Transcript customerservice

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CUSTOMER SERVICE
Meeting the Needs of People with
Disabilities
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Title II Entities Obligations
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Program access to all services and facilities
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Equivalent alternatives are ok when full facility or technical
access is not possible.
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Types of Disabilities
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Sensory
Motor/Movement
Speech
Cognitive
Psychiatric
Conditions involving body systems such as
diabetes/cancer/asthma
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Environment
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Where things are located/arranged
Signage
Maintenance of accessible features
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Personal Space
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Respect personal space.
Don’t touch someone’s wheelchair, cane, etc. unless
appropriate
Guide blind from shoulder with your hand.
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Communication
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Look at the individual who is the customer, not the person
who is interpreting, etc.
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Stay in facial view of deaf and enunciate clearly.
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Make sure communication is understood before moving on.
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When guiding blind, be sure to give verbal directions of what
you are doing.
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Ask what works best.
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Don’t talk too loudly or as if to a child—doesn’t help
communication.
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Service Animals
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Only dogs are considered service animals under the ADA.
May only ask if dog is a service animal and task it can
perform.
Must be under handlers control (not necessarily on a leash)
Don’t distract working dogs, ask to pet, etc.
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Modification of Policies
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Should be able to modify some policies on the spot.
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Use common sense.
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Example: No food policy is ok, but if a diabetic is discreetly
eating a small snack to avoid low blood sugar, that may be a
time to make an exception.
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More Challenging
Situations
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Anxiety
Autism
Confusion
When person is challenging to work with
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You and patrons have a right to be treated with respect and
safety of others is always most important.
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But,
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Situations can be avoided or deescalated by:
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Having a “safe space”
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Using a calm, lower tone of voice
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Don’t approach quickly or get too close.
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Work with parents or staff if caretakers are along.
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Let them direct person with disabilities: take cues from them.
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Get guidance on what works for future.