Disabilities Customer Service Training and ADA Law Training

We provide Disability Customer Service Training to teach your key personnel how to engage both the disabled and the 50+ Senior consumer market.  We train the trainers.

We believe that removing the architectural barriers is only half of the solution.  Unless your employees know and understand both the ADA Laws and how to interact with different ability guests, your business remains wide open to  disability discrimination lawsuits and dissatisfied customers.

Please see our ADA Workshops page for more training topics that are available for Industry Meetings, Lunch and Learns, Conference Break-Out Sessions, Key Notes and any other training needs.

Disability Customer Service Participants  Experience Their World as a Person Living with a Disability

A key component of our Disabilities Customer Service Training is having the participants experience their business as a person with a disability.   We bring a manual wheelchair, walkers, canes, bungee cords, ear plugs, blacked out glasses, slings, mittens, and other items to mimic the disabled experience. Participants take turns with the different sensory components.

When we meet at corporate offices, we often travel to a local shopping center or resort for the “disabled” participants to experience parking lots, ramps, shopping, dining, purchasing and using the restroom.      Each Onsite Disabilities Customer Service Training is customized for the Client.

Customized Trainings are available to “train the trainers,” where we experience several different customer facilities as a small group.  This training works well for Operations Managers, Risk Managers, Franchise Executives, Facilities Managers, Human Resource Managers and General Managers.  After the training, they have new information to bring back to their staffs.

Typical 1 Day Disability Customer Service Training Seminar at a Hotel or Resort Property

All participant meals, beverages, insurance, meeting rooms,  are provided by the Client.

9:00 a.m. to 11:00 A.M.

Introductions, Discuss Participants views and relationships with people who are living with disabilities.  Participants discuss their perceptions of  ADA laws, guests and how they relate to their facility.  A brief overview of ADA Law and Disability Etiquette are discussed. Participants are randomly assigned their NEW physical disability.

• We bring a manual wheelchair, walkers, canes, bungee cords, ear plugs, blacked out glasses, slings, mittens, and other items to mimic the disabled experience. Participants take turns with the different sensory components.
• The Client might choose to rent several electric wheelchairs, a hoyer lift and other assistive equipment from a  from a local vendor.
• Extra:  A wheelchair user may join the training for first-hand demonstrations.
• Extra:  A service dog and handler may join the training for first-hand demonstrations.

11:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. 

Explore the resort or hotel facility as a person living with a disability. Participants take turns using the restroom as a wheelchair user.  Participants explore a typical accessible and non-accessible guest suite.  Participants may switch disabilities. Different obstacles and situations are created by the facilitators.

12:00 P.M. to 1:30 P.M.  

Participants dine as a group of individuals living with disabilities. Challenges include not being able to read a menu, cut food, use a standard fork, not see the food clearly, dine while sitting in a wheelchair, not hear the server clearly and other situations created by the facilitators.

1:45 P.M. to 5:00 P.M.

Return to the classroom to review the Participants observations. Instructional time by PowerPoint with workbook includes:

1. Learn where and how businesses get in trouble with ADA Discrimination.
2. Learn the ADA Laws and how to share them with staff.
3. Lear proper disability etiquette for staff interacting with guests.
4. Understand how to better serve individuals with disabilities  and how that benefits your business or organization.
5. Learn how to avoid Customer Service  mistakes that could hurt your organization.
6. Understand Service Dog rules, laws and your rights.

   

7. Learn what your facility can do to accommodate Service Dogs without offending other guests.
8. Understand that 80% of tourism dollars in Florida are spent by Baby Boomers.
9. Understand that you can’t tell if someone has a disability just by looking at them.
10. Understand what might be needed by a hotel guest with a disability and their companion.
11. Understand that the ADA is there to make things simpler for everyone.
12. Learn how to report potential ADA discrimination situations to managers, in hopes of swift resolution, to avoid and prevent complaints or litigation and the inevitable expense.
13. Understand that a negative disabled customer experience can bring negative publicity.
14. Gain a solid knowledge base for developing assessments, transition plans, self-evaluations, and barrier removal plans.
15. Know how to budget and plan in the right way to avoid costly remodeling mistakes, just because you did not know the law.
16. Show a good faith effort at compliance.
17. Position yourself for establishing a defense to claims that may arise.
18. Learn that being an accessible business is good for business.

Pricing For the Above 1 Day Disability Customer Service Training

Onsite Trainer Fee: The investment starts at $6,000 per day (plus travel expenses) for the onsite trainers. 

• This fee also includes all workshop consultation and preparation. 
• We learn about your objectives.  Our trainer interviews key executives and participants to understand your individual business and any concerns, issues and opportunities to be aware of. 
• We go over all of the material that will be used in your workshop in advance, ensuring we meet your goals for the training.  
• The full day workshop is limited to 12 participants. 
• All participants receive a Certificate of Completion.

Participant Fees: Additional participants may attend the afternoon classroom only seminar for $200 each.

Why choose us for your Disability Customer Service Training?

Disability Smart Solutions unique advantage is that we know both buildings and customer services as they pertain to ADA law. Our key team members have been designing resort and other buildings for almost 30 years adhering to state, local and ADA code; as well as our 30 years in the Customer Service.

• We are very familiar with the new 2010 ADA Code with over 1000 changes and how to implement them.
• We understand the 2012 Florida Accessibility Code for Building Construction and how it interplays with the 2010 ADA Code.
• We understand the needs of a business owner, the needs of a disabled person and architectural codes.
• With a background in hospitality interior design, we know how to find cost effective and attractive solutions.
• We have the solutions to assist business owners and operators in understanding the code changes and how they affect their individual facilities and employees.
• We understand how people from different cultures have different perceptions of Service Dogs and Disabled Guests.
• With the increase in Florida ADA lawsuits in 2013, we are in a good position to teach you what you need to know for ADA compliance.

• With legislation under consideration for ADA Law training for hospitality employees, we are front runners in creating ADA Employee Training Programs.

How do our Disability Customer Service Training programs benefit your business?

• Our courses ensure that your employees know how to avoid a disability discrimination lawsuit.
• We cover the changes in the 2010 ADA Code that are important to each department.
• Your employees will feel more comfortable in knowing what to say and how to serve guests with different abilities.
• You’ll be ahead of your competitors.  As part of disability discrimination lawsuit settlements, the Department of Justice mandates personal on-site training.
• As ADA litigation continues to increase, the need to train employees will increase.
• With the ever changing pool of hospitality employees, a strong ADA Compliance training program needs to be in place.
• The increasing Baby Boomer and disabled consumer market is increasing the need for accessible hospitality facilities.
• By enhancing the customer experience, you will increase sales.

Which employees need Disability Customer Service Training? We Train the Trainers.

All employees need to be aware of  ADA Laws and Disability Customer Service Tips that affect their job.  We train the trainers.

We are team builders. Disability Smart Solutions has the knowledge, innovation, imagination and collaborative partners to create successful inclusive solutions. Please contact us to create a Disability Customer Service Training program for your business.