In this article, you'll find out:
- How to turn accessibility into a business strategy with clients and the market.
- Understand the numbers behind investing in accessibility, with practical examples of increased sales and conversion rates.
- How solutions created for specific accessibility needs become innovations that benefit everyone.
- O Genuine commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) builds trust, promotes inclusion and strengthens the employer brand.
- Get essential guidelines for integrating accessibility into your organization's culture.
In the competitive business landscape, the search for differentiators that drive growth is constant. Many companies focus on their digital presence, but forget that the customer experience begins much earlier, in the physical world. True competitive advantage is born of integrated accessibility strategy. This approach, by connecting stores, products, services and digital platforms, optimizes the experience and, at the same time, promotes the social inclusion, a pillar of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) advocated by global organizations such as ILO Global Business and Disability Network.
To see accessibility only as a legal obligation is to miss the opportunity to turn it into a powerful business leverageThis will generate profit, build customer loyalty and position your company at the forefront of the market.
What is the financial impact of accessibility?
The most direct argument for investing in accessibility is financial. In Brazil, the 2022 Demographic Census (IBGE) pointed to the existence of 14.4 million people with some kind of disability. disability. If we add up the population elderlyWe have a huge portion of the market that decides where to shop based on ease of access.
The answer to the financial impact lies in the results of those who have already invested:
- In physical retail: Large Brazilian chains invest in adapting their stores to ensure accessibility. Magazine Luiza, for example, details in its sustainability projects to include ramps and layouts that facilitate circulation. This approach, in addition to welcoming disabled customers, becomes a differentiator for seniors and families, resulting in an increase in customer flow and, consequently, sales.
- In digital e-commerce: Accessibility on websites and applications generates a transparent return on investment (ROI). Uruguayan footwear brand Stadium, for example, after making its website accessible, observed an increase of 220% in the conversion rate and 104% in the average ticketproving that a better user experience directly results in more sales.
How does accessibility drive innovation in business?
The search for affordable solutions is one of the biggest catalysts for innovation of history, creating products that benefit everyone. This phenomenon is known as "Curb-Cut Effectwhere a solution for a specific group spreads and benefits society as a whole.
Many innovations that are indispensable today were born out of accessibility projects:
- OXO Good Grips kitchen utensils: The range of products with wide, rubberized handles was created for the founder's wifewho suffered from arthritis. The ergonomic design, however, proved to be more comfortable for everyone, making the brand a global success.
- Automatic doors: Initially designed to facilitate access for wheelchair users in hospitals and shops, today they are a universal convenience, especially for those carrying shopping or pushing trolleys.
- Voice controls (Siri, Alexa): Although today they are digital, the idea of controlling the environment by voice was born out of the need for people with severely reduced mobility to interact with the world around them.
The mentality of solving challenges for specific needs ends up generating innovations that improve the experience of all users. O investment in accessibility becomes research and developmentgenerating products e services that become market benchmark.
How does accessibility strengthen the brand and reputation?
A brand is the sum of all its interactions with the customer. A frustrating experience in a physical store can undo all the investment made in an accessible website. Companies that demonstrate a genuine commitment to diversity and inclusion (DEI) at all touchpoints are seen as more ethical and responsible:
- Building trust: A welcoming and safe physical environment creates an emotional connection with the customer, generating loyalty that transcends price.
- Promoting social inclusion: Companies like Itaú Unibanco promote social and economic inclusion by creating structured hiring and career development for people with disabilities, strengthening its internal culture and reputation.
- Corporate reputation: Companies recognized for their physical and digital accessibility attract not only customers, but also talent, strengthening their employer brand.
- Risk mitigation and social responsibility: In Brazil, the Brazilian Inclusion Law (LBI) establishes standards for the digital and physical environment. Being compliant reinforces the company's commitment to corporate social responsibility.
From strategy to culture: a practical guide to accessibility
Turning accessibility into a pillar of the business requires a commitment that unites culture, processes e data on all fronts. Check out the essential guidelines:
- Leadership commitment: Transformation starts at the top. Engaging leaders is essential to guarantee resources and align accessibility with strategic business objectives.
- Universal design as a principle: Accessibility is not an adaptation, but a design principle. Incorporate "Universal Design" from the conception of products, services and physical spaces. This means involving architects, product designers and developers in a unified vision, always collecting feedback from people with disabilities.
- Creating an inclusive culture: Responsibility must be shared. Encourage the creation of a network of "Accessibility Ambassadors", with volunteers from different areas (Product, HR, IT, etc.) who are trained to disseminate knowledge and good practices.
- Data and feedback: Monitor the customer journey comprehensively. As well as analyzing data from digital platforms, carry out accessibility audits in physical spaces and collect direct feedback from customers in your stores.
Accessibility: Belonging for disabled people of different generations
Accessibility is fundamental to creating an environment of belonging e inclusive cultureguaranteeing equity for people with disabilities. By removing physical and digital barriers, it promotes the psychological safetyThis allows these people to participate fully in society, the labor market and consumption. This is especially relevant for age diversityincluding people with disabilities 50+The new accessibility system, which deals with additional challenges. Accessibility provides autonomy and becomes an essential basis for a society e organizational structure truly inclusive e respectful of all generations.
AccessibilityWhen treated as part of an organization's inclusive culture, it ceases to be a cost and becomes intelligence that generates value. More than complying with legal requirements, companies that integrate accessibility into their decisions reap concrete gains in reputation, innovation e result.
In PlurieBRaccessibility is part of our commitment with solutions that unite inclusion e performance. We use real-time data to identify barriers, guide decisions and turn challenges into concrete opportunities for improvement.