ACCESSIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE POLICY
Statement
Royal
LePage Performance Realty shall use reasonable efforts to ensure
that its policies, practices and procedures are consistent with the following
principles;
Royal LePage Performance Realty shall provide service excellence
serving all customers including people with disabilities.
·
The goods or services will be provided
in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of persons with
disabilities.
·
The provision of goods or services to
persons with disabilities, and others, will be integrated unless an alternate
measure is necessary, whether temporarily or on a permanent basis, to enable a
person with a disability to obtain, use or benefit from the goods or services.
·
Persons with disabilities will be given
an opportunity equal to that given to others to obtain, use and benefit from
the goods or services.
·
Persons with disabilities may use
assistive devices and/or support persons in the access of goods and services.
·
Royal LePage Performance Realty employees
when communicating with a person with a disability shall do so in a manner that
takes into account the person’s disability.
Application
This policy shall apply to every person who deals with
members of the public or other third parties on behalf of Royal LePage Performance Realty whether the person does so as an
employee, sales representative, volunteer or otherwise.
Definitions
Accessibility Coordinator - The person
appointed by Royal LePage Performance
Realty as Accessibility Coordinator.
Assistive Devices - Any auxiliary aid
such as communication aids, cognition aids, personal mobility aids and medical
aids (i.e. canes, crutches, wheelchairs, or hearing aids).
Disabilities - The same as
definition of disability found in the Ontario Human Rights Code.
Employees - Any person who
deals with members of the public or other third parties on behalf of Royal
LePage Performance Realty, whether the person does so as an employee,
agent, volunteer or otherwise.
Persons with Disabilities - Individuals that are
afflicted with a disability as defined under the Ontario Human Rights Code.
Service Animals - Any animal
individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person
with a disability.
Support Persons - Any person whether
a paid professional, volunteer, family member or friend that accompanies a
person with a disability in order to help with communications, personal care or
medical needs or with access to goods or services.
Exclusions
This Accessibility Customer Service Standards Policy shall
not apply during any period where Royal
LePage Performance Realty has declared a “State of Emergency” as defined
under the Emergency Management Act.
Documentation
Royal
LePage Performance Realty shall, upon request, supply a copy of
the policies, practices and procedures required under the Ontario Regulation
429/07 – Accessibility Standards for Customer Service to any person.
Management Employee Expectations
To
implement this policy, management employees shall:
·
Establish practices and procedures;
·
Evaluate practices and procedures;
·
Revise practices and procedures as
required.
Review and Amendments
The Accessibility Coordinator shall be responsible for the
review process and any subsequent amendments to this policy document. Review
and amendments shall take place on an ongoing basis, and at a maximum interval
of every two years.
Customer Feedback
Feedback from our customers provides Royal LePage Performance Realty with opportunities to learn and
improve. Royal LePage Performance Realty
recognizes the right of our customers to make a complaint, compliment or make
suggestions on ways to improve our services.
To assist Royal LePage
Performance Realty in ensuring that the delivery of goods and service to
those with disabilities is provided in an effective and timely manner, the
customer is invited to provide their feedback as follows:
In writing, in person, e-mail, or telephone, addressed to:
Judy Mulligan
#201-1500 Bank Street
Ottawa, Ontario
Phone: (613) 733-9100
Fax: (613) 733-1450
E-mail: AODAfeedbackPD@performancerealty.ca
The Accessibility Coordinator will respond either in
writing, e-mail or telephone acknowledging receipt of feedback and will set out
the action to be taken in response to any complaints.
Click here to provide AODA
Feedback
Service Animals and Support Persons
·
Royal
LePage Performance Realty employees shall use reasonable efforts
to allow persons with disabilities to use their own assistive devices to access
goods and/or services.
·
Royal
LePage Performance Realty employees shall allow persons with
disabilities to be accompanied by their guide dog or service animal unless the
animal is excluded by law.
·
Where an animal is excluded by law from
the premises, the reason why the animal is excluded shall be explained to the
persons with disabilities, and other reasonable arrangements to provide goods
and services shall be explored with the assistance of the person with
disability.
·
Effective January 1, 2012 only service
animals will be allowed in any of the Performance Realty branches
·
When a service animal is unruly or
disruptive (jumping on people, biting, or other harmful behaviour) an employee
may ask the persons with disability to remove the animal from the area or
refuse access to goods or services. In this event, other reasonable
arrangements to provide goods or services shall be explored with the assistance
of the person with disability.
·
Persons with disabilities may be
accompanied by their support person while accessing goods and/or services.
Service Disruption - Notice
·
It is possible that from time to time
there will be disruptions in service (e.g. an entrance way that is under
repair, renovations that limit access to an area, or technology that is
temporarily unavailable).
·
In the event that a disruption in
service is planned, and expected, it is important to provide reasonable notice.
·
People with disabilities may often go
to a lot of trouble to access services, such as booking transit or arranging a
ride. By providing notice, you can save that person an unnecessary trip.
·
Notice will be provided on the website,
over the phone, or in writing.
Unexpected Disruption in Service -
Notice
·
In the event of an unexpected
disruption in service, notice may be provided in a variety of ways, and will be
done as quickly as possible.
·
In the event of a service disruption,
alternative methods of service may be considered and those impacted by service
interruption shall be informed of any alternative methods.
Training Requirements
·
Every person who participates in the
development of the policy, practices and procedures under
·
Every person who deals with the public
on behalf of Royal LePage Performance Realty, including 3rd parties i.e.
employees, agents, volunteers, management must complete training in relation to
this Policy.
·
Current employees, agents, volunteers,
management, etc. shall receive training by January 1, 2012.
·
New employees, agents, volunteers,
management, etc. shall receive training as soon as “practicable”, after being
assigned.
·
Ongoing training on changes to
policies, procedures, and new equipment shall be provided.
·
Training records shall be kept,
including the dates when the training is provided, number of individuals to
whom the training was provided.
Acceptable Terms for Use When Talking
About Disabilities
The Following is an excerpt from the Ministry of Community
and Social Services
[http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/mcss/english/how/howto_choose.htm]
Words can influence and reinforce the public’s perception of
people with disabilities. They can create either a positive view of people with
disabilities or an indifferent, negative depiction.
Here are some general tips that can help make your
communication and interactions with or about people with all types of
disabilities more successful.
·
Use disability or disabled, not
handicap or handicapped.
·
Never use terms such as retarded, dumb,
psycho, moron or crippled. These words are very demeaning and disrespectful to
people with disabilities.
·
Remember to put people first. It is
proper to say person with a disability, rather than disabled person.
·
If you don’t know someone or if you are
not familiar with the disability, it’s better to wait until the individual
describes his/her situation to you, rather than to make your own assumptions.
Many types of disabilities have similar characteristics and your assumptions
may be wrong.
Best Practices and Procedures
Accessible Customer Service follows four basic principles:
·
Dignity
·
Independence
·
Integration
·
Equal Opportunity
What can I do to help people with disabilities access our
services?
·
Ask how you can help
·
Offer a variety of methods of
communication
·
Understand the nature and scope of the
service you offer
Providing Customer Service for Persons
with Disabilities
Physical – Physical
disabilities include a range of functional limitations from minor difficulties
in moving or coordinating one part of the body, through muscle weakness,
tremors, and paralysis. Physical disabilities can be congenital such as
Muscular Dystrophy; or acquired, such as tendonitis. A physical disability may
affect an individual’s ability to:
·
Perform manual tasks such as holding a
pen, turning a key or grip a door knob
·
Move around independently
·
Control the speed or coordination of
movements
·
Reach, pull or manipulate objects
·
Have strength or endurance
Best practices and procedures for Customer Service:
There are many types and degrees of physical disabilities,
and not all require a wheelchair. It may be difficult to identify a person with
a physical disability.
·
Speak normally and directly to your
customer. Don’t speak to someone who is with them
·
People with physical disabilities often
have there own way of doing things. Ask before you help.
·
Wheelchairs and other mobility devices
are part of a persons personal space, don’t touch, move or lean on them
·
Provide your customer information about
accessible features of the immediate environment (automatic doors, accessible
washrooms, etc.)
·
Keep ramps and corridors free of
clutter
·
If a counter is to too high or wide,
step around it to provide service
·
Provide seating for those that cannot
stand in line
·
Be Patient. Customers will identify
their needs to you.
Hearing – Hearing loss can
cause problems in distinguishing certain frequencies, sounds or words. A person
who is deaf, deafened or hard-of hearing may be unable to:
·
Use a public telephone
·
Understand speech in noisy environments
·
Pronounce words clearly enough to be
understood by strangers
Best practices and procedures for Customer Service:
Like other disabilities, hearing loss has a wide variety of
degrees. Remember, customers who are deaf or hard of hearing may require
assistive devices when communicating.
·
Attract the customer’s attention before
speaking. The best way is a gentle touch on the shoulder or gently waving your
hand
·
Always ask how you can help. Don’t
shout. Speak clearly
·
Be clear and precise when giving
directions, and repeat or rephrase if necessary. Make sure you have been
understood
·
Face the person and keep your hands and
other objects away from your face and mouth
·
Deaf people may use a sign language
interpreter to communicate- always direct your attention to the Deaf person
–not the interpreter
·
Any personal (e.g. financial) matters
should be discussed in a private room to avoid other people overhearing
·
If the person uses a hearing aid, try
to speak in an area with few competing sounds
·
If necessary, write notes back and
forth to share information
·
Don’t touch service animals – they are
working and have to pay attention at all times
Deaf - Blindness – Deaf – Blindness
is a combination of hearing and vision loss. The result for a person who is
deaf-blind is significant difficulty accessing information and performing daily
activities. Deaf-blindness interferes with communication, learning, orientation
and mobility. People who are deaf-blind communicate using various sign language
systems, Braille, telephone devices, communication boards and any combination
thereof.
Many people who are deaf-blind use the services of an
Intervener who relay information and facilitate auditory and visual information
and act as sighted guides.
Best practices and procedures for Customer Service:
Most people who are deaf-blind will be accompanied by an
intervener, a professional who helps with communicating.
Interveners are trained in special sign language that
involves touching the hands of the client in a two-hand, manual alphabet or
finger spelling, and may guide and interpret for their client.
·
Do not assume what a person can or
cannot do. Some people who are deaf-blind have some sight or hearing, while
others have neither.
·
A customer who is deaf-blind is likely
to explain to you how to communicate with them or give you an assistance card
or a note explaining how to communicate with them
·
Do not touch or address the service
animals – they are working and have to pay attention at all times
·
Never touch a person who is deaf-blind
suddenly or without permission unless it’s an emergency
·
Understand that communication can take
some time- be patient.
·
Direct your attention to your customer,
not the Intervener.
Vision – Vision
disabilities reduce one’s ability to see clearly. Very few people are totally
blind; many have limited vision such as tunnel vision, where a person has a
loss of peripheral or side vision, or a lack of central vision, which means
they cannot see straight ahead. Some can
see the outline of objects while others can see the direction of light.
Vision loss may result in:
·
Difficulty reading or seeing faces
·
Difficulty maneuvering in unfamiliar
places
·
Inability to differentiate colours or
distances
·
A narrow field of vision
·
The need for bright light, or contrast
·
Night blindness
Best practices and procedures for Customer Service:
Vision disabilities may restrict your customers’ abilities
to read signs, locate landmarks or see hazards. In some cases, it may be
difficult to tell if a person has a vision disability, while others may use a
guide dog and/or white cane.
·
Verbally identify yourself before
making physical contact
·
If the person uses a service animal- do
not touch or approach the animal- it is working.
·
Verbally describe the setting, form,
location as necessary
·
Offer your arm to guide the person. Do
not grab or pull.
·
Never touch your customer without
asking permission, unless it is an emergency
·
Don’t leave your customer in the middle
of a room. Show them to a chair, or guide them to a comfortable location
·
Don’t walk away without saying good-bye
Intellectual
- Intellectual disabilities affect a person’s ability to think
and reason. It may be caused by genetic factors such as Downs Syndrome,
exposure to environmental toxins, such as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, brain trauma
or psychiatric disorders.
A person with an intellectual disorder may have difficulty
with:
·
Understanding spoken and written
information
·
Conceptual information
·
Perception of sensory information
·
Memory
Best practices and procedures for Customer Service:
People with intellectual or developmental disabilities may
have difficulty doing many things that most of us take for granted. These
disabilities can mildly or profoundly limit one’s ability to learn. You may not
be able to know that someone has this disability unless you are told, or you
notice the way people act, ask questions or use body language.
As much as possible, treat your customers with an
intellectual or developmental disability like anyone else. They may understand
more than you think, and they will appreciate your treating them with respect.
·
Do not assume what a person can or
cannot do
·
Use clear, simple language
·
Be prepared to explain and provide
examples regarding information
·
Remember that the person is an adult
and unless you are informed otherwise, can make their own decisions
·
Be patient and verify your
understanding
·
If you can’t understand what is being
said, don’t pretend. Just ask again
·
Provide one piece of information at a
time
·
Speak directly to your customer, not to
their companion or attendant
Speech – Speech
disabilities involve the partial or total loss of the ability to speak.
Typical disabilities include problems with:
·
Pronunciation
·
Pitch and loudness
·
Hoarseness or breathiness
·
Stuttering or slurring
Best practices and procedures for Customer Service:
Some people have problems communicating. It could be the
result of cerebral palsy, hearing loss, or another condition that makes it
difficult to pronounce words, causes slurring or stuttering, or not being able
to express oneself or understand written or spoken language. Some people who
have severe difficulties may use communication boards or other assistive
devices.
·
Where possible, communicate in a quiet
environment
·
Give the person your full attention.
Don’t interrupt or finish their sentences.
·
Ask them to repeat as necessary, or to
write their message.
·
If you are able, ask questions that can
be answered ‘yes’ or ‘no’
·
Verify your understanding
·
Patience, respect and willingness to
find a way to communicate are your best tools
Learning - Learning
disabilities include a range of disorders that affect verbal and non-verbal
information acquisition, retention, understanding and processing. People with a
learning disability may have average or above average intelligence, but take in
and process information and express knowledge in different ways.
Learning disabilities may result in difficulties with:
·
·
Problem solving
·
Time management
·
Way finding
·
Processing information.
Best practices and procedures for Customer Service:
·
Learning disabilities are generally
invisible and ability to function varies greatly
·
Respond to any requests for verbal
information, assistance in filling in forms, etc. with courtesy.
·
Allow extra time to complete tasks if
necessary.
Mental Health – Mental Health
disabilities include a range of disorders, however there are three main types
of mental health disability:
·
Anxiety
·
Mood
·
Behavioral
People with mental health disabilities may seem edgy or
irritated, act aggressively, be perceived as pushy or abrupt, be unable to make
a decision, start laughing or get angry for no apparent reason.
Best practices and procedures for Customer Service:
·
Treat each person as an individual. Ask
what would make him/her the most comfortable and respect his/her needs to the
maximum extent possible.
·
Try to reduce stress and anxiety in
situations.
·
Stay calm and courteous, even if the
customer exhibits unusual behavior, focus on the service they need and how you
can help.
Smell – Smell disabilities
can involve the inability to sense smells or a hypersensitivity to odors and
smells. A person with a smelling disability may have allergies to certain
odors, scents or chemicals or may be unable to identify dangerous gases, smoke,
fumes and spoiled food.
Touch – Touch/ Tactile
disabilities can affect a person’s ability to sense texture, temperature,
vibration or pressure. Touch sensations may be reduced or heightened resulting
in a hypersensitivity to touch, temperature, or the opposite, numbness and the
inability to feel touch sensations
Taste
- Taste disabilities can limit the experience of the four
primary taste sensations; sweet, bitter, salty and sour. A person with a taste
disability may be unable to identify spoiled food or noxious substances.
Other - Other disabilities
may result from a range of other conditions, accidents, illnesses and diseases
including ALS, asthma, diabetes, cancer, HIV/AIDs, environmental sensitivities,
seizure disorders, heart disease, stroke and joint replacement.
Disabilities are not always visible or easy to distinguish.
For More Information
To review the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities
Act, Ontario Regulation 429/07 in its entirety, please visit:
For additional information visit the Ministry of Community
and Social Services (MCSS) website at:
http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/mcss
For more information regarding preferred language when
dealing with people with disabilities, please visit:
MCSS: Talk
About Disabilities - Choose the Right Word
Non-Compliance
Failure to comply with this policy may result in
disciplinary action up to and including termination.