Event technologyStrengthening our commitment to accessibility and customer supportHere at Socio, we work with thousands of event professionals to power event success for their virtual, in-person, and hybrid […]Updated on: Aug 24, 2022 | 3 Min ReadAbout the authorYarkin SakucogluYarkin Sakucoglu, GM, Webex Events (formerly Socio), is on a mission to help organizations power virtual, hybrid, and in-person event success. Under Yarkin’s leadership, Webex Events has evolved into one of the most forward thinking, end-to-end event management solutions.Share This Watch a DemoHere at Socio, we work with thousands of event professionals to power event success for their virtual, in-person, and hybrid events. It’s truly inspiring to see the incredible care and thought you’ve put into planning accessible events that embrace inclusivity. Events naturally bring people together, and in the digital world, we have a great opportunity to extend our audiences in ways we never thought imaginable.To make sure your events are truly inclusive for the widest audience possible, I’m proud to announce that Socio’s end-to-end event management platform now offers upgraded accessibility features, allowing people with motor impairments, visual impairments, cognitive disabilities, and other challenges to be a part of your events. Without offering accessibility, a sizable portion of your attendee base (1 in 5) will have barriers to interacting with your event and content. Announcing WCAG ComplianceEvent professionals take great pride in creating inclusive experiences. To help make this a reality, Socio is committed to accessibility by adhering as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level.Simply put: these guidelines make your events accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities and ensure that our platform is accessible to the widest audience possible.With this update, Socio’s Virtual Event Suite is optimized with accessibility tools.Organizers and attendees simply need to click on their “Accessibility Adjustments” option to access and update their accessibility settings in their preferred language. From there, they can toggle between accessibility profiles, and manually make design, readability, and UI adjustments to best serve their individual needs. An Enterprise-Ready SolutionWe’re happy to see that many large enterprises, educational institutions, and government agencies are requiring accessibility and inclusivity guidelines—including WCAG, when considering whether to sponsor or attend events. With Socio’s platform, you can disclose that your events will be open and accessible to attendees with disabilities, and you can rest assured you’ll be fully compliant with an enterprise-ready solution.View Socio’s full accessibility statement here.Now Offering Weekend SupportOrganizing events is not for the faint of heart. Socio understands that this is a business that doesn’t sleep, which is why we offer 24/5 support. We also launched Socio Professional Services, our premium services offering that serves as an extension of your team. We see the tireless hours you work, including on weekends. We’re excited to announce that we’re extending our support so we can be there with you over the weekend, too. You can now reach Socio’s award-winning customer support team by chat and email between 9 and 5 PM ET on Saturdays and Sundays, with extended weekend hours coming soon.A More Accessible Future of EventsSay what you want about 2020. I’m inspired by the progress we’ve made to truly bring inclusivity forward, and I’m happy to be a part of the change. I’m also speechless when I look back at how we’ve all come together to support one another, and continually strive to make the industry better. We’re honored to stand with you, and thankful for the opportunity to create products and services that make your life easier, and your attendees feel welcome.