Turning a negative access experience into a positive one.
I recently had the privilege of speaking at a webinar organised by AccessAble entitled ‘Turning a negative access experience in to a positive one’. As individuals and businesses, we should all have one clear objective and that is to ensure that everything we do is accessible for all, regardless of who they are and where they have come from. Despite this apparently simple aim, access is not always at the forefront of human consciousness and this can make or break someone’s experience. But in reality, it should underpin everything a business does, as increased access means increased revenue. In this blog, we will explore some of the factors that can turn a negative access experience in to a positive one from the point of view of somebody with a vision impairment.
Accessible websites
The first contact with a business is usually via their website. But inaccessible websites are all too common. Key questions to consider include:
- Is your website easy to navigate using a screen reader or with magnification software?
- Is it structured in a clear and logical way?
- Does it allow for the manual adjustment of font size and colour contrast?
- Are regular tasks, such as filling in contact forms or purchasing goods/services straightforward to complete with all form fields and action buttons clearly labelled?
Pre-arrival information
If you have a disability, such as sight loss, it’s rarely a question of turning up and hoping for the best. It’s vital that vision impaired visitors have access to as much information as possible in terms of the support and facilities available so that they know what to expect and can plan accordingly. Though this isn’t an exhaustive list, some key pre-arrival information would include:
- What is the nearest train/tube station and how far away is it?
- Is assistance available on arrival and is it necessary to book in advance? If so, how?
- Is written information, such as a menu in a venue café, available in accessible electronic formats?
Welcome on arrival
The welcome any visitor/customer receives is entirely dependent on the attitude of the people working there. From personal experience, organisations generally aspire to welcome me as a blind person in the same way they would anyone else. But businesses don’t always know how to do this and as a result, one can be greeted by fear and reluctance rather than warmth and confidence. To ensure you give the best welcome possible to a vision impaired visitor, there are two key questions to answer.
- Is your organisation disability confident?
- Have your staff received comprehensive vision impairment awareness training?