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1. Offer Different Contact Methods
It’s essential to provide potential customers with the ability to contact your company using more than one method. Adding different contact avenues allows those with impairments and disabilities to use the method that works for them. For example, if someone can’t call due to hearing impairment, they can send an email or use live chat instead. Choosing to offer different contact methods will make your company more accessible to those that have special needs.
2. Use Accessibility In Your Branding
It’s not enough to enact specific accessibility requirements for disabled people but make it publicly known that you’re working hard to meet their needs. Use disabled persons in your brand’s imagery and make public announcements about your inclusivity. By raising public awareness of your actions, you’re making it easier for customers to know that you’re looking out for them.
**In fact, 1 in 5 customers will likely have some kind of impairment.
3. Remain Proactive When Finding Out About Additional Disabilities
There’s no way you can accommodate all future disabled persons that will visit your business. However, you can proactively work with disabled persons to find out what they need and offer ways to enhance their shopping experience. Not every disabled individual feels comfortable asking for help, so giving them a slight push to share their concerns can yield fruitful results for your business. Never get put off by potentially saying the wrong thing! What counts is that you’re offering to help and work directly with someone who needs extra assistance.
4. Allow Therapy Pets
People with physical disabilities and emotional problems rely on therapy and service dogs to help them cope. Make your business disability-friendly by allowing people to bring their pets. Have a professional sign made that lets customers know that service dogs are welcome.
5. Provide Commitment To Personal Safety
There are many misconceptions about COVID-19 thanks to the media. One of them being that disabled people are always more susceptible to catching the virus, which is not always the case. However, over half of those that have died of the virus were disabled in some way.
It’s important, in any case, to make disabled people feel comfortable shopping in your store. That means it’s worth implementing the same safety guidelines as during the height of the pandemic. It will show a commitment to providing a healthy shopping experience for everyone. Offering curbside pickup, contactless payments, sanitizing stations, and requiring masks all play a role in perpetuating this feeling of safety.
6. Exercise Patience With Disabled Customers
You may feel rushed or are in a time crunch, but never make a customer feel that they need to complete tasks quickly. This is especially true if you have a disabled customer. Instead, let them work through the process of purchasing and buying goods at their own pace.
7. Know Who To Call For Transport
Most disabled persons go shopping with ample knowledge of how to transport their purchases home. However, as a store owner, you can ensure that you accommodate everyone by having the appropriate contact info of a taxi or public transport office handy.
8. Disability Awareness Enhances Business Practices
It is important to make the world more aware of disabled individuals. As a business, you will take the first step in making the shopping environment safer and more helpful for those that need extra assistance. Not only is it great for the shopper, but it will also make your business more successful in the long haul. Exercise good customer service and ask disabled customers for feedback on how you can enhance their shopping experience. See here useful information regarding mobility scooters and their sizes to ensure that your store can cater for them. Some helpful things you implement may also benefit other customers, not just those with an apparent disability. For example, a wheelchair ramp can make your store accessible to mothers with baby carriages or the elderly with difficulty ambulating.
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