Many new and old businesses want to know why they should have ADA compliant signs. ADA compliance is more than just doing what the government tells you to. It is knowing who your customer is and working to address their needs.
Many people like to do a cost-benefit analysis to determine if taking action is worth the cost. This is also known as an opportunity-threats assessment. By looking at the benefits and opportunities that come with ADA sign compliance weighed against the costs or threats of non-compliance, it just makes sense to get it done.
Benefits/Opportunities
For a business owner, one of the most important benefits to having ADA compliant signs is the potential increase in sales and services. ADA compliant signs include raised letters, sharp contrasts, and ideal locations. This helps those without eyesight, those who are legally blind but with some ability to see, and those with other disabilities who needs signs that they can locate.
By having signs that are ADA compliant, you are actively working to increase your customer base. These new customers are also likely to become loyal customers because ones a person finds a place of business that addresses their needs, they stay with them
An increased customer base means an increase in sales and services rendered. It always comes down to the bottom line, and by investing in ADA compliant signs, the return on investment is enhanced. The signs that have to be ADA compliant do not include logos or store signs, but do include signs that identify places, permanent rooms, stairwells, etc. Having these signs ADA compliant does not take away from other aspects of the business, so it is win-win.
Finally, as we move into the baby boomer retirement era, there will be an increase in the number of people with disposable incomes that need ADA compliant signs. You will be there waiting!
Costs/Threats
The only real cost to weigh against the benefits is how much the signs will cost. When you consider the rest of the costs to non-compliance, or the threats to your business, compliance just makes sense.
The flip side of actively seeking to address the needs of your visually impaired customers and clients is deciding not to be ADA compliant. This opens your business up to a variety of issues, none of them good.
Being ADA compliant is not a building code violation as some business owners may think. It is a civil rights issue. This means that if you are not ADA compliant, it negatively affects someone trying to utilize your business, and they make a complaint, it may result in a lawsuit against you. Lawsuits can result not only in being forced to address the issue, but monetary costs as well.
Lawsuits on civil rights issues often become a media tool, which can result in bad publicity for your business. There can also be fines applied.
When it comes to potential customers, you may not even know when you’ve lost a sale and a potential life-long customer. They may just be so frustrated with your business that they leave and never come back. In aggregate terms, this could mean a loss of revenue, especially if they tell their friends and family not to frequent your business.
Conclusion
When considering whether to become ADA sign compliant, the benefits are clear and the costs are something you don’t even need to think about. It is easy to find the signs you need, and your ADA sign company can help you understand exactly what you need and where it should go. By addressing the needs of all your customers, you add to the factors that create a successful business.
Are you unsure about the location of braille on your sign? We answer the question of does braille need to be below tactile letters here.