Though the law says that places of public accommodation must comply with the ADA, this commentary isn’t going to be about fines, lawsuits, or disability civil rights. It’s going to be about why ADA compliance is good for your business bottom line.
Here are some facts that might interest you:
- Nearly 1 in 5 Americans have a disability. (Source: U.S. Census Bureau)
- Almost 1/3 of all American families are impacted by disability. (Source: The National Service Inclusion Project)
- Customers with disabilities and their families, friends and associates represent a$3 TRILLION market segment. THAT’S RIGHT – A $3 TRILLION MARKET SEGMENT! (Source: Association of People Supporting Employment-First)
- By 2020, about 157 million Americans will be living with chronic illnesses. (Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)
- The vast majority of women, men and children of all ages, races and ethnicities will experience a disability some time during his or her lifetime. (Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)
- People with disabilities constitute the nation’s largest minority group, and the only minority group any of us can become a member of at any time. (Source: Disability Funders Network)
So, do you really want to lose the opportunity to do business with such a significant consumer economic sector?
What about your existing customers? If they should come to experience a temporary or permanent disability (which the above facts indicate most people do at some time during a lifetime), are you prepared to say to them and to their network of friends and family, yes, we were happy to do business with you before your disability, but now that you have this disability, your business (and YOU), are no longer worth our trouble?
The thing is, ADA compliance isn’t that hard, and there is a lot of help out there for businesses and places of public accommodation to become ADA compliant. Here are two simple resources to help you, if you decide you want to do business with the $3 TRILLION MARKET SEGMENT comprised of people with disabilities, their families, friends, and associates:
- ADA Small Business Primer (U.S. Department of Justice)
This is an 18-page guide to ADA compliance that includes information on accessibility, tax credits, resources, and more: http://www.ada.gov/regs2010/smallbusiness/smallbusprimer2010.htm>
- ADA Checklist for Existing Facilities
This is a well-organized, easy to use checklist for existing facilities seeking to self-assess their accessibility/ADA compliance.
http://www.adachecklist.org/doc/fullchecklist/ada-checklist.pdf
If you represent a businesses or place of public accommodation in Morris, Sussex, or Warren County in NJ and are interested in a self-assessment or wish to learn more about the ADA and how to comply, but would like a little help, please contact DAWN Center for Independent Living for technical assistance! Our services are…FREE.