Making your store accessible to individuals with physical limitations is the right and legal thing to do. If your store needs some work done to be more accessible, consider implementing these tips and strategies.
Ensure Physical Accessibility
Ensure that any person, whether they’re an employee or a customer, can easily access your store’s entrance. Sometimes that means you need to install a wheelchair ramp outside and other times it entails adding accessible parking spots outside. Take a good look at your store – inside and out – and try to determine what needs work to be more accessible. The goal should be that any person can enter your store and interact with the things found inside, regardless of any physical limitations they have.
Set Up Digital Accessibility
A significant number of people with disabilities prefer to shop online due to difficulty with mobility, hearing, vision, or another factor. Offering a digitally accessible online shopping experience helps these shoppers explore all their options without having to add unnecessary risk to their day.
Balance Lighting Inside
We all need the lights on to read product labels, signs, and other important information while we shop. Good lighting is necessary for any store, and it’s also an important factor in accessibility. Your store’s lighting should be bright enough so that customers can easily read and navigate the space, while not being so bright it creates a glare or causes discomfort or eye pain.
Accommodate Service Animals
Many people with disabilities use service animals to help them navigate their daily-life in a safe and efficient manner. It’s important that you allow accommodations for shoppers with service animals so they can navigate your store. If you aren’t sure if someone’s animal is a service animal, look for any clothing on the animal denoting it as a service animal or politely ask the person with the animal if it is a service animal.
Keep Floor Paths Clean and Clear
Removing physical obstructions, whether it’s small trash on the floor or a desk that needs to be moved, is a simple and easy way to keep your store accessible. If customers in your store can move around freely, they’re much more likely to have an enjoyable and safe shopping experience.
Sources
https://www.ryder.com/en-us/insights/blogs/logistics/accessibility-retail
https://www.laborandemploymentlawcounsel.com/2015/07/25-ways-to-be-accessible-to-customers/
https://brailleworks.com/5-accessibility-tips-every-company-should-implement/
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