Businesses must recognise the value of accessible customer service, says Business Disability Forum
Business Disability Forum (BDF) has called on private sector organisations to recognise the business imperative of providing accessible customer experiences and service delivery. This follows the publication of new Government research showing businesses are failing to meet the needs of disabled customers (17 July).
Director of Policy & Research
Business Disability Forum
“This research shows that businesses are not providing accessible customer experiences and service delivery. This is not only a failure of basic equal rights but is also a missed business opportunity. Businesses are putting up barriers which prevent more disabled people spending more money with them. It has a direct impact on businesses – on profit and growth as two basic examples – if they are not seeking to get their product or service purchased by as many people as possible. Many businesses talk about customer and client “needs” which are “tailored” and “individual” and that they are “happy to help”. Yet these words we associate with excellent service are not being experienced by disabled people. Adjustments and accessibility here are really about removing a difficulty which gets in the way of someone spending money with a business. If the legal and moral case that every human being is valuable and of equal worth in society doesn’t land with businesses, the profit case certainly should. Either way the outcome is the same: businesses, why are you making it hard for people to spend their money with you?”
– Angela Matthews, Director of Public Policy and Research at Business Disability Forum
Business Disability Forum runs a customer service taskforce and has published a range of free resources to help businesses meet the needs of disabled customers.
ENDS.
Notes to editors
Business Disability Forum is the leading business membership organisation in disability inclusion.
We are trusted partners, working with business, Government and disabled people to improve the life experiences of disabled employees and consumers, by removing barriers to inclusion.
- We work with over 600 Members employing over 20% of the UK workforce and an estimated 16 million people worldwide.
- We advise, support and encourage businesses (many of them global) to become more disability-smart.
- We influence policymakers by representing the voice of employers and disabled employees.
- We provide evidence-based thought leadership on how business affects the lives of disabled people.
We help effect changes in business practices, products, services and policies, that positively impact the life experiences of disabled people, and also benefit business.
Find out more on our website www.businessdisabilityforum.org.uk.