Thanks to the Equality Act 2010 providing the most basic form of access, such as access ramps, to your business is a legal requirement. However, improving accessibility is down to each individual company. Making sure people with disabilities can access your business is not only helpful to them, it is also good for you. The ‘purple pound’ refers to the collective spending power of disabled people. It is worth around £249bn every year to the UK economy. It makes sense to make sure it can be spent at your business. Here are 6 ways to make your business more accessible.
Creating accessible parking areas
If your business premises has a car park, one of the spaces should be marked for disabled drivers. If you have a small car park, provide signage to explain that the spaces have priority for disabled drivers.
Using access ramps at entrances
Making people feel welcome is crucial for the success of your business and this welcome must extend to disabled customers. Assess your entrance for any obstructions and provide a solution, such as a temporary or permanent access ramps. If customers may need further assistance to get inside, install a bell so they can contact staff inside the building.
Ensuring aisles are easily navigated
Make sure that there is enough space between aisles for wheelchair users to safely navigate the space. Check as well for obstructions such as furniture, small steps or slopes, or narrow doorways. If you have an upstairs area it may be necessary to provide a life if possible.
Making sure toilets are suitable for disabled people
If you provide public toilets as part of your business, you need to make sure you have a separate one for disabled people, or one that can be used by people with a disability. There needs to be enough space for wheelchair users to manoeuvre, as well as low sinks and handrails. More information standards and requirements for accessible toilets can be found here.
Creating a disability friendly till area
If the focus of your business is on selling things, making the point of sale area as accessible as possible is very important. Install an extendable or mobile debit card machine for ease of use and make sure it has braille on the keyboard for customers with visual impairments. A hearing loop is also a good idea for customers with hearing impairments.
Making these changes will make people feel welcome and give your business a great reputation as a business that is accessible for customers with disabilities, and therefore a pleasure to visit.