Customer service standards aimed at the diabled
By Carolann Companion

Good customer service makes good business sense.

But quality customer service may not mean the same thing to every customer. Clients with a disability, whether we're talking about vision or hearing loss, mobility constraints or a learning or developmental disability, may require different types of customer service. And considering they make up 13 per cent of the population, training staff to properly assist them simply makes sense.

Beginning Jan. 1, the first in a series of regulations to be developed under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) becomes law. The customer service standards are the first of four areas to be developed under the AODA, which aims to make Ontario the first jurisdiction in Canada to create comprehensive accessibility standards in all areas of daily life.

According to Statistics Canada, 13 per cent of the population, or 1.5 million people in Ontario, have a disability. As more people age, that number is expected to grow to 20 per cent. In addition, many others have difficulty with vision, hearing and mobility, but may not be classified as disabled.

Spending of Canadians with disabilities is no small change. It's been pegged by Statistics Canada at nearly $25 billion nationwide every year, while people with disabilities influence the spending of 12 to 15 million other Canadians.

The new customer service regulations will require all organizations providing goods and services to people in Ontario to ensure their service is accessible to people with disabilities. This will include making provisions for seeing eye dogs and other service animals or support persons; making publications available in alternative formats like Braille or audio; training staff so they can assist customers with disabilities; ensuring that notice is provided if facilities like an elevator or lift are temporarily unavailable; and generally ensuring that people with disabilities have equal access to goods or services.

Designated public sector organizations like municipalities, public hospitals, school boards and post secondary institutions must be the first to comply. They're required to meet the standards and file accessibility reports by January 1, 2010.

Private sector and nonprofit businesses and organizations will follow with a January 1, 2012 compliance deadline. It will be important for organizations to document actions they take to comply with the law. Larger organizations with 20 or more employees will be obligated to file reports internally and/or with the government demonstrating that they're meeting the requirements of the legislation. Smaller organizations will be excused from the reporting requirement.

Meanwhile, standards for transportation have been proposed and have completed the public review stage. The Transportation Standards Development Committee is due to review the public input and submit the final recommendations to the Minister of Community and Social Services. Work continues in three other areas: Information and communications, built environment and employment.

Now is the time to begin examining your practices from the viewpoint of the disabled. For some practical ideas, contact the Greater Innisfil Chamber of Commerce to obtain an electronic copy of Removing Barriers: A Business Guide to Improving Accessibility.

These standards will undoubtedly have an impact on any organization serving the public. But while there may be costs involved, accessibility simply makes good business sense.

Companion is the genereal manager of the Greater Innisfil Chamber of Commerce