Restaurants and Retailers

Do you know who you are missing?

If your building or business isn't accessible to people with disabilities, you are missing out on a major market. The 54 million Americans with a disability have $220 billion in discretionary income and represent an untapped market for you. For example, 71% of people with a disability report that they eat out at least once a week. Access problems could be keeping seniors and parents with small children away, too. Studies show that 25% of people over the age of 50 (50% of people over 65) have a disability, while 25% of women shoppers have small children and are often struggling with strollers.

Your Location May Have Barriers

"This is really the bottom line issue for businesses—can we reach out and make certain that those who are disabled in our community have the ability to reach the same types of businesses and services that anyone else does. BigBell™ creates awareness even for those who are not disabled, but for those patrons that perhaps were unaware of the challenges that people with disabilities face."
-Jonathon Perman, Executive Director, Evanston Chamber of Commerce, Evanston, Illinois

To meet Federal accessibility standards, the entry for your establishment needs to meet the following criteria:

• Level threshold (or ramps) (see example below)
• Compliant door hardware (see example below)
• Acceptable amount of force needed to open door
  

Even with these basic elements in place, some customers with disabilities may not be able to independently open doors. The door handles may not pass the ADA "fist test" or the doors themselves may be too heavy.

• Line of sight and/or busy employees may make it difficult to recognize someone needing assistance.
• Double door entry systems often have an “air lock”
• Turning radius not wide enough
• Turn style doors
  

This panel-type handle is not accessible because it requires the user to tightly grasp the handle to pull the door open.	A lever handle is accessible because it can be operated without tight grasping, pinching or twisting.	A loop-type handle is also accessible because it can be used without grasping, pinching or twisting.

Even without steps, some customers may have difficulty entering because they simply cannot open your front door. Using the BigBell™, they alert staff inside that assistance is needed to get in.	When a couple of steps are a barrier, the BigBell™ system, lightweight ramps and special signage let customers know you have a solution. Portable ramps come in many sizes and are sold separately.	You can still do business when customers can't get inside. The BigBell™ lets patrons know you're providing an alternative method for them to access your products and services without having to go inside.

See more in the ADA Guide for Small Business (PDF) prepared by the Small Business Administration.

How BigBell™ Helps Restaurants, Retailers

"The BigBell™ is working very well and we will be using them on all new and remodeled restaurants, which will get them on all restaurants in about two years. Also, our franchisees will be using them since we added them to our standard plan."
-Terry Smith, CEO, Tumbleweed Southwest Grill restaurants

Disability advocates prefer door automation; however that option may not be readily available for your business. The BigBell™ Alert System was developed for businesses as an affordable alternative to power doors. This oversized, wireless alert system meets Department of Justice ADA standards and enables mobility-challenged customers to request assistance with entry.

Best of all, BigBell™ is a cost-effective, easy to install and universally implementable accessibility solution for any kind of public building or business. Logical and intuitive, BigBell™ is an extension of current access improvements (parking, accessible tables, counters, bathrooms, etc.).

You can see our more than 300 products in our Online Store.

And check out our Media Room to see how other businesses have used our common sense, affordable solutions.

We have also found the following to be excellent sources of research, insight and strategic advice:

• Solutions Marketing Group
  They provide businesses with innovative strategies that target consumers with disabilities.
  
• Open Doors Organization
  A source of comprehensive research, training, and guidance in marketing strategies and ADA compliance, ODO gives large corporations and small businesses, alike, the tools they need to reach and serve the disability market.