As Maya Angelou wisely said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” This sentiment holds for accessibility, where feelings of exclusion can have a lasting impact. The accessibility parallel to this quote is: “People will forget you had an accessibility bug, people will forget that you deprioritized accessibility, but disabled people will never forget feeling excluded when they couldn’t use your product.”
You think it’s no problem, all you have to do is make your product accessible. If your product already exists, that is much easier said than done. It can be done but will not be quick, easy, or cheap. Retrofitting an existing product to be accessible is more expensive and takes more time than building something with accessibility included from the outset.
Accessibility is not a light switch you can flip on and off. It takes 12-18 months, sometimes longer, to achieve the cultural change necessary to make and keep something accessible. Until that process is completed, your excluded customer will not be satisfied. Also, they have friends they will be talking to.
The damage is done when your organization loses a sale or receives a demand letter due to inaccessibility. The loss of trust, the hit to your reputation, and the financial impact aren’t something you can undo quickly. A patch or a band-aid won’t cut it.
People remember their bad experiences. No one wants to spend extra energy and time struggling to use your product, service, or website. Once you’ve lost that sale or faced legal action, the customer is gone, and the lesson is expensive.
Here’s the good news: you can stop future losses by taking accessibility seriously, the sooner the better. However, it’s not just about checking off a compliance check box—it’s about creating and consistently implementing a sustainable, proactive, corporate-wide strategy. Start embedding accessibility in everything you do: your culture, your processes, your product development, and your customer support.
Accessibility is a continuous journey, not a one-time action. Investing in it today means fewer lost sales, happier customers, and lower legal risks tomorrow. This long-term commitment to accessibility will not only benefit your business but also make your customers feel valued and included.Alt: Accessibility is not a light that can be flipped. The financial damage caused when your organization loses a sale or gets a demand letter is not reparable.
But, you can prevent future damage by taking accessibility seriously after that.
Keywords: 1. Long-Term Accessibility Strategy
2. Inclusive Customer Experience
3. Accessibility and Reputation Management
4. Building Accessibility Culture
5. Proactive Accessibility Investment
2. Inclusive Customer Experience
3. Accessibility and Reputation Management
4. Building Accessibility Culture
5. Proactive Accessibility Investment