1、B480-02 (Large Print)(reaffirmed 2013)Customer Service Standard for People with DisabilitiesDeveloped in partnership withLegal Notice for StandardsCanadian Standards Association (operating as “CSA Group”) develops standards through a consensus standards development process approved by the Standards
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16、wer.Committee interpretations are processed in accordance with the CSADirectives and guidelines governing standardization and are publishedin CSAs periodical Info Update. For subscription details, write to CSASales Promotion, Info Update, at the address given above.Customer Service Standard Canadian
17、 Standards Association for People with DisabilitiesJune 2002 1B480-02Customer Service Standard forPeople with Disabilities0. Introduction0.1 Demographic and Economic ConsiderationsAs many as one in six Canadians has a disability. These disabilities rangein severity and type, including conditions suc
18、h as limited mobility, hearingand vision loss, illness, speech disabilities, and also developmental,intellectual, cognitive, learning, and other hidden disabilities. People with disabilities are coalescing as an economic and social power. The Health and Activity Limitations Survey by Statistics Cana
19、da showedthat in 1991 more than 4.5 million Canadians had some level of disability(see Appendix B). They constitute a significant portion of the consumermarket. It is estimated that people with disabilities are responsible for $25billion in annual consumer buying power in Canada and influence thespe
20、nding decisions of an estimated 12 to 15 million other Canadians. In addition, the tourism and travel sectors are important for many parts ofthe country; for example, up to 4.5 million international and a further11 million interprovincial visitors travel to Ontario each year. In meeting thefull need
21、s of these visitors, including those with disabilities, businesses canenhance their customers satisfaction and help ensure their own longer-termgrowth.Moreover, as the population ages, the proportion of Canadians withdisabilities will increase; seniors have a higher incidence of disability thanthe r
22、est of the population. Half of the adults with disabilities are 65 or older,and these numbers will increase quickly as the population ages.Taken together, these increasingly overlapping groups are a growing forceamong consumers. They will represent 20 to 25% of the recreation, retail,entertainment,
23、workplace, and housing markets in the next ten years andbeyond. Therefore, it makes good business sense to increase universalaccess, develop awareness and training for employees, and promote andprovide enhanced service for all customers, including those with disabilities.Cause-related marketing is a
24、n increasingly effective way to influencebuying decisions, as customers have begun to demand that corporationsbecome socially responsible. Therefore, corporate social responsibility isB480-02 Canadian Standards Association2 June 2002gaining support among business leaders, as well as consumers andact
25、ivists. Increasingly, organizations are creating codes of conductindicating their adherence to social commitments and establishingcommunity outreach initiatives. Indeed, in “producing and/or deliveringsocially and environmentally responsible products and/or services in anenvironmentally and socially
26、 responsible manner,” the Conference Board ofCanada has defined corporate social responsibility as a business issue ofthe new century. Addressing the needs of people with disabilities is animportant aspect of corporate social responsibility. 0.2 Legislative and Societal ConsiderationsGiven the numbe
27、r of Canadians of all ages who live with disabilities andour societys emphasis on protecting human rights many steps havebeen taken in recent years to ensure that non-discrimination on the basis ofdisability is enshrined in law. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 1982, states that everyind
28、ividual is equal before and under the law, without discrimination based onrace, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age, or mental orphysical disability. Furthermore, people with disabilities comprise one of thefour designated groups under the Employment Equity Act. The Ontario Human R
29、ights Code, 1992, in its “Freedom fromDiscrimination” section, specifies that “Every person has a right to equaltreatment with respect to services, goods and facilities” withoutdiscrimination for many reasons, among them, disabilities.The Ontarians with Disabilities Act (ODA), 2001, requires that al
30、l levels ofgovernment, transportation providers, the Ontario public service, andagencies in the broader public sector develop plans to make their buildings,programs, and services more accessible to people with disabilities. Inaddition, the Act contains a regulation-making authority to adopt codes an
31、dstandards for the private sector. In building an inclusive Ontario, the ODA will be supported by othernon-legislated initiatives that will educate the public and promote a greaterunderstanding of people with disabilities. The development of this Standardis one such initiative that is designed to as
32、sist business in servingcustomers with disabilities.Note: Excerpts from the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and theOntario Human Rights Code are provided in Appendix A. These shouldbe read in conjunction with other relevant parts of legislation to reachan understanding of the rights and obligations i
33、n specific circumstances.Customer Service Standard Canadian Standards Association for People with DisabilitiesJune 2002 30.3 Goals of This StandardSome organizations are leading the way in serving the needs of people withdisabilities. Their commendable efforts have resulted in an extensive newbody o
34、f knowledge around best practices and improved services for all.The goal of this Standard is to document appropriate parts of this acquiredknowledge and to present a management framework that enables customerservice organizations to effectively serve all people, including those withdisabilities. Thi
35、s framework should be viewed as a model that lays outcritical elements for continuing improvement. Customer service that accommodates the needs of people with disabilitiesmust be championed at the highest levels of the organization. There it canbecome part of the organizations cultural fabric and be
36、 an integral andexpected way of doing business. Successful implementation thereforerequires active participation by top management and business owners, andresponsibility for it cannot be delegated to lower management levels.It may not be possible or economically feasible for an organization toimplem
37、ent all the elements of this framework at once; nevertheless, it cantake steps within this framework to encourage innovation and improvementin customer service so that it meets the needs of people with disabilities. Service considerations encompass the physical environment, operationalprocesses, and
38、 human interactions. The Technical Committee responsible for the development of this Standardenvisioned a document that would greatly help any organization provideexcellence in service to each and every customer. The Committeeanticipates that this Standard will be used as a model that industry group
39、scan adopt for the purposes of validation and recognition on a sectoral basis. 0.4 Benefits of Applying This StandardGiven the current demographics, an organization that fails to address theneeds of people with disabilities runs the risk of abandoning or alienating asmuch as 20% of its market. It ma
40、y also be perceived as unprogressive andat odds with human rights legislation. On the other hand, organizations that do serve the needs of people withdisabilities can have a competitive advantage. Not only do they maximizetheir customer base, they demonstrate in a very visible way their capacity tos
41、erve an increasingly diverse society on an equal basis. Addressing the needs of people with disabilities can support an overallculture of corporate social responsibility with its related benefits, such as(a) protection and enhancement of corporate reputation, which in turn canB480-02 Canadian Standa
42、rds Association4 June 2002attract skilled workers, differentiate the organization in the marketplace, winacceptance of its products and services, encourage higher valuation fromfinancial markets, and sustain the organization during times of rapid change;(b) access to markets: companies with a proven
43、 record of socialresponsibility can have a competitive advantage over others with no suchrecord in gaining entry to new markets; and(c) customer loyalty: with the rise of corporate social responsibility, manycompanies find that their relationships with customers are strengthenedthrough disclosure of
44、 their practices. The cost of selling to an existingcustomer has been shown to be much lower than that of finding andsecuring a new customer. 1. Scope1.1 ObjectivesThis Standard is for use by organizations that intend to provide people withdisabilities with customer service that is equivalent to the
45、 quality of serviceprovided to the population at large.The objectives of this Standard are to assist individuals and organizationsin planning and implementing good service delivery, verifying the serviceperformance of the organization, and ensuring that the quality of service iscontinuously improved
46、.1.2 Application1.2.1The Standard sets out(a) general requirements, including core principles and the overallframework of the Standard;(b) requirements for the provision of customer service, including requirementsfor management leadership, provision of resources, service planning anddelivery, and re
47、sponsibilities of staff and associates;(c) important considerations in understanding disabilities, and how tointeract with and meet the needs of people with disabilities;(d) a management system that can be implemented to monitor and improvecustomer service; and (e) further references and resources (
48、see Appendices A to G).Note: See Clause 4.7.4 for suggested approaches to appropriate timingfor implementing changes to existing facilities and practices.Customer Service Standard Canadian Standards Association for People with DisabilitiesJune 2002 51.2.2The Standard applies to all service delivery
49、modes and may include, and notbe limited to, those(a) in person, by telephone, or by electronic or mail correspondence;(b) through an intermediary, intervenor, or third party; and(c) by all personnel, whether professional, administrative, or full- or part-time.1.3 Intended UsersThis Standard is for use by those who are responsible for developing andbringing services to the public, which includes peo
