1 in 4 New Zealanders and 25% of the world’s population has some kind of access need. That’s close to 2 billion people internationally – a huge market segment.
Attracting the “access economy” and “yellow dollar” presents an incredible opportunity for businesses.
New Zealand – an innovative country with strong social ethos – should make it a priority to attract this growing market according to Minnie Baragwanath CEO for Be Accessible who presented last week at a BNI Big Breakfast event in Wellington. Minnie believes that we can become the leading accessible nation in the world and generate income as businesses while doing it.
What is an access need?
An access need can be anything that inhibits people’s access to services. It could be a disability or mental health issue or a temporary or permanent injury. Creating an accessible environment means designing things to support the true diversity of people; whether they have an access need or not. This raises the question…
How accessible is your workplace?
With so many people facing an access issue, and an ageing population meaning even more people will face this challenge in the future, it’s important to think about how accessible your workplace is.
Try to move from the idea of disability to possibility. Create solutions and start to think about what you need to do to attract and retain this growing market. You may have an access need yourself or have customers that do. Here are some tips from Minnie for BNI members to become more accessible:
- Is your front door accessible to all? If not is there alternative access and is this clear of clutter? Think of it in terms of customer service – are you welcoming people? What can you do to make things more welcoming?
- Do you have an eftpos machine? Is the audio turned on to make things easier for those with a visual impairment? Can it be accessed by everyone regardless of their needs – you wouldn’t want a sale to fall through at this point because of access issues.
- Are you treating people with respect? Just ask a simple question like ‘how can I help’. This can open up the conversation and ensure everyone has access.
- What about your digital presence? Make your keyboard focus visible for low-vision users. Add captions to videos on your website (also good for non-English speakers), improve your web design so it is cleaner and not as awkward.
Business plays a critical role in the shaping of our society. There is a network of businesses around the country committed to accessibility and BNI NZ is proud to be joining the movement. Recently we had Be Accessible visit us at the BNI Support Office in Auckland to prepare an accessibility audit and report; the report is available for viewing via the home page on the BNI New Zealand website: http://www.beaccessible.org.nz/find/helpful-services/service-providers/bni-new-zealand
We are starting the journey toward being more accessible and it’s something we think all businesses, large or small, need to consider. Check out the Be Accessible website today: www.beaccessible.org.nz
