As one of the leading specialists in software support, the cloud, and transformative IT, SoftwareOne is keenly aware of the importance of ethical IT. Whether it’s in providing financial services or healthcare, helping people stay connected, or simply running better businesses, digitalisation, underpinned by the cloud and online services, has the potential to make life better for everyone.
It’s critical that people don’t get left behind in the process, and that understanding drives our passion for accessibility. A full 15%, around one in seven people worldwide, live with some form of disability. The percentages are even higher for older demographics.
SoftwareOne’s commitment to promoting inclusivity in digital spaces led us to sign a reseller’s agreement with Eye-Able in 2022, allowing us to provide and support its market-leading accessibility tools to our customers. That partnership grows from strength to strength as our two companies remain in total alignment.
What ist digital accessibility?
Digital accessibility means three things:
- It means identifying and remediating accessibility issues. The Internet evolves rapidly, and as new ways of making it more accessible to those living with disability become available, digital accessibility means embracing those opportunities to evolve your own web presence.
- It means enhancing compatibility with assistive technology. You don’t need to dedicate your own IT team and web developers to achieving digital accessibility! By leveraging the support of SoftwareOne, and the rich accessibility features of Eye-Able, you can deploy a best practices approach to accessibility on your website without touching the code or design.
- It means complying with legislation and WCAG standards. Every nation in the world has its own legislation on website accessibility, including Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. As your website reaches a global audience, you are obligated to meet all of those standards. The best approach to doing so is to meet WCAG standards, as most legal frameworks are based on its best practices approach
The most effective approach to delivering digital accessibility is to work with a trusted partner to review WCAG standards. This will enable you to determine the solutions that you need to adopt to get there, and then roll out a solution that won’t disrupt your existing operations.
SoftwareOne is your ideal partner to achieve this. SoftwareOne’s holistic approach to digital accessibility encompasses not only technical proficiency but also profound consideration for user experiences. By championing a combination of technical prowess, a commitment to inclusivity, and a user-centric approach, SoftwareOne empowers businesses to create digital solutions that cater to a diverse audience while adhering to accessibility standards.
In essence, SoftwareOne’s global experience, from operating in 90 countries and supporting 65,000 business customers, comprehensive capabilities and empathetic approach position us as the ideal partner to navigate the intricate landscape of digital accessibility and ensure that you are actively fostering an inclusive digital presence.
Why does digital accessibility matter?
Beyond the legal mandate (and possible penalties) to provide an experience that doesn’t discriminate against people living with disability, there are real and measurable business benefits from having a properly accessible website, including:
- More potential customers, given that your website will be able to reach the 15% of the population that might be locked out from a website with poor accessibility.
- A better reputation with customers. Gen Z customers, in particular, expect the brands they support to be responsible global citizens. This means showing leadership across a broad suite of ESG objectives, including accessibility.
- An improved experience for all users. People don’t need to be living with a disability to appreciate the ability to resize text font, access screen readers and adjust the colour balance on a page. By implementing accessibility into your website, you give all users control over their experience, which helps your company stand out.
Again, this can all be delivered through the power of the Eye-Able® accessibility solutions, and with support from SoftwareOne, the implementation of the technology into your website will be non-disruptive.
With SoftwareOne and Eye-Able®, doing the right thing is seamless and straightforward. Learn more via a free initial consultation and see for yourself just what embracing accessibility can do for your business. (LINK: Expert enterprise software and cloud advice | SoftwareOne)
