Exclusion is bad for business

#PurpleTuesday is a day dedicated to improving the customer experience for disabled people - here’s a thread with some top tips.

#DisabledTwitter, please feel free to chip in with your insight, expertise and experience

#PurpleTuesday2020

Tip #1 - DISCRETION

As good as it might make you feel to make a big song and dance about assisting a disabled person, the majority of disabled person don’t want this OTT attention.

Respect a persons privacy and be discreet in your offering of support.

#PurpleTuesday

Tip #2 - Forget what you know

If you’ve met one disabled person you’ve met one disabled person.

Disabled people have different needs and may want to be treated in different ways.

Prior experience is good, but always check-in with the person.

#PurpleTuesday

Tip #3 - Supportive not intrusive

Disabled people will be grateful of your offering of your support, but dont start quizzing them about their disability.

Focus on access requirements and what you can support with.

#PurpleTuesday

Tip #4 - Person, person, person

If a disabled person is buying something from you, don’t ignore them and only acknowledge the person they’re with. It’s rude.

They’ve made the effort to use your service, you make the effort to treat them with respect.

#PurpleTuesday

Tip #5 - Don’t be defensive

If a disabled person advises how your business might be made more accessible, don’t get defensive about it.

They are offering their expertise to improve your business, often for free, so others don’t experience the same exclusion.

#PurpleTuesday

Tip #6 - Acknowledge disabled people as part of your market

Disabled people don’t use magical disability shops non-disabled people are unaware of. They want to use YOUR services.

The first step to them doing this is acknowledging them as part of your market.

#PurpleTuesday

Tip #7 - Don’t assume

Don’t assume a disabled person needs your help, ask them first. Simple as that.

See @BlondeHistorian #JustAskDontGrab campaign for more on this.

Assumption killed the cat as they say (or something like that)

#PurpleTuesday