Yoke Payments And Randolph Sheppard Vendors Empower The Visually Impaired To Become Their Own Entrepreneurs And Business Operators

Hollywood, CA (May 14, 2019) - If there are certain lessons in life that should be shared and repeated, empowering individuals to be confident and believe in their abilities is at the top of the list. Especially when those individuals may have a form of visual impairment. Yoke Payments, an award-winning inventory management and payments software company, teamed up with the Randolph Sheppard Vendors of Wisconsin to support employment opportunities for visually impaired individuals, empowering them to be their own entrepreneurs and business operators.

A person in the United States loses their vision every 8 seconds (per the CDC) and in Wisconsin alone, there are nearly 200,000 visually impaired individuals. Of those individuals, 70% are unemployed with many barriers to entry. The Randolph Sheppard Vendors of Wisconsin (RSVW) is a nonprofit dedicated to improving economic and employment opportunities for blind individuals is committed to carrying out the Randolph-Sheppard Act, a federal law mandating priority to blind people in operating vending facilities. RSVW strives to lower the unemployment rate and increase self-sufficiency for the visually impaired.

RSVW is committed to providing these individuals with the resources and guidance to gain employment. This process often begins with a skills assessment which places individuals in positions best suited to help them succeed. If these skills are lacking, they will receive training or a referral to a technical college to gain the skills that will allow them access to employment opportunities in vending facilities.

Many of these opportunities arise in micro-markets which are often small convenience stores in places like office buildings. The visually impaired receive the resources and tools to operate these markets and earn an income. “We look at all candidates as a person who has the potential as an entrepreneur. We want to train them on how to actively manage their own business and succeed in this industry,” said Kent Walser, executive director of the program.

The tool that makes all this possible is Yoke Payments (Yoke), a technology company developed by business partners Michael Johnson and Benjamin Thomas. Yoke combines the mobile wallet and cash register to create a simplified payment solution for its operators and their customers in the micro-market and vending industries. The self-checkout point-of-sale system uses a tablet or mobile device and allows users to quickly grab their desired items and checkout with no wait. By providing real-time inventory updates on an affordable self-checkout platform, Yoke allows the individuals operating these micro-markets a low-cost and straightforward way to accomplish their goals.

Not only does Yoke make the checkout process more manageable because of the way it eliminates the need for cash handling, but the technology it operates on caters to those who have vision impairment. Utilizing Apple iPads and their built-in technology, many features further enhance the ease of use for employees. For example, voice overs are enabled on these devices and controlled through gestures and image recognition software. Apple products also include display accommodations where users can zoom in on information, adjust font size, and invert colors.

The seamless integration of Apple devices supporting Yoke systems in carrying out the mission of RSVW represents an excellent opportunity for businesses and the visually impaired throughout the nation. The partnership focuses on accessibility and creating independence for not only its employees but also customers who conduct the transaction themselves.

To learn more about how Yoke Payments visit, yokepayments.com.

About Yoke Payments

Yoke Payments, an award-winning micro market payments and inventory system, delivers an all-in-one solution for operators who strive to have quick and reliable service for their end users.Yoke’s software grants its customers a dynamic point-of-sale system, business management tools, and integration with various third-party applications. Founded in 2014, Yoke’s expert payments team helps vending operators modernize their business by bringing a mobile and cashless system to their users. Awarded the 2016 Silver Medal in Best POS Innovation, YokePayments emphasizes their commitment to quality, customer service through their premier payment solution. With Yoke, users don’t just get a payments software; they get a best-in-class payments team. For more information, visit yokepayments.com