiterated the ADA requirements in their correspondence with stores.  The
Aira partnership is not the only thing they've done to ensure equal access
to all.)

 

 

SAN DIEGO August 28, 2018 - Aira is pleased to announce that Wegmans Food
Markets is the first Aira-enabled supermarket chain in the United States. As
the first partner in the Aira Supermarket Network, all Wegmans stores are
now Aira Access Locations, giving any member of the blind and low-vision
community free access to Aira's service while in Wegmans stores.

 

Aira, powered by AT&T, is a San Diego-based startup that makes use of
wearable technology, artificial intelligence, and live, human assistance to
deliver real-time visual description for people who are blind or have low
vision. Using a smartphone or a pair of smart glasses, an Aira "Explorer"
can connect to a remote, trained professional who can provide assistance
on-demand using a live camera stream, GPS, maps, and information sourced
from the web.

 

Wegmans has a well-established reputation of providing incredible customer
service, and in 2018 ranked no. 1 on the Temkin Experience Ratings for
providing the best customer experience of any supermarket in the country,
and they were also on PEOPLE magazine's list of
<https://www.greatplacetowork.com/best-workplaces/companies-that-care/2018>
"50 Companies That Care." 

 

"I'm excited to have Wegmans as our first partner in the Aira Supermarket
Network," said Suman Kanuganti, Founder and CEO of Aira. "Their commitment
to ensuring all customers have the same great Wegmans shopping experience is
inspiring and I'm proud to call them a partner."

 

"At Wegmans, we are committed to providing incredible customer service to
all our shoppers," said Linda Lovejoy, community relations manager for
Wegmans. "Our partnership with Aira helps us deliver on this commitment,
giving our blind and low-vision customers access to this innovative service
and the ability to navigate our stores easily and efficiently." 

 

Blind and low vision shoppers can download the Aira app on their smartphone
and use it to connect to a remote, sighted agent to access information
on-demand. On request, Aira agents can help shoppers navigate the store,
find specific items, and identify the shortest checkout lines all at just
the touch of a button. You can download the app at
<https://link.aira.io/app> aira.io/app, register as a guest, and use Aira
for free in any Wegmans store.

 

For more information on the partnership, please visit
<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.aira.io_wegmans&d=D
wMFaQ&c=x9-Yv7C9ZJR7oLl-I6JMAcgAGHY0UtAzVxTMrJcn6_Q&r=teFLmJNOyizswsWXKMaeQs
ajB2zIniRZuTpZoF9BXd8&m=Ur8oUpCZIqsjF8_7SdON66UerA2C_XWqP8Qr1akdslE&s=mwoxJO
45RZhhjEpjVgRNiV8iL83tx5ktqQjbAc0X0Qg&e=>
<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.aira.io_wegmans&d=D
wMFaQ&c=x9-Yv7C9ZJR7oLl-I6JMAcgAGHY0UtAzVxTMrJcn6_Q&r=teFLmJNOyizswsWXKMaeQs
ajB2zIniRZuTpZoF9BXd8&m=Ur8oUpCZIqsjF8_7SdON66UerA2C_XWqP8Qr1akdslE&s=mwoxJO
45RZhhjEpjVgRNiV8iL83tx5ktqQjbAc0X0Qg&e=> www.aira.io/wegmans.

 

About Wegmans

Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. is a 97-store supermarket chain with stores in
New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, and Massachusetts.
The family-owned company, recognized as an industry leader and innovator,
celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2016. Wegmans has been named one of the
'100 Best Companies to Work For' by FORTUNE magazine for 21 consecutive
years, ranking #2 in 2018.

 

About Aira

AI stands for Artificial Intelligence; RA stands for Remote Access. When you
put them together you get Aira. Aira is a service that uses artificial
intelligence and augmented reality to connect people to highly trained,
remotely-located agents. At the touch of a button, Aira delivers instant
access to information, enhancing everyday efficiency, engagement, and
independence. 

 

To learn more, visit  <https://aira.io/> aira.io.

 

 

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