Before I led sales at a print service provider (PSP) — and well before my time at Crawford Technologies — I was a student worker. I worked with and for other students in my college to provide an inclusive learning experience. It all started as a way to assist a friend and classmate who was deaf. Put simply, I went to our shared classes, took notes as usual, and then provided them back to the school for my friend and other students who needed them.
Looking back, they must have been good notes because my friend was an A+ student. He went on to become a Lawyer, an Accountant, and an MBA. This was the beginning of my interest in accessibility and inclusion. Postgrad, I joined a PSP. There, I worked with our document accessibility provider to produce accessible transactional statements. I’ve never looked back.
The Legal Ramifications of Non-Compliance
Fast forward 30 years, and the world of document accessibility has evolved exponentially. Inclusion laws forced rapid adoption of accessibility standards. To meet these laws — and avoid litigation or costly lawsuits — businesses had to deliver compliant communications. And doing so was the right choice.
Accessibility advocates aim to create an inclusive society. To do so, they fight to uphold civil rights laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act or the Accessibility for Canadians Act. Consequently, the number of Department of Justice lawsuits — plus class action and advocacy-based cases — has grown dramatically. We now see well over 20,000 cases annually.
Clearly, this type of lawsuit is becoming more common. While working in this industry, I’ve had the opportunity to serve as a subject matter expert in document accessibility suits. I’ve also been retained as an expert witness in a civil rights case about accessible invoices. I realized PSP’s have an opportunity here. Both to help their customers, and to help their own business.
The Accessibility Opportunity
We exist in a vast marketplace. Differentiation is key to attracting and retaining customers. Document accessibility services can be that differentiator for your PSP. By addressing accessibility up front, you set yourself apart from competitors.
So, what does this mean in practice? There is an opportunity for your business to provide a comprehensive accessible document solution. Your clients already depend on you for print and mail needs. But many times, you direct the data and composition as well. This is where you can add value. Digital accessibility — plus physical alternate formats like braille, large print, and audio — can be driven from your print-ready files.
I’ve had the opportunity to work with several print service providers in my current role. I’ve seen them successfully implement accessibility software, services, and consulting for their clients. They’ve been successful in these implementations and have seen strong returns on investment. So how did they do it? They picked the right partner.
They worked with the CrawfordTech sales enablement program. Through this partnership, they could implement, promote, and deliver accessibility. We want to show you how you can do the same.
Over the coming year, we’ll be hosting 4 webinars around the theme of “Selling Accessibility.” These will give you the knowledge you need to sell document accessibility. So, you’ll be able to expand your services and make core services stickier.
