Customers with special needs or disabilities represent a large percentage of today's consumer population. According to the ADA, over 50 million Americans have a disability, which means that approximately 18% of the population are navigating the effects of some form of disability or special needs. With the U.S. Department of Labor estimating that this population segment has around $175 billion in discretionary spending power, it's a market your business can't afford to overlook.
Working diligently to serve these customers is not only good business, it’s your company’s legal obligation under the Americans with Disabilities Act. When you begin focusing on how to better serve customers with disabilities, making your business more accessible and inclusive, it can actually help you service all customers. Here are some helpful tips your business can use to make sure you’re not missing out on serving the business needs of this large population.
First, it’s important to understand that disabilities and special needs come in many different forms. Disabilities may be hidden, permanent, visible, or they might only happen at certain times. Disabilities can happen to anyone, and while some are born with a disability, others develop a disability as a result of an accident or injury. Simply growing older can result in limitations and disabilities. Just a few of the types of disabilities include:
Since disabilities can vary so greatly, it’s essential to avoid assuming what individuals can or cannot do. It’s also important to make sure that you don’t discount someone’s disability just because you cannot see it.
Take some time and learn more about what’s required of you by the Americans with Disabilities Act. This way you can make sure you’re covering the ADA’s legal obligations. Even more importantly, doing so will ensure that you’re taking steps to make your business more accessible to people with disabilities. The ADA provides comprehensive guidelines for building layout and design to ensure you offer better accessibility to more customers.
Some areas of your business have specific accessibility requirements, and some of the areas that you may need to assess for accessibility include:
To learn more about accessibility requirements, you can contact your regional ADA center.
A big part of the ADA is a provision that lets you know that certain customers may need special assistance at specific times. This could mean you need to make some minor adjustments in your business’ processes, your business website, or rules to give customers with disabilities greater access. This is actually one of the best ways you can serve people with disabilities and special needs – listening to their requests.
To learn more about the ADAs guidelines, they offer an educational ADA course for businesses that is packed with helpful information.
To better serve individuals with disabilities, it’s important to make sure you and your employees are using person-first service and language. What does this mean? See the person first, not the disability. When it comes to service, it’s as simple as treating the individual as a person, speaking to them directly and looking them in the eye. Don’t make the mistake of staring, avoiding eye contact, or only speaking to the person who may be accompanying them.
Person-first language is also important. It’s important to choose the right words when communicating with or about individuals with disabilities. You want to avoid language that is hurtful, condescending, demeaning, or pitying. For example, instead of saying statements such as “blind person,” “deaf person,” or “autistic person,” using person-first language puts the person first: “person who is blind,” person who cannot hear,” or “person with autism.”
Certain basic etiquette tips should be followed by employees to better serve patients with disabilities. Helpful tips recommended by the ADA include:
Practical tips that will help your business better serve customers with special needs and disabilities include:
Remember, when you take measures to improve your service for customers with disabilities, everyone benefits. Learning to better serve these customers will make your entire customer-base happier, and it can do great things for your company’s bottom line, too.