Being accessible and inclusive is important for any business. Whether you’re a business that deals with customers, or you work behind the scenes in an office setup, any type of business should be accessible.
But there are many reasons why your business might not be accessible. A dated building, and dated practices can all mean your business needs a shakeup to ensure it’s accessible for all.
How accessible is your business? Here are some things to consider…
Your Website
Websites have come a long way in catering to different user needs. With the right tools and the willingness to make changes, you can ensure your website is accessible to everyone. This can cover a range of features, including making sure your website can be accessed via a mobile device.
Some of the key things you can do to make your website more accessible include:
- Adding Alt + Text to images
- Enable users to select the font size
- Make sure all videos and other media are accessible
- Think about your color scheme with accessibility in mind
If you’re unsure about the accessibility of your website, you can hire a web specialist to conduct an audit that can make some key recommendations, and implement them on your behalf.
Your Building
Your business premises needs to be accessible, not just for customers, but your employees too. Some older buildings may not be fully accessible, but it’s worth making the investment to help your business cater to all. You can start with access routes, such as having ramps and elevators in addition to steps, and if you hop over to this site, you can find out more about elevator products that could upgrade yours. Conduct a thorough inspection of your space and make plans to put changes in place.
Your Employment Policies
Providing opportunities for everyone can help make you a much more responsible employer, but you could be surprised at some of the challenges people face when applying for jobs or being in a workspace. You can make your workplace more accessible to ensure everyone can work there comfortably, but it’s also important that you make job roles inclusive and accessible too.
Making Your Business Accessible to Customers
Making your business accessible to customers is about more than just access to a building – it’s about making sure they can get in touch with you and access your services in different ways. It’s easy to take the internet for granted, but there are many people without access to it, so you should consider some offline options for contacting you, as well as using your services (such as phone ordering for your store, for example). You can ask for customer feedback to help ensure you deliver the best possible to service to all of your customers.
Accessibility isn’t something to shy away from. As a responsible business, accessibility should always be a priority. Review your business and make sure you’ve done all that you can to make it as accessible, inclusive and as welcoming as possible.
