News

Australian businesses could be missing out on billions of dollars worth of business by not catering for disabled customers by providing disabled access. 

Many business owners see disabled patrons as only those in wheelchairs; however, this can be misleading.

It is estimated that almost four million Australians have some form of disability, many of whom find it challenging to enter many premises. Some of these hidden disabilities are people who simply have trouble with walking.

While walking on flat surfaces may be fine, steps can be a strong deterrent for those with sore knees, swollen joints or fragile hips. Despite this, many Australian businesses still do not have appropriate access for less mobile patrons. RAISE Lift Group Managing Director, Clive Hammond said “the amount of lost dollars could be as much as $2 billion per year”.

Billions of dollars are literally being left at the shopfront because shop owners do not have the appropriate accessibility options in place.  When you also consider the number of elderly Australians or shoppers with prams and strollers the numbers start to add up. It just does not make good business sense to be without some kind of accessibility option.

Despite this, disabled consumers are still facing barriers to access and services on a daily basis. The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission will prosecute service providers and employers who have not made the necessary adjustments to make their premises accessible to disabled people.

RAISE Lift Group is a supplier and installer of platform lifts for disabled access. The company offers a wide range of high-quality lifts including commercial lifts, domestic residential lifts, dumb waiters, platform lifts and wheelchair lifts.