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Serving the community

Small businesses play an important role in every community.

Whether they need to get a meal, shop for groceries, buy home improvement tools, or entertain the family on a night out, community members look to small businesses to fulfill their needs. In turn, small businesses depend on the patronage of community members. As a result of this shared reliance between small businesses and the community, small businesses must be prepared to serve all community members.

Don’t make it weird

While disability touches about 73% of American lives, not everyone has experienced interacting with people with disabilities. As a result, you may be worried about saying or doing something to make a disabled customer uncomfortable. In fact, you might be worried about your concern over making a mistake. Here’s the thing—that worry is preventing you from connecting with the customer. Don’t make it weird!

Let the customer take the lead

This tool provides general guidelines and best practices for interacting with customers with disabilities. It includes basic recommendations and some suggested etiquette. Always use your best judgment and common sense and consider the preferences of the person you are interacting with.

Customers return for good service

This infographic on the buying habits of people with disabilities (PDF) shows that over half (54%) of consumers with disabilities would shop more frequently or spend more money in restaurants and stores that have made an effort to be accessible and welcoming to them.

How can I help you?

Always start with “How can I help you today?” That simple question lets the customer know you want to provide good service. If two people come into your establishment together, adjust to “What brings you both in?” or a similar greeting that encompasses both parties.

Respond directly to the customer

People unfamiliar with interacting with people with disabilities tend to defer to a companion of a person with a disability. Resist that urge. If there is an interpreter, or the customer with a disability is non-speaking, listen to the information that is provided and respond to the customer with a disability. Of course, if the customer is a group member with no disability—interact as always!

Is that your dog?

Some of your customers may visit your establishment with a service animal. A service animal is any dog that has been trained to perform tasks that assist their person (called a handler) with a disability-related need. To learn more about service animals, visit the Service Animals in Public Spaces website, especially Tool 2: Service Animals in the Community.

Language and disability

There isn’t one best way to refer to the disability community as a whole, because different people have different ideas about the best way to describe it. Some people within the community prefer “person-first language” (i.e., Bill is an autistic person), and others like “identity-first language” (i.e., Bill is autistic). When referring to people with disabilities as a community, saying either “disabled customers” or “customers with disabilities” is perfectly appropriate. See the next point for advice around one-on-one interactions!

Names are great connectors

It’s best to ask for a customer’s name and use that to facilitate communication. If the need to talk about disability arises (e.g., ordering a dress for a customer who uses a wheelchair), ask the customer how best to describe the situation.

Tips for interacting with customers with disabilities

These are our favorite tips for providing successful customer service.

When to offer help

When someone appears to be struggling, it is OK to ask what they need. You can say, “Would you like some help?” If the person says no, go on with your day. If they say yes, ask, “What can I do?” After asking these questions, listen and take your cue from the person.

Communicating with customers with disabilities

Most customer interactions with small businesses occur through speech, but not always. If a customer does not speak or does not hear, get creative. To communicate, use a notes app on your mobile device, offer pen and paper, or go to a computer to exchange information.

For more information on what is expected from a business when it communicates with customers, visit Tool 7: Communicating Effectively with Customers.

Setting the stage for success

Use this etiquette advice to help you with successful customer interactions:

• Consider wheelchairs and other assistive devices as personal space. Do not touch or push a wheelchair without first asking for and getting permission.
• If you do not understand what someone is saying, keep trying until you do. If you have trouble, try another way, such as texting or writing.
• Offer your elbow to a blind customer to lead them to a specific area of your establishment.
• If you leave a conversation with a blind customer, let them know you are walking away.
• Minimize strong scents or other sensory stimuli in your space where possible
• Avoid making comments like “you’re so brave” or “I could never do what you do.” Although well-intentioned, comments like these can come across as patronizing because people with disabilities are living their lives just like anyone else.

Be flexible

In some cases, providing equal access to customers with disabilities may require you to think about your policies and be flexible when providing service to your customers. If an area of your store isn’t accessible to a customer with a disability, offer to bring the merchandise or service to them.

For more about flexible service, visit Tool 3: The ADA and Your Business and for more about alternative access, read Tool 4: Physical Access.

Act naturally

As you probably do with all your customer interactions, be yourself. Think more about connecting with your customer and assisting them than about their disability.