Accessibility is Personal: Why a One-Size-Fits-All Approach to Customer Service Fails

Geoff Cook

Accessibility is Personal: Why a One-Size-Fits-All Approach to Customer Service Fails

When it comes to creating truly inclusive products and services, there's no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution. New research from the U.K. highlights this point perfectly, showing that the access barriers people with disabilities face can vary widely depending on the type of business and the specific disability.

The study, which surveyed over 1,500 people, found that some sectors are far more problematic than others. Retail, for example, topped the list with 65% of respondents reporting access barriers. This was followed by entertainment and hospitality at 57%. What’s interesting is how the issues change based on the disability. For people with vision impairments, technology was the main challenge. For those with dexterity issues, the entertainment sector was the toughest. This shows that we can't assume what works for one person will work for another.

Angela Matthews from the Business Disability Forum points out that this isn't just a failure of fundamental equal rights; it's a huge missed business opportunity. When companies put up barriers, they are making it harder for a significant portion of the population to spend money with them. Businesses often talk about tailored, individual needs, but the real-world experience of many disabled customers doesn't match those words.

The research suggests that a great approach involves a combination of best practices and specific, targeted initiatives. We've seen some fantastic examples of this: Microsoft's partnership with the Be My Eyes app for users with sight loss, Starbucks' sign language-fluent stores, and McDonald's Quiet Hour for neurodivergent customers. These programs provide valuable learning experiences that can lead to broader integration and make a significant impact.

You can read the original article about this research here: Why Disability-Inclusive Customer Service Is Never A One-Size-Fits-All.

What are some examples of businesses you've seen that do an exceptional job of providing tailored and inclusive customer service?