In today’s digital world, having an accessible online presence isn’t a nice-to-have accessory or seasonal fad; it’s a must-have that can make or break your business. Websites that don’t adhere to EAA and ADA compliance standards are walking a legal and PR tightrope, and it’s getting thinner by the day.
While web accessibility lawsuits have skyrocketed in recent years, the usual target isn’t just a Fortune 500 multinational anymore with a hotshot legal team and money to burn. Small and mid-sized businesses are increasingly finding themselves drawn to the legal arena for costly battles. Seeing all the good work going to waste and well-functioning companies going down over an unreadable font or a broken link sounds extremely harsh, but that’s the reality right now.
How does poor accessibility hurt online businesses?
Businesses tend to focus on the bottom line. But, beyond bad optics, the financial fallout can be devastating for well-established players, let alone family-run operations that can’t afford a hit to their local reputation they worked so hard to build. So, why exactly is this such a business killer?
Exclusion equals lost revenue
If you make it hard for people to access or navigate your website, they won’t stick around, no matter how glitzy it looks. With roughly 1 in 4 adults in the US and the EU living with some form of disability, you stand to lose a lot of revenue. Just think about it, by doing nothing to address accessibility issues, you’re closing your doors to 25% of potential customers and sending them into the hands of your competitors.
And guess what? People talk. Word travels quickly on the internet, and bad word even quicker. It spreads even faster in vulnerable populations who feel they’ve been discriminated against, whether intentionally or not.
Accessibility lawsuits are no joke
While famous brands like Domino’s and Target have made the news for well-publicized lawsuits, you don’t need to be a big company with locations across the country to get sued. The cat is truly out of the bag, and more and more legal representatives will feel emboldened to take on business for lack of accessibility compliance.
Both the European Accessibility Act (EAA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are clear on this; businesses must provide equal access to all users. While this used to apply exclusively to brick-and-mortar locations, it now includes websites and mobile apps. Miss the mark, and you could be staring down a protracted lawsuit that burns through your budget with legal fees and damages.
Reputation damage can be long-term
One of the biggest issues companies face in the digital realm is that the internet never forgets. No matter how hard you try or how many resources you’re able to invest, there is no way to police all corners of the web and ensure that a bad review or testimonial isn’t lurking somewhere waiting to explode.
If you acquire a reputation for violating accessibility laws, it tends to stick. Negative comments, unfavorable news coverage, and social media takedowns can live forever in the online space, casting a shadow over your brand. The last thing you want is to be seen as careless toward a vulnerable population. That is a stigma that is very hard to shake.
You’re probably not compliant & you don’t even know it
Many business owners assume that they’re fine just because they’ve never received a complaint. But that’s very risky indeed. While some people will gladly point out the deficiencies with your website with a well-meaning criticism, others won’t be so kind or full of understanding.
Accessibility is nuanced, from keyboard navigation and color contrasts to alt text, closed captions, and ARIA labels for assistive technologies, the list of things covered by Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) goes on. Even well-meaning businesses often overlook basic accessibility requirements, but unfortunately, benevolence and ignorance aren’t a good defense in court.
Who can ensure my website is in line with the highest EAA & ADA compliance standards?
While no business wants to have its name associated with a legal mess, accessibility is about more than avoiding lawsuits. It’s about decency, equal opportunity for all, and smart business sense. That’s where a team of specialists at ACCESS comes into play to help you preempt and solve your accessibility issues before they become a concern.
We leverage high-tech acumen and human ingenuity to keep businesses as compliant as possible and help them avoid the usual compliance tangle following the ADA/EAA website compliance checklist. We’re also extremely transparent, as shown by the objective comparison we’ve done between our service and our competitors in the UK.
Don’t gamble with the future of your business and risk destroying everything you’ve worked so hard to build. To avoid worst-case scenarios and maintain a positive brand image in the EU and the US, call our professionals today!
