Inclusive customer experience: Benefits and 5 tips to make your business more accessible

Roughly 1 in 5 Australians experience some form of disability. Adopting inclusive customer service practices into your business and ensuring you can cater to people with disability is not only the right thing to do—it’s also good for your bottom line. Learn how to foster a more inclusive customer experience and make your business more accessible for all your customers.

Inclusive customer experience is good for business

Adopting inclusive customer service practices is an excellent way of tapping into a market with significant purchasing power. People with disability have a combined disposable annual income of around $54 million, a number that will grow as Australia’s population ages. Whether you run a small café, are a large retailer, or any other type of business, this market represents a massive, often overlooked opportunity. Catering to customers with disability can increase loyalty, broaden your customer base, and boost word-of-mouth referrals.

Disability inclusion boosts productivity and satisfaction among staff

A diverse and inclusive workplace goes beyond customers. By supporting disability awareness and inclusive customer experience, you also foster a more collaborative, happy, and motivated team. This not only boosts morale but also enhances creativity and problem-solving. Employees who feel their workplace is inclusive and supportive tend to stay longer and contribute more to the company’s success.

It’s a legal requirement

The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) and other legislations and Standards mandate that businesses need to ensure accessibility and inclusivity for people with disability. As more people become aware of their rights, you may be subject to more complaints. If your business isn’t meeting accessibility standards and doesn’t provide equitable and dignified services, you risk legal action, which can damage both your finances and reputation. By taking proactive steps now, you can avoid potential legal troubles.

Embracing inclusive customer experience practices is a sustainable strategy that can benefit your business in numerous ways!

5 steps to make your business more inclusive of customers with disability

It does not have to be difficult, expensive, or time-consuming to make your business more inclusive of customers with disability. Here are 5 steps you can take to make sure that you can better serve customers with disability.

Invest in inclusive customer experience training

Investing in inclusive customer experience training is an impactful way to upskill your staff, giving them tools to create a welcoming environment for all customers. It helps break down barriers, improve communication, and build confidence among your employees. If you want to explore this further, we’re running free training on inclusive customer experience through the Open Doors Project.

Create a “quiet” section in your business space

Many individuals with sensory sensitivities, including those with autism and anxiety, benefit from a calm environment. Consider having a designated quiet section in your space where you can reduce noise, lower the lights, and limit overcrowding.

It’s important to remember that many other people can benefit from a quiet environment also!

Understand how to communicate effectively with customers with disability

When interacting with customers with disability – especially those with more complex communication needs – always speak directly to them, just as you would with anyone else. Ask if they need any help and be patient. Sometimes people just need a little bit more time to process information or complete certain tasks.

Providing your staff with disability awareness and inclusive customer experience training can help them feel more confident and capable in these interactions.

Use easy-to-read fonts, high-contrast colours, and accessible font size

Making your signage, menus, and digital content easy to read is a small but impactful change. Here are a few things to think about:

Accessible fonts: Opt for simple, easy-to-read fonts like Arial, Helvetica, or Calibri.

Colour: Always use high-contrast colours. If you have dark backgrounds, use light text and vice versa. Colours such as black and white provide maximum contrast. You can also check your colours with a contrast-checking tool.

Font size: Keep the font size at least 12pt for online and print materials, with 18pt for larger documents.

Improve the accessibility of your business

Physical accessibility is essential for people using mobility aids. But it doesn’t only benefit customers with disability, it’s also great for carers with young children and prams, as well as older adults. It also makes the life of delivery professionals easier! Ensure that your doorways and pathways allow easy movement. Often, rearranging furniture is what it takes to make your environment more accessible to most customers. Install permanent ramps or an accessible lift where required.

Additionally, check that the flooring is non-slip and free from trip hazards.

By making these small, effective, and cost-efficient changes, you can tap into a new, thriving market, improve your brand’s reputation, and showcase your commitment to disability inclusion.

Through the Open Doors Project, we offer inclusive customer experience training to businesses, organisations and individuals. If you want to learn how to better cater to customers with a disability, discover our free webinars today or any of our other training options.