Apply now for the Community Accessibility Award

Customer service: How far does your store go?

The Fair Trade Certified Seal helps consumers know that a product was manufactured under fair trade conditions. It helps businesses differentiate themselves as an ethical organization.

Wouldn’t it be great if businesses had a similar way of letting the public know of their level of commitment to customer service? Organizations often claim to have exemplary customer service, but what measurements were used in the ranking? It’s particularly important for people with disabilities who judge where to take their business by the organization’s ability to properly accommodate their needs in terms of universal customer service.

MaRS is pleased to be part of a new project designed to reward businesses for providing excellent universal customer service. Organizations can apply to be recognized with the new Community Accessibility Award unveiled today at the Series on Aging at MaRS.

The likelihood of having a disability increases with age. Thus, the award benefits our aging community as it will force interested organizations to re-evaluate their services. Assessing current procedures is one of the foundations for catalyzing change, which is a primary goal at the Series on Aging.

Apply now for this seal

The seal is a collaborative effort between SiG@MaRS and the National Quality Institute, and will be displayed on the websites of successful organizations. Winners will also receive a framed certificate for display in their place of business. Any businesses with the Customer Accessibility Award on their website will be recognized as providing exceptional customer service which not only fulfills the requirements in the Ministry of Community and Social Service’s Accessibility Standards for Customer Service but also exceeds it.

For more information on the benefits of branding your organization as accessible visit my blog, “Making Money Through Compliance“. To apply for the Community Accessibility Award simply click here. Applications for 2011 are due March 31st.

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Tags: branding, policy, Social Innovation