Best Practices and up to the minute news on Customer Experience Management and Service Excellence

Disability Accommodations in Retail Spaces – Beyond the Minimum

Putting effort into accessibility makes it possible for more customers to shop.

Imagine the frustration of struggling to leave home to get groceries, just to return empty handed because a barricade prevented you from entering the store. Even a single stair can have this effect for disabled folks.

Accommodating disabled customers should be the norm, but too many retailers fall short.

The Americans with Disabilities Act lays out practices that make shopping possible for those with disabilities. Accommodations like handicap parking spots near the front of the building are common to see, thanks to the ADA. But many businesses skate by on the bare minimum of what is required.

Treating ADA requirements like just another checklist leads to spaces that aren’t truly accessible, despite being cleared as such.

People with disabilities make up a big portion of Americans. Doing more to make them comfortable as customers will improve a business’s standing and its customer base.

Why ADA-compliant spaces aren’t as accessible as they seem

Obstacles for disabled people are often overlooked by those without disabilities.

The ADA outlines many common obstacles. Leaving room for wheelchairs in aisles, accessible entrances, and elevators or ramps are all essential for many disabled people to patronize a business.

However, accommodations aren’t always as accommodating as they seem. For example, a business may have a ramp for wheelchair users or those who struggle with climbing stairs. But an incline that’s too steep is actually dangerous for wheelchair users who may not be able to make it up or risk losing control of their chair by going down.

Temporary displays within the store are sometimes poorly thought out. They can reduce visibility or take up space that would be necessary for wheelchair users to maneuver.

Carpets and otherwise uneven flooring can cause trouble for wheelchair users and others.

The ADA provides guidelines for maintaining accessible spaces. Just because these standards aren’t always actively enforced doesn’t mean they should go ignored.

The importance of employee training

Employees play a huge role in making shopping possible for a lot of disabled people.

I worked at a grocery store near a rehabilitation institute for the blind, and frequently had customers that required assistance to find the items on their list. I gained a lot of experience in working with customers with visual impairments and learned how to assist them best.

Unfortunately, there were times that less patient employees were assigned to help these customers.

For some, patience and sensitivity are not intuitive. It falls on managers to teach their employees how best to handle these situations and others.

Being aware and recognizing when a customer could use help is a standard of excellent customer service, and it’s no different for helping disabled customers. Employees need to be taught to recognize that some people may need help with tasks like reaching an item or navigating the store.

Other considerations to go above and beyond

During back to school season this year, Walmart offered sensory friendly hours to its customers, during which the radio and paging system was silenced, lights were dimmed, and television displays stilled.

For the average customer, it was a more pleasant shopping experience. For autistic customers and those with other sensory processing disorders, they were able to shop at all, while under other circumstances, they’d be unable to.

There are all sorts of disabilities that people can struggle with. Helpful accommodations go beyond making room for wheelchairs.

Consider also providing ample seating for those who may get suddenly and overly fatigued while shopping.

Listen to the local community and figure out what changes to the store that your customer base could benefit from.

Avoiding legal consequences isn’t the only reason to care about making your store comfortable for all customers. Thoughtful layouts in areas like bathrooms and walkways can prevent injuries. It also boosts business.

Not only do accommodations allow people with disabilities to shop, it also encourages other customers. People bring their patronage to a business they believe in. Many will see an accommodating store and want to support it.

Take care of your customers, and they will pay you back in business.