If a customer were visiting you in your store and needed assistance with something, most likely they would ask. If a customer or potential customer is visiting your website and they can't do or find something because it isn't accessible, what are they going to do?
Historically, they would leave your website and probably not return. A lack of reasonable accessibility discriminates against them and infringes upon their ability to independently find and use products and services. It tells them that their business isn't valued and, frankly, that they are not valued enough to create a web presence they can use.
They might share their negative experience with family or friends, or on social media. They might just consider it your loss and take their business to a more-accessible competitor, and that might be that.
They may take it a step further and decide to defend their rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and file a lawsuit or complaint. Or, they may decide it isn't worth the time, energy, and cost of going through all that when, after all, they have something they are trying to accomplish online right now, not in months or years.
But, what if there were another option? What if the customer isn't left to choose between the extremes of lengthy litigation and just letting it go? What if the customer actually had a way to get the accessibility help they need right then and there, when they need it?
That's what our live 24/7 accessibility support line offers. As part of our ongoing accessibility compliance support, we provide clients a dedicated toll-free number for their website's accessibility page. This means if visitors experience any issues using the site, they can reach a live person who will work to try to resolve the issue together.
"Every effort is made to help our clients offer their visitors full and independent use of their digital platforms," says Mark Shapiro, BoIA President. But, if anybody does run into any issues they, "can call and reach a person in real-time, committed to helping them do what they came to the site to do."
The 24/7 accessibility hotline includes:
Learn more about live 24/7 accessibility support
Or, get started with a free website accessibility scan and when you're ready, contact us.