6 Simple Ways to Make Your Business More Accessible
If your business isn’t accessible to all then you will lose out on a chunk of possible profit.
In order to realize your full potential, you need to ensure that your business physical and web spaces are accessible to customers with disabilities.
If your business isn’t accessible according to legal guidelines, then not only will you lose out financially, it will also damage your reputation.
Here are six simple ways to make your business more accessible.
Train your team
Ensure that your team is trained to deal with customers with disabilities. In order for them to reach out to them on multiple channels, hold specific training courses in customer service.
There are many available courses on disability confidence and awareness training.
Make sure your team knows you are approachable for any help or advice.
Follow website accessibility best practices
Your website is the first place many of your customers will go. You can follow guidelines to make it more accessible.
Best practices include voice recognition options, subtitles, descriptive text for images, and clear links.
Many people use a screen reader to access websites, and you are required by law to be prepared for any visitors who might be visually or hearing impaired.
You might also want to consider foreign-language visitors.
Include Braille on signs
Include Braille at points of access, for example, the entrance and elevators, to guide any visually impaired clients around the premises.
It should also be present in the bathroom and emergency doors.
Braille should simply be provided anywhere there are signs you need to read, these might be informative, directional, or locational.
Here is a detailed guide on the positioning and placement of Braille.
Create an accessible space
It’s important that you budget for accessibility because if not you could be liable. Install ramps and stairlifts.
Make sure there are wide enough corridors for wheelchairs and provide all necessary items at a reachable height.
For more information on disability law, or if you need to make a claim consult San Diego Disability Law Group.
You will also need to be prepared for an accessibility audit so have your checklist ready.
Allow service animals
Service animals are a lifeline to people with disabilities. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), they are to permitted anywhere they’re owners go, so make sure your business is prepared.
Over half a million service dogs are working in the USA alone, so ensure your business is accessible to them at all times.
Include people with disabilities in your marketing
Many businesses are making the effort to be more inclusive in their marketing, after all, it’s 2020.
If you picture people with disabilities using your products or services, then you’ll get the message across that your brand is accessible to them.
You could even launch an accessible range of products, or focus your marketing campaign towards accessibility.
Here are some examples of brands that achieved this recently.
Follow in the footsteps of these brands and make your business more accessible today.
