Making your business as accessible as possible just makes sense. The more people who can access your business, the more likely you are to hit your goals. Here are 6 easy ways you can make your business more accessible.
- Looking through someone else’s eyes
Challenge yourself to walk through your business and view it through the eyes of someone with limited vision, for example. Ask yourself how easy it is to move around and if there is anything that might make your experience better. Perhaps you need a lift, or wider corridors, or even an induction loop system Durham ?
- Prepare yourself to be flexible
In reality, the majority of businesses are catered towards the masses only. Even when you think of cafes: their tables aren’t often moveable which automatically disqualifies people in wheelchairs who are unable to reach the counter to be served or to sit and enjoy a coffee.
Don’t limit yourself and your company before you’ve even started. Prepare for things to change and embrace those changes wholeheartedly.
- Think about your website
It’s equally as important that your website is accessible to everyone. There are lots of measures you can take to offer access to those with visual impairment. Something as simple as using alt text on software that is designed to help can offer audio to describe images. Again, using large fonts is extremely helpful, too.
- Train your team
Knowing how to help people with additional needs is a key skill that should be covered in all induction training. On a basic level, teams need to know what to do when a disabled person asks for additional support. Further, your team needs to know how to treat all people with dignity and respect. If someone requires a table moving or an extra seat, it should be delivered professionally and kindly.
- View your advertising through inclusive eyes
When you design your adverts, think about how people who have special educational needs or other deficits will receive it. Put simply, advertise the ways in which you go out of your way to make your business as accessible as possible.
Most people with disabilities are used to planning in advance. Showing them that you have thought about accessibility means they are more likely to decide to include you in their planning than another company who doesn’t seem to have made any effort to include them.
- Expand your perspective of inclusivity
The key takeaway from these tips is actually that not all disabilities are visible. While some people choose to display their disability, a lot of people don’t. So it’s important that you show patience to anyone who needs your help. Never make any assumptions about your customers and instead try to think about how that person might be feeling.
In essence, making your business accessible to everyone is centred around making sure your customers are able to reach you and make use of whatever service or products you are offering.
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