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July 07, 2006
ABILITY Panels Officially Launch
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact
Cornelius Butler
Butler New Media, LLC
+1 229-246-7669
Cornelius@butlernewmedia.com
ABILITY Panels Officially Launch
Creates America’s First Nationwide Online Panels for People with Disabilities
Bainbridge, Georgia – July 3, 2006 – Butler New Media, a disability services firm announces the official launch of two new online panels for people with disabilities, their family members, and other stakeholders.
With the name ABILITY and the slogan “Be Heard” panelists will have the opportunity to participate in Mystery Shopping, Market Research, and a myriad of other specialized studies. The two panels that people can join are: The Mystery Shopping/Evaluation Panel and the Market Research Panel. Participants in the Mystery Shopping Panel will have the opportunity to participate in: Mystery Shopping, Product and Service Evaluations and Usability Testing. The Market Research Panel is used for Surveys, Opinion Polls, Focus Groups, and other specialized research.
The project is the vision of Butler New Media co-founder and person with a disability, Cornelius Butler. He is an alumnus of Georgia’s High School/High Tech Program and the first person in the nation to start a business after graduating from the program. He wanted to provide an easier way for corporations and other organizations to research the large and diverse disability market. He realized as a legally blind individual that people with disabilities have unique needs, wants, and desires that are currently not being addressed by mainstream market research. “I wanted to make it easier for organizations to get the viewpoints of real people with disabilities. I believe that this project will break new ground in building awareness about the disability community and market” said Butler.
One service that the team behind the panels is very excited about is the mystery shopping service. Using the ABILITY Mystery Shopping Panel companies can have people with disabilities sent to their locations posing as real customers in order to find out how their employees communicate with them. For example, a company can find out how people who use service animals are treated in their establishments. This critical data can be used to change employee attitudes and improve customer service. Butler New Media also plans to help with shopper’s transportation costs, a first in the mystery shopping industry.
With an estimated $220 billion of collective spending power, the disability community is a market that simply cannot be ignored by corporations.
All surveys conducted through the panels will be rigorously tested utilizing people with disabilities who use a variety of assistive technologies
For those interested in helping spread the word about this new project, a special “Help Us Grow” Section on the official website includes free flyers and online banners that can be easily downloaded.
The panels have been actively recruiting people with disabilities nationwide to participate in research projects. There is no charge to become a panelist.
“I am confident that our research will lead to more accessible products and services that will benefit people with and without disabilities. We will help companies to learn the real market preferences of this large segment.” says Butler.
More information can be found at the official website located at: http://www.abilitypanel.com
About Butler New Media:
Butler New Media is a full service disability consulting firm with locations in both Conyers and Bainbridge, Georgia U.S.A. The firm specializes in helping corporations and government agencies communicate with the disability community. Butler New Media has grown to include local, national, and international clients. Some of these clients include: Microsoft, Humana, U.S. Department of Labor, The Georgia Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, and The Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation. The company is located online at: http://www.butlernewmedia.com
Posted by Cornelius Butler