[Nfbwv-talk] Interesting Article

[Smyth, Charlene R]

(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 "50 Companies That Care<https://www.greatplacetowork.com/best-workplaces/companies-that-care/2018>."



"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 aira.io/app<https://link.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=DwMFaQ&c=x9-Yv7C9ZJR7oLl-I6JMAcgAGHY0UtAzVxTMrJcn6_Q&r=teFLmJNOyizswsWXKMaeQsajB2zIniRZuTpZoF9BXd8&m=Ur8oUpCZIqsjF8_7SdON66UerA2C_XWqP8Qr1akdslE&s=mwoxJO45RZhhjEpjVgRNiV8iL83tx5ktqQjbAc0X0Qg&e=> www.aira.io/wegmans<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.aira.io_wegmans&d=DwMFaQ&c=x9-Yv7C9ZJR7oLl-I6JMAcgAGHY0UtAzVxTMrJcn6_Q&r=teFLmJNOyizswsWXKMaeQsajB2zIniRZuTpZoF9BXd8&m=Ur8oUpCZIqsjF8_7SdON66UerA2C_XWqP8Qr1akdslE&s=mwoxJO45RZhhjEpjVgRNiV8iL83tx5ktqQjbAc0X0Qg&e=>.



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 aira.io<https://aira.io/>.







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