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 @ 416-503-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca
Monday, February 14, 2011
Accessibility report on the customer service standard
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 @ 416-503-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca
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 @ 416-503-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Accessibility report on the customer service standard
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 @ 416-503-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit http://www.accessibilitycompliance.ca
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 @ 416-503-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit http://www.accessibilitycompliance.ca
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Accessibility report on the customer service standard
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 @ 416-503-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca
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 @ 416-503-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Accessibility report on the customer service standard
Question one: Does your organization have policies, practices and procedures on providing goods or services to people with disabilities?
What does it look like for you to check yes to this question??
The first thing to do is develop an Accessible Customer Service Policy. This would cover all principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) including independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity.
This policy needs to put in a place the public can get access to it --- for example the company website.
The company also link the policy to other policies on Customer Service. This would ensure that accessibility is a part of your everyday business.
This first step is important as it sets the company’s tone for the remainder requirements and allows for a plan to be in place for continued compliance.
Is there anything else that could be done to ensure that a company can check YES to this first question.
If you are interested in learning more about Accessibility for Ontarian s 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 @ 416-503-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca
What does it look like for you to check yes to this question??
The first thing to do is develop an Accessible Customer Service Policy. This would cover all principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) including independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity.
This policy needs to put in a place the public can get access to it --- for example the company website.
The company also link the policy to other policies on Customer Service. This would ensure that accessibility is a part of your everyday business.
This first step is important as it sets the company’s tone for the remainder requirements and allows for a plan to be in place for continued compliance.
Is there anything else that could be done to ensure that a company can check YES to this first question.
If you are interested in learning more about Accessibility for Ontarian s 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 @ 416-503-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca
Sunday, November 28, 2010
How do you know if your company is expected to comply with the customer service standard?
The Accessibility Standards for Customer Service applies to all people, businesses and organizations that provide goods or services either directly to the public or to other businesses or organizations. this includes public, non-profit and private sector organizations.
If you have 20 or more employees you must also:
These tips are adapted from the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario, the regulator of the AODA and all it's standards. Please refer to www.accesson.ca for more information.
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 @ 416-503-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca
or visit ww.accessibilitycompliance.ca
If you have 20 or more employees you must also:
- Complete an online report on your compliance by reporting the deadline.
- Document all policies and procedures on how you provide accessible costumer service and notify customers upon request
- when providing documents make sure the information is in a format that ino account the person's disability.
These tips are adapted from the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario, the regulator of the AODA and all it's standards. Please refer to www.accesson.ca for more information.
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 @ 416-503-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca
or visit ww.accessibilitycompliance.ca
The AODA and Customer Service Standard talks about removing barriers to accessibility, what are some barriers to accessibility for people with disabilities?
We go to work. We go shopping. We take in a movie and grab a bite to eat afterwards. Most of us don't think twice about it. But that's not always the case for people with disabilities.People with disabilities often don't do many of the activities that most of us take for granted. It's not because they don't want to. It's because they can't. That's because barriers stop them.
Barriers are obstacles. Barriers make shopping, working, going to a movie or taking public transit difficult, sometimes impossible, for people with disabilities.
There are many kinds of barriers.
Architectural and physical barriers are features of buildings or spaces that cause problems for people with disabilities. Examples are:
* hallways and doorways that are too narrow for a person using a wheelchair, electric scooter or walker
* counters that are too high for a person of short stature
* poor lighting for people with low vision
* doorknobs that are difficult for people with arthritis to grasp
* parking spaces that are too narrow for a driver who uses a wheelchair
* telephones that are not equipped with telecommunications devices for people who are Deaf, deafened or hard of hearing
Information or communications barriers happen when a person can't easily understand information. Examples are:
* print is too small to read
* websites that can't be accessed by people who do are not able to use a mouse
* signs that are not clear or easily understood
Attitudinal barriers are those that discriminate against people with disabilities. Examples are:
* thinking that people with disabilities are inferior
* assuming that a person who has a speech impairment can't understand you
Technology barriers occur when a technology can't be modified to support various assistive devices. An example is:
* a website that doesn't support screen-reading software
Organizational barriers are an organization's policies, practices or procedures that discriminate against people with disabilities. An example is:
* a hiring process that is not open to people with disabilities
Have you experienced any barriers to accessibility? Do you create barriers? How can you remove barriers in your company while delivering your premium product and/or service?
These tips are adapted from the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario, the regulator of the AODA and all it's standards. Please refer to www.accesson.ca for more information.
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 @ 416-503-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca
We go to work. We go shopping. We take in a movie and grab a bite to eat afterwards. Most of us don't think twice about it. But that's not always the case for people with disabilities.People with disabilities often don't do many of the activities that most of us take for granted. It's not because they don't want to. It's because they can't. That's because barriers stop them.
Barriers are obstacles. Barriers make shopping, working, going to a movie or taking public transit difficult, sometimes impossible, for people with disabilities.
There are many kinds of barriers.
Architectural and physical barriers are features of buildings or spaces that cause problems for people with disabilities. Examples are:
* hallways and doorways that are too narrow for a person using a wheelchair, electric scooter or walker
* counters that are too high for a person of short stature
* poor lighting for people with low vision
* doorknobs that are difficult for people with arthritis to grasp
* parking spaces that are too narrow for a driver who uses a wheelchair
* telephones that are not equipped with telecommunications devices for people who are Deaf, deafened or hard of hearing
Information or communications barriers happen when a person can't easily understand information. Examples are:
* print is too small to read
* websites that can't be accessed by people who do are not able to use a mouse
* signs that are not clear or easily understood
Attitudinal barriers are those that discriminate against people with disabilities. Examples are:
* thinking that people with disabilities are inferior
* assuming that a person who has a speech impairment can't understand you
Technology barriers occur when a technology can't be modified to support various assistive devices. An example is:
* a website that doesn't support screen-reading software
Organizational barriers are an organization's policies, practices or procedures that discriminate against people with disabilities. An example is:
* a hiring process that is not open to people with disabilities
Have you experienced any barriers to accessibility? Do you create barriers? How can you remove barriers in your company while delivering your premium product and/or service?
These tips are adapted from the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario, the regulator of the AODA and all it's standards. Please refer to www.accesson.ca for more information.
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 @ 416-503-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca
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