The Purple Pound

The spending power of disabled people and their household, known as the ‘Purple Pound’ continues to increase, and is estimated to be worth £274 billion per year to UK business.

Lorraine Stanley, founder and CEO of the not-for-profit organisation SWAD, shares her personal insight and recommendations on ways businesses could adapt the customer experience for disabled people and their families and, in turn, build lasting customer engagement.

Lorraine said: “I have relied on a wheelchair to access the world for almost 20 years. Disability discrimination laws have been in place for 27 years. Despite this, there are many shops, restaurants, and other venues that I can’t enter as there are no ramps or lifts. Sometimes there can be a ramp, but the store furniture is too close together (clothes racks, tables and chairs) or there is no aisle space for wheelchair users to navigate.

“People with walking aids, anyone with a child’s buggy, and people who rely on holding onto someone’s arm due to balance issues (eg, dementia), are just as excluded as myself. The bottom line is that our (the disabled community’s) money is just as valuable as anyone else’s, and businesses are turning away huge amounts of it by not catering for us.

“Even accessing a solicitor can be a challenge, as many of their offices are located above street level, with no lifts and steep stairs. From personal experience, it is upsetting to be reviewing and signing off on divorce paperwork in a coffee shop, with complete strangers in earshot – rather than a private office.

“Not everyone with mobility issues is a wheelchair user. Our population is ageing. The number of people aged 65 or over in England will increase by 65 per cent in the next 25 years. Even if the age of 65+ seems far into the future for you, the reality is that mobility levels often decrease as we age. Perhaps it’s time for a bit of ‘enlightened self-interest’ – a little bit of future-proofing?

“The hospitality and tourism industries need us disabled people to visit. Where we go, there will be friends and family with us. If we find a venue that meets our access needs, we’re very loyal.

“News of a decent accessible venue also spreads rapidly through disability networks. People will book family, and business, events when they find an inclusive venue. Being accessible can give any business the competitive edge in the marketplace throughout the current cost of living crisis, and beyond. A prime example of this is a local business – the award-winning Marsham Court Hotel in Bournemouth. They have a sensory room, a Changing Places toilet, and some bedrooms with hoisting systems in-situ.

“Conversely, I was invited to present at a medical conference earlier this year. It was an absolutely beautiful hotel that said it had disabled access. The conference room was above ground level, but the dimensions of the only lift were too small for my wheelchair. I had to present by video link, which meant I missed out on the networking that is vital for my business.

“That hotel lost my personal business on that occasion. I spoke with the conference organisers about the access issues, and they have decided to remove that venue from their files. So, that hotel will not be benefitting from a significant amount of money over the next few years – all for the sake of an outdated, inaccessible, lift. That’s thousands of pounds worth of income going elsewhere!

“A final thought ….everybody can use a ramp – not everybody can use steps.” SWAD is not for profit training organisation specialising in the area of disability and sex. Purple Tuesday is a global social movement, and the #1 brand for improving the customer experience for disabled people and their families, 365 days a year. www.purpletuesday.co

www.swaddorset.org

Lorraine Stanley, SWAD

Did you know:

UK Disability History Month (UKDHM) takes place from 22 November to 22 December. It is an annual event designed to create a platform for disability campaigns to focus on the history of the struggle for equality and human rights. www.ukdhm.org

“The disabled community's money is just as valuable as anyone else's and businesses are turning away huge amounts of it by not catering for us”