Why accessible documents are crucial for a business

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Accessibility has now become a global issue. Increasing awareness and a digital reach of customers have compelled businesses to have accessible documents. With over 10 percent of the global population being differently-abled, it is also a big business opportunity for businesses all over the world.

Businesses now understand that they need to have accessible mobile apps and websites to comply with the American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA). Now, there are multiple laws and guidelines about accessibility that give businesses a fair idea of how to stay accessible digitally for differently-abled people across the world.

What is an accessible document?

ADA compliant PDF documents are developed for differently-abled users. It is meant to be as easily readable by a normal reader as a low-vision or even non-sighted user. Developing an accessible document is an easy task during the original stages of writing a document; if accessibility is kept in mind.

Hence, if accessibility is kept in mind and all the guidelines are followed properly then you can easily release all the documents as completely accessible and error-proof.

Accessible documents and web pages enable differently-abled individuals who leverage a screen reader to read through documents. It also helps users to utilize document properties like contact information and leverage document styles to skip from one part of the file to another, hear alt text descriptions from pictures. Image tags also help users understand the meaning of images on web pages. This enables users to have real access to all the information that a normal user has.

Benefits of having accessible documents

People from all walks of life can have access to your business
Compliance and protection from legal lawsuits
Opportunity to increase business with differently-abled customers
Deliver a customer-delight experience

Section 508

Section 508 is the amendment to the 1973 Rehabilitation Act. It requires all government agencies including state, local, and federal companies who are receiving any amount of federal funding or have signed a contract with any government agency to offer accessible websites and apps including all digital attachments and multimedia files to be accessible for differently-abled population. You need to offer each and every attachment compliant to Section 508 guidelines. These files include Word, HTML, Excel, PowerPoint, Multimedia, and PDF.

Health and Human Services of the government agencies leverage robust resources to check out 508 compliance of documents. Businesses dealing with Federal Governments need to be extra careful with Section 508 compliance. However, nowadays everyone needs to be compliant with accessibility guidelines to perform businesses without any hitch.

It is worth noting that the government reserves the right to reject documents that are not compliant with the modern accessibility guidelines.

Consumer need accessible documents

Now consumers all over the world expect organizations to offer accessible solutions and communication through various digital assets including social media, website, and mobile applications. Hence, it has become business-critical for businesses to comply with accessibility guidelines including Section 508 and WCAG 2.1 to stay accessible and avoid expensive lawsuits for non-compliance.

With the digital revolution, every user is now connected through a smartphone. Hence, it becomes even more essential for businesses to focus on accessibility and reach differently-abled customers organically. On top of that, accessible documents can also help businesses to improve their bottom line by increasing sales and promotions through differently-abled customers and greater word of mouth publicity.

Wrapping Up

It is the need of the hour for businesses from all quarters to embrace digital accessibility and treat all of their customers equally. Being accessible will not only save businesses from expensive lawsuits, it will also help in opening a new revenue stream and a plethora of other opportunities.