A study of access to services within the call centre industry for the hearing impaired Warren Staples John F. Dalrymple Research Assistant Centre for Management Quality Research RMIT University Bundoora Victoria 3083 Australia Computing Devices Professor of Quality Management Centre for Management Quality Research RMIT University Bundoora Victoria 3083 Australia Fax E-mail 61 3 9925 7696 warren.staples@rmit.edu.au Fax E-mail 61 3 9925 7696 john.dalrymple@rmit.edu.au Martin Fathers Matthew Brett Manager Disability Liaison Unit RMIT University GPO Box 2467 V Melbourne 3001 Australia Project Officer Disability Liaison Unit RMIT University GPO Box 2467 V Melbourne 3001 Australia Fax TTY E-mail 61 3 9925 1091 61 3 9925 3673 mkfathers@rmit.edu.au Fax TTY E-mail 61 3 9925 1091 61 3 9925 3673 matthew.brett@rmit.edu.au ABSTRACT The call centre industry is a relatively new phenomenon within Australia. The sector has undergone a period of rapid growth and is estimated to be worth $2.5b with an annual growth rate of 25%. Previously in Australia only large companies such as airlines, telecommunications and banks established call centres. Advancements in telecommunications technology have contributed to the cost of establishing a call centre to decrease. Technology and the improved customer perception of customer service via the telephone have helped fuel growth in the industry. Companies are increasingly providing customer service and support via call centres, with expansion in regional Australia often as a result of government inducements. As more companies choose to provide customer service via telephones issues of access to services and service quality are raised. This paper presents the preliminary results of a study of Australian call centres containing 100 or more workstations. Results from a telephone survey of 88 call centres are presented together with analysis of the data collected. The paper examines access to services offered by call centres for the deaf/hearing impaired, customers or potential customers.