The new functions being developed aim to deal with the inconvenience of deaf-mute workers. (Photo/China News Service)
A Chinese food delivery company says it will develop functions of messaging and answering machines in their app to facilitate couriers who are profoundly deaf.
Users will receive popups suggesting that they communicate with the delivery driver through text messaging if the courier cannot hear or speak, according to the announcement made by Ele.me on Wednesday.
Couriers could also use the new tool to send phrases frequently used by pressing the one-touch trigger button. In case the messages are not received promptly, the cloud terminal will call the users automatically with a notice for picking up.
The new functions are being developed after two workers complained nationally that companies weren't catering to the needs of the hearing and speech impaired.
Weibo user @heyniaichiqingjiaoma recently got a text reading "sorry I am a deaf-mute deliveryman. To remind you that your order is ready to pick up, I will call you and hang up afterwards as a reminder" following "continuous phone calls with no one talking."
Many Chinese Internet users said they were moved to tears by the story..
"It will be much more convenient for the couriers if there are ready-to-use messages," said a Weibo user @aimiliShan.
Technology has been changing the landscape of workers with disabilities in China.
At a national conference aimed at assisting the disabled with advanced technology held this month, Guangzhou Jiegang Electronic Technology Co. Ltd. released a new product which facilitates the visually impaired to read at any time with the help of visual aids software.
