Reframing Digital Accessibility As A Business Win Rather Than A Burden

The cost of non-compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) can be more than the cost of compliance, with each case costing over $10,000. In 2020 only, 3,500 digital accessibility cases were filed in the US alone.

Businesses that initially overlooked accessibility are using remediation to update critical documents and pay off accessibility debt. It will also help them extend their company’s reach among people with vision, cognitive, and other disabilities.

Why is remediation important in marketing?

The Internet has grown in importance for people of all ages and abilities. It’s been a moment of tremendous change and adaptability, and there’s no better opportunity for companies to demonstrate empathy than right now.

According to a recent Mitto marketing poll, “increase accessibility” has surpassed “establish more meaningful relationships with clients” as the second most important customer engagement objective for marketers in the United States for 2021. Fortunately, remediation can help with both of these issues.

Brands may ensure that consumers have complete access to their digital resources by making their papers and websites accessible. According to Return On Disability “2020 Annual Report,” people with disabilities (PwDs) are not only a substantial component of the client base for most businesses, but they are also an important customer segment with emotional connections to over 70% of customers.

Aside from the business case, there is a cultural issue. Diversity and inclusion, in particular, have received a lot of well-deserved attention in 2021. Companies must ensure that their websites, forms, and papers are accessible to people with disabilities before increasing their resource pool. Naturally, it’s in a brand’s best advantage to take the initiative in this area and work toward full accessibility.

How holistic remediation should look at the scale

The focus on minimizing legal risks has had the unintended consequence of moving “user experiences” down the priority list. There’s a genuine risk that businesses may approach accessibility and remediation as a checklist rather than a way to improve consumer satisfaction. Another issue is the lack of a comprehensive ecosystem of people, procedures, and technology to assist businesses along their accessibility journey, from inception to implementation.

While several remediation companies are on the market, not all have the necessary balance of solutions, creativity, and resources to remediate at scale.

When looking for a remediation partner, look for expertise merging machine learning and human intelligence efficiently. In a post-COVID world, keeping a human expert in the loop might be the key to success with a remote workforce. It will also ensure that every detail should be considered while your company works to restore access to any documents that have become inaccessible.

Conclusion

Ensuring that your company’s website and apps are digitally accessible can allow you to leverage digital spending and e-commerce trends, enabling you to expand your market reach and stay ahead of the competition. If you are not sure about the accessibility of your digital channels.

We at SDET Tech can help in making your products, services, and information accessible to everyone. Let’s connect the global audience while making our services and products digitally accessible for differently-abled people. We help our clients vouch for accessibility for all as a key business proposition.