Why Accessibility Is So Critical For Business

Accessibility is a hot topic in business circles right now. Companies want to know how they can serve the needs of the whole community.

There are good demographic reasons for this. Right now in the US, around a third of people are disabled in some way. The population is experiencing its highest rates of disability in its history. And in the future, disabled individuals will become the norm if current trends persist. 

Companies, though, don’t always want to pursue accessibility. They don’t see it as sexy or profitable enough, and only pay lip service to it. 

In this post, we take a look at the business case for providing more accessible premises, websites and marketing materials so that you can thrive like never before. You’ll be surprised by just how beneficial it can be. 

It Boosts Your Reputation

If your business is known as the only place in town that doesn’t offer disabled access, it’s not a good look. As time passes, customers become suspicious of your motives and wonder why you haven’t solved the problem yet. 

Your reasons might be entirely innocent but, of course, they don’t know that, and it can reflect poorly on your brand. 

The good news is that you can turn the situation around quickly. And when you do, it boosts your reputation. 

It Improves The User Experience

Elevator brand Sheridan Lifts points out that its products are essential for user experience. Employees and customers don’t want to walk up flights of stairs when they are shopping. Instead, they want you to do all the heavy lifting for them so that they can browse goods or get to their desks without breaking a sweat. 

The best way to do this, of course, is to eliminate the stairs. Thus, it’s not just something that benefits regular employees, but also helps non-disabled people as well. 

It’s Legally Required

In many states and parts of the world, it is legally required for businesses of a certain size to make their premises accessible. If they don’t, they could be liable to fines and other penalties. 

It’s The Right Thing To Do

If you run a business, you know first hand that it’s about more than just making money. You want to have a positive impact on your community and do good by other people. 

Making your premises more accessible allows you to achieve that. You’re taking the right steps to ensure that you enfranchise everyone who interacts with your organization. 

It’s Preparing You For The Future

The number of disabled people in society is expected to rise over the coming decades. Because of this, any accessibility you implement today is likely to pay dividends in years to come. 

It Improves Your Search Ranking

Investing in accessibility even improves your search ranking. That’s because Google and other search engines that crawl websites now actively look for accessibility components. When they find them, they assume that the website offers a better user experience and, therefore, push it up the rankings, boosting visibility online.