RNID urges businesses to be more deaf aware
RNID is urging businesses, shops and services to seize the opportunity to expand their customer base by ensuring they are fully accessible to the 9 million people in the UK who are deaf or hard of hearing.
RNID, the largest charity in the UK working on hearing loss, is making the call following its annual membership survey finding that 71% of respondents said they'd be encouraged to use a specific shop or service if the staff are deaf aware. 41% of respondents said they'd go out of their way to use a shop or service if they knew an induction loop, which amplifies speech over background noise for hearing aid users, was available.
RNID's chief executive, Jackie Ballard, says: "Businesses can make very simple changes to significantly improve the experience of customers who are deaf or hard of hearing and encourage return visits in the future. We want shops and services throughout the UK to ensure staff receive deaf awareness training, provide fully operational induction loops and remove unnecessary barriers, such as screens, which can affect communication and deter people with a hearing loss from buying their products or services."
Comments
It's alright businesses being deaf aware. But they need to be like that all the time, and not just the first few months. I have come acroos loops being available in the past, but have not been switched on, and sometimes the staff are clueless what it does when you question them that their loop is not on.
Posted by: Liz | July 16, 2010 03:00 PM