Technologies enable disabled to better integrate into society

A hotpot restaurant in Shenyang, capital city of northeast China’s Liaoning province, has hired seven waiters and waitresses who have hearing impairments but whose silent service as provided to customers has since touched the hearts of many.

The screenshot of a video shows the card on the table in the restaurant.

According to Wang Chuang, the owner of the restaurant, he has employed a few tactics to eliminate communication barriers between customers and his employees. For instance, on each table a card is placed that reads “please use the service paging system, or write out messages with your phone or a pen to communicate with the waiters or waitresses.” Also, each of the employees wears an electronic bracelet, and if customers have any requests during their meal, they can press the button and a signal will be transferred to the bracelet, with the device’s vibrations letting the waiters or waitresses know about the service request. 

What impresses customers the most is that the waiters and waitresses greet every customer entering the restaurant with a big smile. The employees receive a monthly salary of 7,000 yuan, which is topped off with a profit sharing scheme that pays them 10 percent of the restaurant’s monthly profits, according to Wang.

The screenshot of a video shows the electronic bracelet the waiters or waitresses wear.

Last year, a coffee shop in Shanghai attracted a lot of attention for its novel approach to serving customers. Visitors flocked to the shop to have the experience of getting coffee served by a furry bear claw through a hole in the wall. The coffee shop’s baristas, together with the owner, include three people with hearing impairments. The shop owner said the initial purpose of the cafe was to employ disabled people who face difficulties securing a job.

The latest data shows that in 2020, 380,000 disabled people in China found new jobs, bringing the total number of disabled people with jobs to 8.62 million. The development of the Internet has given opportunities for disabled people to more flexibly seek and secure employment.

The screenshot of a video shows a customer communicating with a waitress on her phone. 

Fifteen years ago, an accident left Guo Hui with 95 percent of his body burnt while disabling his hands. After he secured a job at home as an online customer service support worker, Guo regained some confidence. 

The screenshot of a video shows a big smile on a waitress's face.