Steps You Can Take To Ensure Your Shop Is Accessible

Accessibility is more than a business buzzword. Remaining available to customers of all needs is crucial for any Black-owned business looking to serve every customer equally.

Here are three steps you can take to ensure your shop is accessible to everyone.

Consider Physical Accessibility

Nearly 14 percent of people in the United States live with some kind of mobility impairment. Businesses failing to cater to a sizable portion of the population lose out on an opportunity to grow their customer base as well as the chance to care for their neighbors.

Look around your shop and ask yourself if it’s accessible. Think beyond ramps for manual wheelchair users; keep in mind that walkers, crutches, and electric wheelchairs all need to pass through aisles, between tables, or under shelves.

People should feel confident and safe navigating your store at any pace.

Don’t Forget Your Online Presence

We don’t usually think about accessibility when it comes to our websites, but your shop’s digital presence needs to welcome everyone as well. Here are a few straightforward ways to make your website more accessible:

• Include display options like high-contrast mode or dark mode
• Have text-to-speech options available
• Include captions in video content
• Add metadata to images describing the content

Think Beyond “One-and-Done”

It’s important to remain aware of your business’s accessibility even after making these initial changes. Perform regular checkups and maintenance for the accessibility tools you implement.

For example, your business’s automatic sliding doors sometimes need repair to keep them safe and usable for those with mobility impairments. And if you use a closed-caption generating tool, always double-check that the generated text matches the video to avoid miscommunications.

The last action you can take to ensure your shop is accessible is to reach out to a disability lawyer in your area. These experts can help you navigate your legal obligations and learn ways to serve your community with your shop layout.

Ultimately, investing in your shop’s accessibility welcomes in a new customer base, demonstrates your care, and helps create a more equitable world for everyone.