Hotel Customer Service and the ADA
Developed by the Mid-Atlantic ADA Center
Slide 1
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Slide 2
Listening to the Webinar, continued
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Slide 3
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Slide 4
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Please note: This webinar is being recorded and can be accessed on the ADA Hospitality Initiative website at http://adahospitality.org/content/Archives-Compliance-Webinars within 48 hours after the conclusion of the session.
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Slide 5
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Slide 6
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Slide 7
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Slide 8
Hotel Customer Service and the ADA
Developed by the Mid-Atlantic ADA Center
Slide 9
ADA Centers
10 regional Centers provide:
● Training
● Materials
● Newsletters
● Toll-free information line:
§ 1-800-949-4232 Voice/TTY
● Website: www.ADAhospitality.org
Slide 10
What is the ADA?
● Americans with Disabilities Act; civil rights law passed in 1990
● Prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities by a variety of private businesses, including hotels and restaurants
● Goal: Full inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of American society
Slide 11
Why was the ADA Needed?
● Before 1990…
● There was no federal law that addressed discrimination against people with disabilities in most hotels, restaurants, and other private businesses
● People with disabilities were excluded from many activities and opportunities because of barriers in buildings and facilities, communication, and attitudes
Slide 12
Quick Quiz
How many people with disabilities are there in the United States?
Slide 13
Answer
● At least 56 MILLION
U.S. Census Bureau
Facts for Features: 20th Anniversary of the ADA
July 26, 2010
Slide 14
The Population
● Nearly 19% of the U.S. population has a disability; that’s roughly 1 out of every 5 people
● The numbers of people with disabilities are also increasing due to injuries to our military service members, an aging “baby-boomer” population, and other factors
[image: screen beans represent a group of six people, one of whom is using a wheelchair]
Slide 15
Booming Market
● There are 76 million aging baby boomers
● According to the National Organization on Disability (2001), people ages 55 – 64 have about a 22% chance of developing a disability
● 42% of people aged 65 + reported functional limitations (2005)
Slide 16
Booming Spending
Image of Graph:
Average annual travel expenditures by age of head of household, 2008
Under 25 years - $481
25-34 years - $1,036
35-44 years - $1,493
45-54 years - $1,794
55-64 years - $1,897
65 years and older - $1,176
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor
Slide 17
Travelers with Disabilities
● More than 21 million adults with disabilities traveled at least once in the preceding two years, and
● More than 50% of them stayed in hotels during their trips
Open Doors Organization (ODO),
Travel Industry Association of America (TIA), 2005
Slide 18
Travelers’ Troubles
● However, 60% of guests with disabilities had problems at the hotels where they stayed
● Physical barriers
● Communication barriers
● Customer service problems
Open Doors Organization (ODO),
Travel Industry Association of America (TIA), 2005
Slide 19
● How can we attract this market?
Image: “welcome back” sign with two suitcases
Slide 20
Welcome People with Disabilities
● Remove barriers
● Communicate effectively
● Focus on customer service
Slide 21
Examples of Accessibility
● Reading materials out loud
● Exchanging written notes
● Accessible parking spaces
● Fire alarm signals with flashing lights
● Signs with Braille characters
● No-step entrances
Slide 22
Food Service
● Clear, accessible routes to move through food service and dining areas
● Accessible tables with knee clearance underneath for wheelchair users
● Self-serve items within reach of seated people
Image: Counter with food service items (napkins, condiments, etc.) arranged so that individual using a scooter can approach and reach items
Slide 23
Guest Who is Deaf or Hard of Hearing
● Write notes back and forth
● Speak clearly and don’t cover your mouth
● Use gestures and body language
● If someone is interpreting for the guest, speak directly to the person who is deaf, not to the interpreter
Image: symbol for sign language interpreter
Image: woman using sign language
Slide 24
Telephone Relay System
A “communications assistant” (CA) relays telephone conversations for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities
Image: TTY
Slide 25
Video Relay Service (VRS)
Image: a chart depicting how a video relay system works:
1. Video relay user signs to the interpreter via internet camera
2. Interpreter speaks to the phone user
3. Phone user responds
4. Interpreter signs the response to the video relay user
Slide 26
Guest Who is Blind or Has Low Vision
● Provide print information in large print, Braille, or electronic formats
● Read menus or documents to the guest
● Assist with finding signature line on guest checks, registration forms, etc.
● Offer to trim a corner off a key card so the guest knows which way to put it in the door
● Orient the guest to the hotel, including the lobby, their room, and areas in and around the hotel
Image: woman uses white cane to navigate along a sidewalk
Image: White cane symbol
Slide 27
Giving Directions
● Be as specific as possible when giving directions to an individual with a vision disability; for example …
§ “Follow the hallway to your left for about twenty feet, and the restroom will be the second door on your right” is better than …
§ “It’s right there”
Image: red circle with slash represents “no” on top of man pointing: no pointing
Slide 28
“Sighted Guide”
Image: woman acts as sighted guide for man, leading him to seating in restaurant
Image: close up of hand on elbow, illustrating sighted guide technique
Slide 29
Guest Using a Wheelchair
● Do not lean on a person’s wheelchair while talking to him
● If your counter is too high, use another location with a lower surface, or go around and give documents to the guest on a clipboard
● Ask if guest needs an ADA-compliant room (accessible bathroom with grab bars, etc.)
Image: man using wheelchair shakes hands with man standing
Slide 30
More about Guests with Mobility Disabilities
● Never move a guest’s wheelchair, walker or other mobility device without permission
● Be familiar with the accessible features of the hotel; you should be able to describe them and give directions
● Exercise room, pool, outdoor areas, routes
Slide 31
Questions?
Image: cartoon of man scratching his head
Slide 32
Guest with a Speech Disability
● Don’t pretend you understand if you don’t
● Ask the person to repeat if necessary
● Be willing to write notes back and forth
● Do not shout or raise your voice
● If the person uses a computer to talk, continue to have a normal conversation
Image: woman interacts with young girl using communication device attached to her wheelchair
Image: communication board includes symbols for word and phrases
Slide 33
Guest with an Intellectual Disability
● Don’t make assumptions about what the person can or cannot do
● Don’t treat an adult like a child
● Explain things clearly and be willing to repeat, if asked
Slide 34
“Invisible” Disabilities
● Many people have “hidden” disabilities that affect mobility, communication, or mental functions
§ For example, arthritis, heart conditions, strokes or other brain injuries, mental illnesses
● Often, a little patience is all that is needed
Slide 35
Offer Assistance
● When you see someone with a disability who appears to need some assistance, offer – ask what you can do
§ Wait for a response and let the individual be your guide
● Follow their instructions, or
● Respect their refusal
Slide 36
Accessible Guest Rooms
Image: hotel room door with lever handle and hand inserting card key
Slide 37
Making Accessible Rooms “Usable” for Wheelchair Users
● Leave hand-held showerhead near faucet where it can be reached
● Be sure all items in the room can be reached from a seated position; for example:
§ Lamps
§ Phones
§ Coffee pot
§ Alarm clock/radio
§ Iron
§ Ironing board
§ Blankets
§ Computer cords
§ Towels
§ Hair dryer
§ Toiletries
§ Showerhead
Slide 38
Wheelchair Accessible Bathroom
Image: man using wheelchair turns on water at bathroom sink
Image: man using wheelchair adjusts handheld shower spray
Slide 39
Things to Consider for Accessible Rooms
● Adding power strips to ensure that outlets are accessible
● Placement of furniture to allow wheelchair access to all areas of the room
● Provide a card explaining why things are a bit different from standard rooms
Image: Power strip
Image: card with linen washing policy
Slide 40
Accessible Guest Room
Image: man using wheelchair in hotel room adjusts window drapes
Image: man using wheelchair in hotel room, talking on telephone
Slide 41
Making Guest Rooms “Usable” for Guests Who are Blind
● Provide as much information about the room and its features as possible
§ Thermostat
§ Phone and TV remote control
§ Outlets
§ Internet access
§ Toiletries
§ Drape cords or rods
Image: Hotel telephone
Image: Remote control for television
Slide 42
Guest Rooms for Guests Who are Deaf
● Have equipment available
§ TTY
§ Vibrating alarm
§ Doorbell and telephone alert signals
§ Volume control for phone
Image: alarm clock with flashing light and vibrating signals
Slide 43
Making Guest Rooms “Usable” for Guests Who are Deaf
● Make sure equipment is in working order
● Have instructions available for both staff and guests
● Assist guests in installing and using equipment
Slide 44
Let’s Review: Etiquette and Language
Slide 45
Disability Etiquette Review
● Never lean on a person’s wheelchair or move a mobility device without permission
● Speak directly to the person, not to an interpreter or companion
● Never make assumptions – ask if a person needs help
Slide 46
Talking about Disability
● If you must identify someone by her disability, put the person first
§ A person with epilepsy, not “an epileptic”
● Refer to groups the same way, people first
§ People who are blind, not “the blind”
Slide 47
Avoid Offensive Terms
● Avoid terms that victimize people, like “afflicted with” or “suffers from”
● Avoid outdated terms that may have been considered polite in times past (handicapped, mute or dumb, crippled, lame, retarded) but are now offensive to many people
● Avoid these even if you hear people with disabilities use them!
● Avoid trendy, patronizing terms, like “differently-abled,” “challenged,” or “handi-capable”
Slide 48
Don’t Get All Bound Up!
● People are not imprisoned in wheelchairs; people use wheelchairs to move around
§ Avoid saying people are “wheelchair bound” or “confined” to wheelchairs
Image: cartoon of a man tied to a wheelchair; caption reads "wheelchair bound?"
Slide 49
What to Say?
Instead of …
● Handicapped (person), cripple, invalid, etc.
● Handicapped (parking, restroom, etc.)
● Wheelchair person, wheelchair bound, etc.
● “Afflicted with,” “suffers from”
● Mute or dumb
● Lunatic, psycho
● Retarded, retard, feeble-minded
Say …
● Person with a disability
● Accessible
● Person who uses a wheelchair, wheelchair user
● A person who has …