Accessibility report on the customer service standard

Within in the disability community, there is a large discussion around how many organizations are not in compliance with the AODA customer service standard.  I thought I would review each of the questions to help you ensure you are in compliance.  Here is the beginning.  Please let me know how far in compliance you are.

Question Seven:   Has your organization established and documented a process to receive and respond to feedback on how its goods or services are provided to people with disabilities, including actions that your organization will take when a complaint is received?

What does it look like for you to check yes to this question??

Your company or organization should have a mechanism in place that accepts feedback  on the manner in which goods or services are provided to people with disabilities.

The feedback process allows people to provide feedback either in person, by telephone, in writing, by email, online, on disk or by another acceptable method. 

The feedback process should specify the actions your staff must take when a complaint is received.

Some things that might support the claim are having a feedback mechanism available.  The development of a written statement showing the means that feedback may be provided (e.g., in person, in writing, etc).  A plan for addressing feedback received and reports of feedback and follow up action would benefit the company’s evidence.   

Is there anything else that could be done to ensure that a company can check YES to this seventh question?

If you are interested in learning more about Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) or how to make accessibility a natural part of your business through the application of Corporate Social Responsibility, please contact Sandra Broekhof @ 416-579-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca

Accessibility report on the customer service standard

Within in the disability community, there is a large discussion around how many organizations are not in compliance with the AODA customer service standard.  I thought I would review each of the questions to help you ensure you are in compliance.  Here is the beginning.  Please let me know how far in compliance you are.

Question Six:   Does your organization post a notice at a conspicuous place on your premises, on your website, or by another reasonable method, of any temporary disruption in facilities or services that people with disabilities usually use to access your organization’s goods or services, including the reason, duration and any alternatives available?

What does it look like for you to check yes to this question??

There is a temporary disruptions (planned or unexpected) of facilities or services notice that is utilized, especially in places that are usually used by people with disabilities.

Information is included in the notice about the reason for the disruption, its duration and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available.

When the need arises, the notice is in an obvious place on the premises, posted on the company’s website or another method that is reasonable.

Some things that might support the claim are to have a sample disruption notice on file.  This sample should include a place for the reason for the disruption, duration and description of alternative facilities or services that might be available.  Please remember that a statement has to include where notices are posted.  Also, it is a good idea to keep a record of when notices were necessary and reasons or descriptions of the different types of disruptions. 

Is there anything else that could be done to ensure that a company can check YES to this sixth question?

If you are interested in learning more about Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) or how to make accessibility a natural part of your business through the application of Corporate Social Responsibility, please contact Sandra Broekhof @ 416-579-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca

Accessibility report on the customer service standard

Within in the disability community, there is a large discussion around how many organizations are not in compliance with the AODA customer service standard.  I thought I would review each of the questions to help you ensure you are in compliance.  Here is the beginning.  Please let me know how far in compliance you are.

Question five:   Does your organization permit people with disabilities to enter the parts of your premises that are open to the public or other third parties with their support person, and provide notice of any fee charged for the support person and is this included in your policies, practices and procedures?

What does it look like for you to check yes to this question??

This question ensures that when the need arises there are policies, practices and procedures in place

that fees for the support person are waived.  This means that people with disabilities would be allowed

to be accompanied by a support person when on parts of your premises that are open to the public or other third parties. 

As well as the over-arching policy, there is anecdotal evidence that support person are permitted .  There also need to be no complaints to the contrary and a copy of the specific policy outlining the practices and procedures related to support persons. 

Is there anything else that could be done to ensure that a company can check YES to this fifth question. 

If you are interested in learning more about Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) or how to make accessibility a natural part of your business through the application of Corporate Social Responsibility, please contact Sandra Broekhof @ 416-579-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca

Accessibility report on the customer service standard

Within in the disability community, there is a large discussion around how many organizations are not in compliance with the AODA customer service standard.  I thought I would review each of the questions to help you ensure you are in compliance.  Here is the beginning.  Please let me know how far in compliance you are.

Question four:   Does your organization permit people with disabilities to keep their service animals with them on the parts of your premises that are open to the public or other third parties, except where the animal is excluded by law, and is this included in our policies, practices and procedures?

b) Is a service animal is excluded by law from your premises, does your organization ensure that alternate measures are available to enable the person to access your goods or service?

What does it look like for you to check yes to this question??

This question ensures that when the need arises there are policies, practices and procedures in place that provide anecdotal evidence that animals are permitted.  It is important that guide dogs and other service animals are allowed to accompany people with disabilities on parts of your premises that are open to the public, except where excluded by law.  If guides dogs or others service animals are excluded by law, an alternate way is provided for people with disabilities to access your goods or services.

As well as policies, practices and procedures in place there needs to be anecdotal evidence that animals are permitted.  It is also important that there are no complaints to the contrary.  There also needs to be a list of areas within your organization that animals are excluded by law AND alternate methods for providing goods and services can be described, based on actual practice.

Is there anything else that could be done to ensure that a company can check YES to this fourth question. 

If you are interested in learning more about Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) or how to make accessibility a natural part of your business through the application of Corporate Social Responsibility, please contact Sandra Broekhof @ 416-579-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca

Accessibility report on the customer service standard

Within in the disability community, there is a large discussion around how many organizations are not in compliance with the AODA customer service standard.  I thought I would review each of the questions to help you ensure you are in compliance.  Here is the beginning.  Please let me know how far in compliance you are.

Question three:   Does your organization’s policies, practices and procedures require your staff and yourself to take a person’s disability into account when communicating with the person/customer?

What does it look like for you to check yes to this question??

The best way to address this question is to ensure that your company/organization’s Accessible Customer Service Policy speaks to taking a person’s disability into account when communicating with the person/customer.  It is also important to have evidence that staff change the usual method of communication (even subtly) to meet the needs of individual customers.

Is there anything else that could be done to ensure that a company can check YES to this third question. 

If you are interested in learning more about Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) or how to make accessibility a natural part of your business through the application of Corporate Social Responsibility, please contact Sandra Broekhof @ 416-579-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca

Accessibility report on the customer service standard

Within in the disability community, there is a large discussion around how many organizations are not in compliance with the AODA customer service standard.  I thought I would review each of the questions to help you ensure you are in compliance.  Here is the beginning.  Please let me know how far in compliance you are.

Question two:   Does your organization’s policies address the use of assistive devices by people with disabilities to access your organization’s goods or services, or any available alternative measures that enable them to do so?

What does it look like for you to check yes to this question??

The best way to address this question is to ensure that your company/organization’s Accessible Customer Service Policy speaks to the use of assistive devices.  The policy could also include requirements for alternate measures as needed.  Individual policies and procedures would need to address the use of assistive devices and have a requirement for alternate measures as needed. 

Is there anything else that could be done to ensure that a company can check YES to this second question. 

If you are interested in learning more about Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) or how to make accessibility a natural part of your business through the application of Corporate Social Responsibility, please contact Sandra Broekhof @ 416-579-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca