Tools to help your organization comply with the customer service standard

The Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association is developing tools including:

Accessible customer service policy templates customized for specific business needs

•  Accessible Customer Service Policy for Hotels and Motels
•  Accessible Customer Service Policy for Restaurants
•  Accessible Customer Service Policy for Tourism  

 

The top 10 best practices found throughout the hospitality industry

• Hospitality Best Practices

 

Use these resources to keep track of what needs to be done so that you can meet the deadline for the Accessible Customer Service Standards: January 1, 2012

• Compliance Checklist
• Practical Guide to Accessibility

 

Case Studies

In-depth case studies of specific organizations highlighting their approach to accessible customer service, staff member training and useful examples of how to apply these new regulations

• Woodbine Entertainment
• Nottawasaga Inn and Conference Centre
• CN Tower
• Canada's Wonderland
• StationPark All Suite Hotel
• O Noir Restaurant
• Boston Pizza Hamilton
• Holiday Inn and Suites Ottawa
• Macy's Diner

 

ORHMA has developed two Hosting Magazine - Accessibility Issues

2011 Hosting Accessibility Issue
2010 Hosting Accessibility Issue

ORHMA Insider: Special Accessibility Edition

Tools from the Government OF ONTARIO:

 
The Accessibility Directorate of Ontario offers free resources to help organizations understand and comply with the customer service standard including:

• Guide explains the formal meaning of the regulation 
• "How to" compliance manual with templates and sample documents
• Training resourceto meet training requirements
• Serve-Ability an e- Learning option for training staff members
  
  Resources for Small Businesses

• Compliance Manual for Small Businesses and Organizations
• Training Resource for Small Businesses and Organizations

 For additional resources, please visit the government website.

Read the act on the government's e-laws website:
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005

The legal requirements of the customer service standard are set out in two Ontario regulations under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005:

• Ontario Regulation 429/07 states the requirements of the customer service standard
• Ontario Regulation 430/07 exempts organizations that have fewer than 20 employees (unless the organization is a designated public sector organization) from certain documentation requirements of the standard. 

More accessibility resources

Videos, stories and tips. Visit the gournment's website.

Find out about the potential economic impact of increased accessibility, particularly for the tourism sector. Read the Martin Prosperity Institute report: "Releasing Constraints: Projecting the Economic Impacts of Increased Accessibility in Ontario".

 TIAO ACCESSIBILITY ARTICLE

Please contact Beth Potter to obtain a Word copy of the TIAO: Less than a Year to Meet Customer Service Standards article.

TIAO/ ORHMA ACCESSIBILITY WEBCAST

The TIAO/ ORHMA Accessibility Webcast is available here.