Benefits of Accessible Customer Service

Acquiring customers is hard and retaining them can be even more difficult. One of the best ways to improve customer retention is through accessibility. According to the Microsoft Global State of Customer Service Report, 97% of customers say accessibility to customer service plays an important role in their choice to stay loyal to a brand.

When customers cannot access your products or services easily, they are likely to go do business elsewhere. It is important to remember that “accessible” means different things to different people. 3.5% of Americans, or 11.5 million consumers, are Deaf or hard-of-hearing. Modern business plans should consider how to provide accessible customer service to all consumers. 

Accessibility is not just compliance or good ethics, it also makes good business sense. By making your business accessible to as many people as possible, you will broaden your pool of clientele and increase customer retention rates. When fewer people struggle to access information about your product or service, fewer people may need to contact your business directly for support. This leads to reduced costs and more resources for other areas of your business. 

How to Make Customer Service More Accessible for Deaf Customers

• 1

  Offer customer support through multiple platforms.

  Deliver efficient online customer service support through a combination of chatbots, live chat support, email support, or website tutorials. Always offer captions when offering customer support through live or archived videos.

• 2

  Make accessibility features easy to access.

  These features are often difficult to find on mobile apps and when accessing websites through mobile devices. It is essential for accessible customer service to be easy to find when visiting your website from a computer or mobile device.

• 3

  Hire Deaf employees.

  Diversifying your employee base has a multitude of benefits. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals are consistently bridging cultural and communication barriers in daily situations. These skills translate well into any workplace.

• 4

  Provide customer service calls in American Sign Language (ASL).

  The best practice is for businesses to provide equitable communication experiences to Deaf callers. It is ideal for Deaf callers to call your customer service support number and be routed to a trained customer service representative that is fluent in ASL.

• 5

  Educate all employees on Deaf culture.

  Set up procedures on how to manage customer requests for accessibility accommodations. Ensure your employees are empowered to properly communicate with Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals whenever they enter your place of business.

Deaf Services Unlimited provides consulting services and Deaf culture training to businesses and organizations committed to improving accessibility. If you are interested in expanding your client pool and retaining more customers, contact us today!

Q&A

1. Why should businesses invest in accessible customer service?
   Accessible service helps retain customers, broadens your audience, cuts down on support costs, and strengthens brand loyalty by making sure more people can use your products or services easily.
2. How many people are Deaf or hard-of-hearing, and how does that affect business?
   A significant number of Americans are Deaf or hard-of-hearing, meaning businesses that aren’t accessible risk losing out on customers who need accommodations.
3. What does “accessible customer service” look like in practice?
   It means things like offering support in ASL, captioning videos, having website accessibility features, hiring Deaf employees, and training staff in Deaf culture and communication.
4. How can accessible customer service reduce costs?
   When customers can easily find what they need and access info without help, there are fewer support-requests, less friction, and fewer misunderstandings—this saves time and money for both customer and business.
5. What are quick ways to make customer service more accessible right away?
   Some fast changes include offering multiple contact methods (chat, email, ASL), making accessibility features obvious and easy to find, and training employees to understand basic Deaf culture and communication preferences.