|
<br />\dse) what to do, how to do it and when
<br />lO dcli\'er senice to the disabled public.
<br />'lou cannot ignore the disabled
<br />segment of our population. They will not
<br />go av,<lY, All most disabled \.....101 is to be
<br />treated like the rest. To have senice
<br />delivered to them in a reasonable
<br />m;loner. Be sensitive to their needs yes,
<br />but don't be on a feelings overload.
<br />S}TIlpathy in action is pity and that's not
<br />reasonable.
<br />And let's not forget what to call them.
<br />Afterall, someone gelS paid for changing
<br />all those politically correct terms.
<br />Physically challenged one month, ability
<br />different the next, or is differently abled
<br />now? Politically correct terms change like
<br />the seasons and \\-ith all the Idin in
<br />Minnesota we still have at least three,
<br />As public servants, it is necessary for
<br />y,)U to be comfortable with all aspeclS of
<br />our dJ;"':r:.~ population. Vlhether in a
<br />wheelchair,. b,'""d, pregnant, elderly, deaf,
<br />mentally limited, obese, recovering from
<br />an injury, you name it, "cusLOffier service"
<br />training is beneficial. If YOl.' have police,
<br />fire, administrative positions, ~"arks and
<br />recreation, street and waler deptt:nments,
<br />all your employees can benefit fro;,~ .,an
<br />awareness training program. \~..
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />Political correctness
<br />won't get it done...:',
<br />
<br />The u.s. government has seen'fit to
<br />mandate the acceptance of people with
<br />disabilities. Responses by both the pri\-ate
<br />and public sector range from "ignore it
<br />and it \\ill go away," sensitivity training
<br />that results in feelings overload, to panic
<br />remodeling of access in facili!)' useability.
<br />Upper management mentaliiy has
<br />been, let's decentralize responsibility and
<br />defer to established practices and
<br />procedures. ManydeparunenlS brought
<br />in disabled individuals who responded by
<br />exposing their own experiences. Others
<br />brought in the politically correct and
<br />sensitivity merchant, and still others
<br />deferred to the attorney's viewpoint and
<br />asked for an appraisal of risks providing
<br />nothing was done.
<br />Experience has taught us the most
<br />effective response to the Americans with
<br />disabilities act would be to break it into
<br />three separate exposures:
<br />[.,posure 1 is access to building and all
<br />facilities within. G~pert evaluation
<br />and advise recomm~nd~tLQDli, on remod.
<br />eling and quality equipment needed for
<br />ADA compliance.
<br />E.xposure 2 is ~J.2}'!QenJ of the
<br />disabled. Ha\'e an eX~~~12ced pT9fe,s..
<br />sionaLdo an appraisal of existing
<br />
<br />'-
<br />--
<br />
<br />~.,i:~'!'!~:::D-:-A C!T;,~5 J CCTOZ::~ '~93
<br />
<br />, .
<br />;;- - -,:'. -"... ..,.,.... .re", '''''._. . '......:,; .:-_,_' ~ ",._~._
<br />
<br />emplo)111Cm procedures beginning \"ith
<br />the job description. How is the job posted
<br />or advertised? \\'ill the application,
<br />screening, and intenic\'ring techniques
<br />need adjuSting? Will benefilS packaging
<br />accept existing conditions without bias?
<br />\\'ho will be responsible for the physical
<br />orientation of facilities and access to
<br />transpormtion as well as the work Olrea
<br />and procedures in the event of an
<br />emergency?
<br />Exposure 3 is customer service. There
<br />are 44 million people identified as
<br />disabled out of a population of 240
<br />million. Dekle the portions of our
<br />population that are not part of the
<br />purchasing public and you end up with
<br />one out of evel)' four customers or users
<br />of your services being handicapped or
<br />hal,ng a disability.
<br />We spend millions of dollars to provide
<br />access to make our service and product
<br />available. \Ve train our personnel and
<br />human resource deparunems lO a point
<br />of apople~')', however, the only segment
<br />of this new legislation where our bottom
<br />line can be affected positively is the
<br />
<br />,
<br />
<br />
<br />customer scnice delivered by the
<br />frontline employee.
<br />Little or no results will be gained by
<br />bringing in emotional mechanics,
<br />sensiti\ity experts, or politically correct
<br />specialists. All politicall)' correct tcrms
<br />change like the seasons. Sympathy in
<br />action equals pity. FrQntline employees
<br />need to know what to do, how to do it,
<br />and.when to deliver sef\;ces to the
<br />disabled.
<br />\Ve train management, supenisors,
<br />and frontline employees in the public
<br />and private sectors to include: police, fire,
<br />city and county administrative and public
<br />works personnel. We train medical.
<br />transportation, hotel and travel, retail
<br />and restaurant, childcare and educators.
<br />Wouldn't you like to have your
<br />employees comfortable and effecti\'c in
<br />dealing with your disabled public?
<br />
<br />Dave Roberts and Monica Bogner are
<br />. from Awareness Training a:Mi.nnesota-
<br />based company that provides training to
<br />government officiaIs. Their phone
<br />number is (612) 432-2131.
<br />
<br />-.....,...".-.",-.............
<br />
<br />
|