Hints and Tips for Welcoming Customers with Disability
- When approaching a customer, be polite, introduce yourself, and ask how you can help
- Wait until your offer is accepted before trying to assist someone
- Be considerate of the extra time it may take some customers to do or say some things
- Don’t patronise or talk down to a person with disability, or assume that they won’t understand you
- Be aware that some people may need written information to be provided in different formats, such as electronic, large font, Braille or audio. Verbal instructions can also be very helpful
- If a person is blind or has a vision impairment, consider describing the layout of the area to them, especially any obstacles like stairs or furniture
- Don’t distract a guide dog or assistance animal by patting it or giving it food
- Speak directly to the customer, even when they are accompanied by an interpreter or assistant
- Always make sure you’re facing the customer when you speak to them, so that they can read your lips if they need to. Don’t cover your mouth or speak when your back is turned
- Don’t shout, use big hand gestures, or speak extra slowly to someone who is hard of hearing or has difficulty understanding - just speak clearly
- Try and put yourself at eye level with a customer who is a wheelchair user, and speak directly to them
- Don’t push a person’s wheelchair if they haven’t asked you to, and never lean on or hang things from a person’s wheelchair
- Try and make sure sign-in counters are low enough to be reached by a wheelchair user. If that’s not possible, come around to the front of the counter to talk to the customer, and offer a stable surface for them to write on if needed.