Last reviewed: 5 October 2022

Disabled customers tend to research businesses before they shop, because businesses who have made efforts to remove barriers for disabled customers are more likely to provide a better experience for them.

If your business has put in the effort to be more accessible, it makes sense to promote your good work. Don’t be shy about highlighting your commitment to make your business more accessible to your disabled customers, it’ll help them decide to use your services and increase the reach of your business. Here are a few ways you can do this.

Join the government’s Disability Confident Scheme

The government’s Disability Confident Scheme was launched in 2016 allowing businesses the opportunity to showcase their commitment to the improving disability standards. It also offers support to work towards good standards in all areas of their organisations.

There are three different levels to achieve, with the first two levels requiring businesses to self-assess their efforts to become more disability inclusive. The scheme supports businesses to make changes to the organisation across all areas of business, helps employers recruit and retain people with disabilities, and supports improvements in disability standards throughout their organisation.

To register your business to the scheme you simply need to sign up on the DCS webpage and make a pledge to improve disability inclusion at your business.

Promote your efforts on your communications

If you’ve successfully raised awareness of disability in your business and improved standards, or have made a commitment to improve disability inclusion at your business, you should promote your good work.

There are a number of ways to do this, such as:

• including space on the work your organisation is doing to improve disability standards on your website and marketing material
• displaying logos of disability related schemes you’ve joined (such as the Disability Confident Scheme)
• highlighting if you’re receiving continuous disability support from disability specialists such as Business Disability Forum
• promoting good news stories.

Offer information in alternative formats

Offering different formats gives disabled customers the option to receive information in a way that works best for them. For example, if you have reading materials prepared for customers, be prepared to share them in large print, Braille, or audio formats as well.

Consider having some alternative formats in store and ready to share, so disabled customers don’t have to wait. For other materials where you have time in the lead-up to sharing with customers, make sure your teams are familiar with how to create alternative formats such as large print and Braille.

You should always have an option for customers to contact your business to discuss their requirements. There should be at least two different ways for customers to get in touch – for example, telephone and email – as each method will be inaccessible to some customers. See below for more information.

Be available and provide different ways for people to get in contact

A common mistake many small businesses make that creates challenges for disabled customers to shop with them, is not having different ways to get in contact with them. A disabled customer may not be able to contact your business using the method offered – for example, someone who is blind and using screen readers may not be able to use a website messaging box. Having more than one way for customers to get in contact gives customers the opportunity to use a method that works best for them.

Ideally, this should be at least a telephone number and an email (or a number customers can text). In the case where it is not practical to have someone at the business available by phone at all times, you could consider offering a voice messaging service such those available on popular messaging apps like WhatsApp.

Have an accessibility and inclusion page on your website

Our research has found that most disabled customers check an organisation’s website for information about accessibility before they decide to visit. By having a section on your website dedicated to disability inclusion and diversity, where you can promote case studies and demonstrate your commitment, shows disabled customers that you consider their needs and have thought of their requirements.

Further support

BDF Members and Partners can contact our Advice Service for tailored guidance.

© This resource and the information therein are subject to copyright and remain the property of the Business Disability Forum. It is for reference only and must not be copied or distributed without prior permission.

If you require this resource in a different format, contact enquiries@businessdisabilityforum.org.uk.