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Unit 3: How to interact and communicate with customers who have disabilities

In this unit, you will learn:

• General tips on providing service to customers with disabilities
• Tips on how to interact and communicate with customers:
  • Who have vision loss
  • Who are Deaf, deafened, oral deaf or hard of hearing
  • Who are deafblind
  • Who have physical disabilities
  • Who have mental health disabilities
  • Who have intellectual or developmental disabilities
  • Who have learning disabilities
  • Who have speech or language impairments.
• Tips if you visit or deliver to your customers with disabilities at home
• Tips if you talk to customers with disabilities on the telephone.

General tips on providing service to customers with disabilities

• If you're not sure what to do, ask your customer, “May I help you?” Your customers with disabilities know if they need help and how you can provide it.
• Speak directly to the person with a disability, not to his or her support person or companion.
• Avoid stereotypes and make no assumptions about what type of disability or disabilities the person has. Some disabilities are not visible and customers are not required to give you information about any disabilities they may have.
• Take the time to get to know your customer’s needs and focus on meeting those needs just as you would with any other customer.
• Be patient. People with some kinds of disabilities may take a little longer to understand and respond. A good start is to listen carefully.
• Make an effort to learn about appropriate language and terminology to use when referring to people with disabilities. For more information, see Appendix B.
• If you cannot understand what your customer is saying, politely ask them to repeat themselves.
• Don’t touch or speak to service animals – they are working and have to pay attention at all times.
• Don't touch assistive devices, including wheelchairs, without permission.
• Consider offering interactive devices (such as self-serve checkouts, direct payment devices) that can be used by people with various types of disabilities or offering alternate services.
• Consider including people with disabilities in the testing or evaluation of your communication services.

Tips on how to interact and communicate with customers who have vision loss

Vision loss reduces a person’s ability to see clearly. Few people with vision loss 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 people can see the outline of objects while others can see the direction of light.

Vision loss can restrict your customers’ abilities to read signs, locate landmarks or see hazards. Some of these customers may use a guide dog or white cane, but others may not. Sometimes it may be difficult to tell if a person has vision loss.

Types of assistance your customer might use:

• Braille
• Large print
• Magnification devices
• White cane
• Guide dog
• Support person such as a sighted guide.

There is more information on assistive devices, service animals and support persons in Units 4, 5, 6 and 7.

General Tips

• Don't assume the individual can't see you.
• Don’t touch your customer without asking permission.
• Offer your elbow to guide the person. If he or she accepts, walk slowly, but wait for permission before doing so. Lead – don’t pull. See Appendix C for tips on guiding a customer who has vision loss.
• Identify landmarks or other details to orient your customer to the environment around him or her.
• Don’t touch or speak to service animals – they are working and have to pay attention at all times.
• Don't leave your customer in the middle of a room. Show him or her to a chair, or guide them to a comfortable location.
• If you need to leave your customer, let him or her know you are leaving and will be back.
• Identify yourself when you approach your customer and speak directly to him or her, even if he/she is accompanied by a companion.
• There is generally no need to raise your voice because the person does not necessarily have hearing loss. Say your name even if you know the person well as many voices sound similar.
• Be clear and precise when giving directions, e.g., two steps behind you, a metre to your left, etc. Don’t use “over there” or point in the direction.
• If you’re uncertain about how to provide directions, ask the person how to do so.
• Do not be afraid or embarrassed to use words such as “see”, “read” and “look.” People with vision loss also use these words.
• When providing printed information, offer to read or summarize it.
• Offer to describe information. For example, verbally itemize the bill or explain what the specials are or what is on the menu.

Tips on how to interact and communicate with customers who are Deaf, oral deaf, deafened or hard of hearing,

People who have hearing loss may be Deaf, oral deaf, deafened or hard of hearing.

• People who are profoundly deaf may identify themselves as culturally Deaf or oral deaf. In Deaf culture, indicated by a capital “D,” the term is used to describe a person who has severe to profound hearing loss, with little or no hearing.
• Oral deaf is a term describing a person who was born deaf or became deaf before learning to speak, but is taught to speak and may not typically use American Sign Language.
• The term “deafened” describes a person who has lost their hearing slowly or suddenly in adulthood. The person may use speech with visual cues such as captioning or computerized note-taking, speechreading or sign language.
• The term “hard of hearing” describes a person who uses their residual hearing (hearing that remains) and speech to communicate. The person may supplement communication by speechreading, hearing aids, sign language and/or communication devices.

Types of assistance your customer might use:

• Hearing aid
• Paper and pen
• Personal amplification device (e.g., Pocket Talker)
• Phone amplifier
• Relay Service
• Teletypewriter (TTY)
• Hearing ear dog
• Support person such as a sign language interpreter.

There is more information on assistive devices, service animals and support persons in Units 4, 5, 6 and 7.

General Tips

• Attract the customer’s attention before speaking. Generally, the best way is by a gentle touch on the shoulder or with a gentle wave of your hand.
• Ask how you can help. Don’t shout.
• Move to a well-lit area, if available, where your customer can see your face.
• Don’t put your hands in front of your face when speaking. Some people read lips.
• If necessary, ask if another method of communicating would be easier, for example, using a pen and paper.
• Be patient if you are using a pen and paper to communicate. American Sign Language may be your customer’s first language. It has its own grammatical rules and sentence structure.
• Look at and speak directly to your customer. Address your customer, not the interpreter or support person.
• Be clear and precise when giving directions, and repeat or rephrase if necessary. Confirm that your customer understands you.
• If the person uses a hearing aid, reduce background noise or move to a quieter area, if possible, so the person can hear or concentrate better.
• Don’t assume that the customer knows sign language or reads lips.

Tips on how to interact and communicate with customers who are deafblind

A person who is deafblind can neither see nor hear to some degree. This results in difficulties in accessing information and managing daily activities. Many people who are deafblind will be accompanied by an intervenor, a professional who helps with communicating.

Types of assistance your customer might use:

• Braille
• Large print
• Print on paper (using black felt marker on non-glossy white paper or using portable white and black boards)
• Communication boards
• Hearing aid with built-in FM system
• Magnification equipment such as monocular or magnifier
• Teletypewriter (TTY)
• White cane
• Service animal
• Support person, such as an intervenor.

There is more information on assistive devices, service animals and support persons in Units 4, 5, 6 and 7.

General Tips

• Don’t assume what a person can or cannot do. Some people who are deafblind have some sight or hearing, while others have neither.
• A customer who is deafblind is likely to explain to you how to communicate with him or her or give you an assistance card or a note explaining how to communicate with him or her.
• Identify yourself to the intervenor when you approach your customer who is deafblind, but then speak directly to your customer as you normally would, not to the intervenor.
• Don’t touch or address service animals – they are working and have to pay attention at all times.
• Don’t suddenly touch a person who is deafblind or touch them without permission.

Tips on how to interact and communicate with customers who have physical disabilities

There are many types and degrees of physical disabilities, and not all require a wheelchair. People who have arthritis, heart or lung conditions or amputations may also have difficulty with moving, standing or sitting. It may be difficult to identify a person with a physical disability.

Types of assistance your customer might use:

• Elevator
• Mobility device (i.e., wheelchair, scooter, walker, cane, crutches)
• Support person.

There is more information on assistive devices and support persons in Units 4, 5 and 7.

General Tips

• Speak naturally and directly to your customer, not to his or her companion or support person.
• If you need to have a lengthy conversation with someone in a wheelchair or scooter, consider sitting so that you can make eye contact.
• Ask before you help. People with physical disabilities often have their own ways of doing things.
• Respect your customer’s personal space. Do not lean over him or her or on his or her assistive device.
• Don’t move items or equipment, such as canes and walkers, out of the person’s reach.
• Don't touch assistive devices without permission. If you have permission to move a person in a wheelchair, remember to:
  • Wait for and follow the person’s instructions
  • Confirm that your customer is ready to move
  • Describe what you’re going to do before you do it
  • Avoid uneven ground and objects
  • Don’t leave the person in an awkward, dangerous or undignified position such as facing a wall or in the path of opening doors.
• Let your customer know about accessible features in the immediate area (i.e., automatic doors, accessible washrooms, elevators, ramps, etc.).

Tips on how to interact and communicate with customers who have mental health disabilities

Mental health disabilities are not as visible as many other types of disabilities. You may not know that your customer has a mental health disability unless you’re informed of it.

Examples of mental health disabilities include schizophrenia, depression, phobias, as well as bipolar, anxiety and mood disorders.

A person with a mental health disability may have difficulty with one, several or none of these:

• Inability to think clearly
• Hallucinations (e.g., hearing voices, seeing or feeling things that aren’t there)
• Depression or acute mood swings (e.g., from happy to depressed with no apparent reason for the change)
• Poor concentration
• Difficulty remembering
• Apparent lack of motivation.

If someone is experiencing difficulty controlling his or her symptoms, or is in a crisis, you may want to help out. Be calm and professional and ask your customer how you can best help.

Types of assistance your customer might use:

• Service animal
• Support person.

There is more information on service animals and support persons in Units 6 and 7.

General Tips

• Treat a person with a mental health disability with the same respect and consideration you have for everyone else.
• Be patient.
• Be confident and reassuring. Listen carefully and work with your customer to try to meet their needs.
• If someone appears to be in a crisis, ask him or her to tell you the best way to help.

Tips on how to interact and communicate with customers who have intellectual or developmental disabilities

People with intellectual or developmental disabilities may have difficulty doing many things most of us take for granted. These disabilities can mildly or profoundly limit the person’s ability to learn, communicate, socialize and take care of their everyday needs. You may not know that someone has this type of disability unless you are told.

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 that you treat them with respect.

Types of assistance your customer might use:

• Communication board
• Speech generating device
• Service animal
• Support person.

There is more information on assistive devices, service animals and support persons in Units 4, 5, 6 and 7.

General Tips

• Don’t assume what a person can or cannot do.
• Use plain language and speak in short sentences.
• To confirm if your customer understands what you have said, consider asking the person to repeat the message back to you in his or her own words.
• If you cannot understand what is being said, simply ask again.
• Provide one piece of information at a time.
• Be supportive and patient.
• Speak directly to your customer, not to their companion or support person.

Tips on how to interact and communicate with customers who have learning disabilities

The term “learning disability” describes a range of information processing disorders that can affect how a person acquires, organizes, expresses, retains, understands or uses verbal or non-verbal information.

Examples include dyslexia (problems in reading and related language-based learning); dyscalculia (problems in mathematics); and dysgraphia (problems in writing and fine motor skills).

It is important to know that having a learning disability does not mean a person is incapable of learning. Rather, it means they learn in a different way.

Learning disabilities can result in different communication difficulties for people. They can be subtle, such as difficulty reading, or more pronounced. They can interfere with your customer’s ability to receive, express or process information. You may not know that a person has a learning disability unless you are told.

Types of assistance your customer might use:

• Alternative technology for writing
• Calculator
• Scanning or reading technology
• Tape recorders, mini pocket recorders.

There is more information on assistive devices and support persons in Units 4, 5 and 7.

General Tips

• When you know someone with a learning disability needs help, ask how you can help.
• Speak naturally, clearly, and directly to your customer.
• Allow extra time if necessary – people may take a little longer to understand and respond.
• Remember to communicate in a way that takes into account the customer’s disability.
• Be patient and be willing to explain something again, if needed.

Tips on how to interact and communicate with customers who have speech or language impairments

Some people have problems communicating because of their disability. Cerebral palsy, hearing loss or other conditions may make it difficult to pronounce words or may cause slurring or stuttering. They also may prevent the person from expressing themselves or prevent them from understanding written or spoken language. Some people who have severe difficulties may use communication boards or other assistive devices.

Types of assistance your customer might use:

• Communication board
• Paper and pen
• Speech generating device
• Support person.

There is more information on assistive devices and support persons in Units 4, 5 and 7.

General Tips

• Don’t assume that because a person has one disability, they also have another. For example, if a customer has difficulty speaking, it doesn’t mean they have an intellectual or developmental disability as well.
• Ask your customer to repeat the information if you don’t understand.
• Ask questions that can be answered “yes” or “no” if possible.
• Try to allow enough time to communicate with your customer as they may speak more slowly.
• Don’t interrupt or finish your customer’s sentences. Wait for them to finish.

Tips on at-home service and personal delivery to customers with disabilities

• Confirm the details of your arrival time in advance. Don’t arrive unexpectedly.
• Be patient. You may need to wait a few moments for your customer to open the door.
• Introduce yourself clearly. Some customers may not be able to read identification cards and may want you to use a password. Check before you visit.
• Keep your customer informed of what you’re doing.
• If you need to move some of your customer's possessions, make sure that you leave the house exactly as it was when you arrived. For example, someone with vision loss will expect that their furniture is in the same place and could trip if you’ve moved the sofa.
• If you cannot complete the job, clearly explain what will happen next. Make another appointment, and leave contact information in case there are problems or questions arise.

Tips on talking to customers with disabilities over the phone

• Speak naturally, clearly and directly.
• Don’t worry about how the person’s voice sounds. Concentrate on what they are saying.
• Don’t interrupt or finish your customer’s sentences. Give your customer time to explain or respond.
• If you don’t understand, simply ask again, or repeat or rephrase what you heard and ask if you have understood correctly.
• If a telephone customer is using an interpreter or a Relay Service, speak naturally to the customer, not to the interpreter.
• If you encounter a situation where, after numerous attempts, you and your customer cannot communicate with each other due to the customer’s disability, consider making alternate arrangements.

Self-test: Unit 3

Which of the following should you not do when serving a customer with a disability?

1. Speak directly to your customer, not to their support person or companion.
2. Grab the arm of your customer with vision loss and pull them to the check-out counter.
3. If your customer uses a hearing aid, reduce background noise or move to a quieter area.
4. Ask your customer to repeat information if you didn’t understand the first time.

Answer:

b is the correct answer:

Offer your elbow to guide the person. If he or she accepts, walk slowly, but wait for permission before doing so. Don’t take your customer’s arm and pull him or her along.