Embedded Files
Introduction
This section focuses on the practices that organizations and their employees can take to create accessibility for their customers.
The Six Practices Covered in This Section
Check Your Assumptions
Offer Assistance
Listen to Your Customers
Focus on Barriers, Not on Disabilities
Remove Physical Barriers
Remove Communication Barriers
Check Your Assumptions
The most important thing to know about disabilities is that you cannot assume what a person can or cannot do based on how they look.
In fact, most disabilities are invisible. For example, you cannot see that a person may have trouble hearing or remembering, or have asthma.
Offer Assistance
If you notice that a customer is having difficulty accessing your services, what would you do?
Offer assistance and a smile.
Your customer will appreciate the effort, even if they say “No, thank-you.”
Great customer service begins with the question: “How can I help?”
Access offers are proactive ways to let people know that your goods and services are accessible to everyone.
Listen to Your Customers
Customize accessibility to suit customer preferences. Your customers are the best source of information about their own needs. What works for one person may not work for another. Ask for feedback.
A solution is often simple, and most customers will appreciate your attention and consideration.
Managers and supervisors can provide additional support.
Focus on Barriers, Not Disabilities
For people with disabilities, a barrier is anything that interacts with their disability in a way that may impact, or even prevent their full and effective participation in society.
Creating accessibility is about removing barriers and supporting people’s participation in society.
What does this mean for you?
It means that creating accessibility starts with understanding what barriers exist in your organization that may prevent customers from accessing goods or services.
Remove Physical Barriers
Physical barriers affect many more people than wheelchair users. Many customers and clients with invisible or visible disabilities will benefit when your space is well organized with clear signage and lots of room to move around.
Four Tips to Get You Started
Tip 1: If you are asked to help push someone using a wheelchair, do not leave the person in an awkward place, facing a wall, in crowded corridors, or in the path of opening doors.
Tip 2: Maintain indoor and outdoor surfaces, including ramps, to help prevent falls. Do not block ramps with rolling garbage bins, and make sure all surfaces are clean and free of snow.
Tip 3: Even if there are steps into your building, you can still provide accessible service by offering customers home delivery, curbside pickup, a temporary/removable ramp, or meeting in an easy access location.
Tip 4: Reflective glass and protective barriers that separate service providers from customers can cause customers to walk into hard surfaces, such as glass doors and signage, or to be confused about the source of sound or speech.
Manitoba Voices: John Wyndels
John Wyndels’ career included many years as a national radio producer before joining government, where he contributed to the development of The Accessibility for Manitobans Act. He is a loyal fan of the New England Patriots.
s4-p7-john-captions.mp4Video Transcript, Manitoba Voices: John Wyndels
Video Transcript, Manitoba Voices: John Wyndels
Narrator: Accessibility is good for everyone.
Narrator: So what does accessibility mean for you?
John Wyndels: It means going to the places I want to go to. It means if I want to go to a restaurant, if I want to buy a pair of pants, whatever the case may be, it means I have the ability to go there and get what I’m looking for.
Either through a traditional front door method, or if I have to, make other arrangements.
But them being receptive to the fact that, because I’m in a wheelchair I still want whatever they’re selling or giving.
Narrator: Learn more about Manitoba’s Accessibility Standard for Customer Service. Visit AccessibilityMB.ca.
End transcript.
Remove Communication Barriers
Clear communication is essential for great customer service.
It is especially important to know how to remove barriers to communication so that everyone can participate fully in everyday life. Offering accessible formats of information is essential.
The first step to good communication is to ask, “How can I help?”
Strategies for Removing Communication Barriers
Select a topic to learn about strategies for removing specific communication barriers.
1. Removing barriers affecting hearing
1. Removing barriers affecting hearing
If you know a customer is hard-of-hearing, or if you work in a noisy environment, you can attract their attention with a welcoming comment, or a wave.
Do not shout. If possible, move to a well-lit area away from a window or move to a quieter space. Speak slowly and clearly.
You may also ask if an alternative form of communication would be helpful. Other options include using a pen and paper, or using a cell phone to text.
Confirm whether you have been understood and offer to repeat information.
If your client is deaf, you may wish to organize professional interpretation, if necessary.
For more information about services that support accessibility, visit AccessibilityMB.ca > Resources > Accessibility Services.
2. Removing barriers affecting vision
2. Removing barriers affecting vision
Do not assume that only people with white canes have low or no vision. This is especially important, if you work in an environment with low lighting, such as a restaurant.
Identify yourself as you approach and speak directly to the customer.
If a customer requests guidance, offer your elbow or shoulder. Relax and walk at a normal pace. Advise the person about any obstacles, such as a pillar.
Ensure that everyone can access your print or electronic messages.
If a customer requests assistance with reading or instructions, speak clearly and away from other noises.
For print communications, use an easy-to-read, non-Serif font in 12-point size. Use colour contrast (black on white or blue on yellow) and lots of white space. Avoid italics and bold.
Keep a master document of printed materials, in order to produce a larger print version upon customer request.
Include a text description of images and charts. Many people who are blind use screen reader software to access print electronically.
Labels are generally too small to read. Consider having a magnifying glass readily available on site.
Include a notice and contact information on brochures and other documents that inform the public “Information is available in other formats, upon request.”
3. Removing barriers affecting spoken communication
3. Removing barriers affecting spoken communication
A stroke, injury, or other disability may affect a customer’s speech. Protective barriers that separate a service provider from a customer, and wearing a personal protective mask can also muffle speech.
Find a quiet place to communicate. Do not make assumptions about what a person may understand or remember.
If you are unsure of what was said, repeat the information to confirm, or politely ask the customer to repeat the information. Do not interrupt or finish your customer’s sentences.
If possible, ask questions that can be answered with a “yes” or “no” response, or consider using a pen and paper, or text messages.
When communicating by phone, let the customer know that you are having difficulty with understanding. Ask if there may be another way to communicate. Do not hang up!
4. Removing barriers affecting understanding or remembering
4. Removing barriers affecting understanding or remembering
Brain injury, learning and intellectual disabilities, dementia, and mental illness can all affect understanding and memory. A stressful, busy environment, such as a mall (especially during holidays) can have the same outcome.
Do not make assumptions about what a person may understand or remember.
Use plain, easy to understand language, and incorporate pictures with descriptions in print materials, signage, and web content.
Make written information clear and simple.
Offer precise directions. Providing one piece of information at a time may be helpful.
Invite clients to bring a support person to take notes during a meeting.
To help with wayfinding, use simple signage in key traffic areas, and ensure signage does not create a physical barrier.
If a customer appears to be anxious or in crisis, ask them to tell you the best way to help. Be confident, calm, and reassuring.
Manitoba Voices: Joanna Hawkins
Joanna Hawkins was born in Poland. She is a Fine Arts graduate from the University of Manitoba, with skills in drawing, painting, graphic design, photography and acting. Joanna works at Manitoba Possible as an Early Learning Consultant specializing in American Sign Language (ASL).
s4-p9-joanna-hawkins.mp4Video Transcript, Manitoba Voices: Joanna Hawkins
Video Transcript, Manitoba Voices: Joanna Hawkins
Narrator: Accessibility is good for everyone.
Joanna Hawkins: Accessibility for me means accommodating any individual’s needs. I know most people determine “access” and think of it as physical access, so access for people that use wheelchairs or mobility devices. But they often times don’t think about communications access for people with hearing loss, or people who are deaf.
Narrator: Learn more about Manitoba’s Accessibility Standard for Customer Service.
Visit AccessibilityMB.ca.
End transcript.
Page updated
Report abuse