The Blitzl System for Hearing Impaired
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a Federal civil rights law that prohibits the exclusion of people with disabilities from everyday activities, such as buying an item at the store, watching a movie in a theater, enjoying a meal at a local restaurant, exercising at the local health club or having the car serviced at a local garage. To meet the goals of the ADA, the law established requirements for private businesses of all sizes. These requirements first went into effect on January 26, 1992, and continue for both for-profit and non-profit organizations.
Customers who have hearing or speech disabilities may need to communicate with staff without using speech. The method of communication will vary depending the abilities of the customers and on the complexity of the communications that are required. When communication by speech is not possible, simple questions may be handled with pen and paper by exchanging written notes or a mixture of speech and written notes. If communication with customers is lengthy or complex, it may be necessary to provide a sign language interpreter, or oral interpreter, or computer-assisted, real-time captioning in order to ensure effective communication with persons with hearing disabilities.
Our Blitzl system can help satisfy your ADA compliance for the hearing impaired and make your associates more efficient and effective - providing customer service to the hearing impaired and the hearing through proximity chat. Our patent-pending Blitzl system makes your staff available to customers who need assistance. It lets them chat with the consumer by section and easily locate the consumer inside or outside the facility for further assistance. Of course, associates can also communicate with each other to support a customer.
No mobile phone numbers or other credentials ever need to be revealed or exchanged.
“I want to serve all my customers equally and fairly...”
Tax Credits and Deductions
To assist businesses with complying with the ADA, Section 44 of the IRS Code allows a tax credit for small businesses and Section 190 of the IRS Code allows a tax deduction for all businesses. Check applicability to your situation with your tax advisor.
The tax credit is available to businesses that have total revenues of $1,000,000 or less in the previous tax year or 30 or fewer full-time employees. This credit can cover 50% of the eligible access expenditures in a year up to $10,250 (maximum credit of $5000). The tax credit can be used to offset the cost of undertaking barrier removal and alterations to improve accessibility; providing accessible formats such as Braille, large print and audio tape; making available a sign language interpreter or a reader for customers or employees, and for purchasing certain adaptive equipment. Again, check applicability to your situation with your tax advisor.
Our Blitzl solution for Hearing Impaired:
Implements in minutes;
Supports the nearby - and geo-fenced - communication needs of patrons, employees, friends and acquaintances;
Allows geo-fencing to be set by both the Blitzer owner (Discovery Range) and the Blitzer viewer (Blitzers In Range);
Puts the patron directly in touch with the right person with each available Blitzer;
Permits physical Blitzer sensor location to be set/reset or allowed to continuously update with its associated iPhone (iOS) or Android device;
Provides broadcast messaging privately to chosen, or all, members joined to a registered sensor (Blitzer);
Offers easy to send texts from joined members with a GPS location link to default maps and/or with other close by Blitzers;
Allows private responses to your broadcast messages from joined members to avoid group chat annoyance;
Enables attendance and count of currently nearby joined members and export 7 days of activity in csv format;
Can provide an on-demand app download for first-time users;
Can let you and your staff know how far away a patron is, when they are in the vicinity, and exactly where and how long they have been waiting for service;
Makes your interactive consumer engagements seamless and, when desired, contact-free without burdening your operation.
To Install:
Simply download the Blitzl app using the QR code or link below;
Register and/or Log in;
Interact with Blitzers by Category in view on the Home page;
Find connections and chats in Contacts/Contacts.
When you are in the vicinity of a Blitzer, its chosen Category will appear on your Home screen. To start a conversation, simply tap on that Category and then its name. You can send the owner of the Blitzer a message and start a chat. Now you can also join the Blitzer to receive broadcast messages from its owner.
To Set Up Your Own Blitzer:
Go to Settings/Manage Blitzers and select a Blitzer with a unique sensor code in range;
Follow the steps to configure the Blitzl Free mobile phone as sensor and/or Pro IP66 Blitzl sensor(s) with your preferred Category and Content;
Optionally, configure indoor or outdoor Locational Blitzl sensors for more targeted and efficient service by clicking on the location icon, naming the location and selecting unique sensor code in range; and
Find connections and chats in Contacts/Patrons.
Blitzers can be edited or deleted at any time. You cannot see your own Blitzers on the Home page - just the Blitzers of others in range. Note that when using portable individual mobile phone Blitzl sensor mode you can only see the Blitzers of others in the Home screen when both have the app opened.
To Send a Broadcast Message:
Go to Settings/Manage Blitzers and select the "Broadcast" symbol next to the desired Blitzer;
Select the box next to the member(s) to receive the Broadcast Message;
Select "Send Message" at the bottom of the page;
Type a message into the input box and select the arrow symbol on the right to send; and
Receive responses from recipients by Blitzer in Chats under Patrons.
To Receive texts with GPS location and/or other Nearby Blitzers from Joined Members:
Joined member selects "Chat" symbol on Blitzer or next to chosen contact in Contacts/Contact;
Joined member selects "Share" symbol on bottom right of page;
From Pop-up, Joined member selects "Location" to send GPS Location and/or "Nearby Blitzers" to send up to 3 Blitzers nearest to Joined member; and
Receive text from a Joined member with GPS location link and/or up to 3 Blitzers nearest to Joined member.
To View Joined Members Close By:
Go to Settings/Manage Blitzers and select the "Broadcast" symbol next to the desired Blitzer;
Joined members will be listed on the page based on distance from Blitzer;
Joined members close by will show In Time and Out Time for the current day; and
Select "Export List" at the bottom of the page to export 7 days of activity to the location of choice in csv format for attendance/count.
To Set/Reset Location and Discovery Range:
Go to Settings/Manage Blitzers and select the "Location" symbol next to the desired Blitzer;
Select "Continuously Update" for the location to continuously update with its associated iPhone (iOS) or Android device. This is the only choice for mobile phone as sensor Blitzers;
Select "Set/Reset Location" to set a fixed Blitzer location. New location is displayed in a pop-up message. "Continuously Update" turns off. This feature does not apply to mobile phone as sensor Blitzers; and
Select "Discovery Range" and add desired distance for Blitzer discovery by others. Turning "Discovery Range" off sets Blitzer range to close by only.
To Set the desired Blitzer in View Range:
Select "Settings"; and
Select "Show Blitzers in Range" and add the desired distance for viewing Blitzer by others. Turning "Show Blitzers in Range" to off sets viewing to close by Blitzers only.
To Use Confirmations and Alerts:
Go to “I am Blitzer” and select a Blitzer with a unique sensor code in range;
Click “Add” and select Order, Prescription, Appointment, Meeting, Reservation, Table, Stay, Pick up or Delivery, add Details and Mobile Phone Number;
Receive a distance estimate from participating patrons, friends, acquaintances or contractors;
Get alerts when they arrive;
Follow up with messaging;
Complete activities and close them out; and
Maintain your relationships.
