Author :Emily Hamilton - Co-Author: Scott Hazelwood
Here at CityMaaS, International Day of Persons with Disabilities is every day - not just December 3rd.
There are over 14 million disabled people in the UK (more than the entire population of Switzerland!) and an estimated 1 billion globally. That’s 1 in 5 people who are fighting the daily battle of digital accessibility and inclusivity.
(Alt Text: 3 Statistics side by side saying: “over 14 million disabled people in the UK - 1 in 5
people - 274 Billion disabled household spending power”)
We live in a world where it is possible to see someone who lives on the opposite side of the planet with a click of a button. However, millions of disabled users still cannot access digital platforms due to websites not catering to their additional requirements. This results in 73% of disabled users abandoning their carts before purchase...
While the physical world is gradually improving its accessibility with wheelchair-friendly routes, accessible entrances and fairer recruitment processes, the online world continues to lag behind. Websites and online tools are not accessible to everyone, lack digital inclusivity and routinely let their disabled consumers down.
At CityMaaS, we’re on a mission to change that! We’re striving to make the world accessible online and offline and bridge the gap between organisations and the 20% market share.
How is CityMaaS changing the world?
(Alt Text: a pink background with logo’s of CityMaas products overlaid: “assist me, aware, mobility map, white label mobility map”)
We’re on a mission to make the digital world more accessible and inclusive for disabled people. Our first-class products are pioneering a digital inclusivity revolution and bridging the divide between markets and the disabled community.
AssistMe is a digital tool that allows both disabled and able users to personalise their digital experience in ways that suits their individual needs. Users have a variety of personalisation tools at their disposal; grouped as Content, Style and Navigation adjustments. These tools can toggle text size, invert colours, read text aloud and much, much more! With one simple line of code, we create a digital experience that is enjoyable for disabled users. Try it out for free now!
Our global, accessible navigation platform Mobility Map is loved by over 1200 dedicated users (and growing!). Mobility Map is a travel tool that puts accessibility at the forefront! Using data provided by local and transport authorities - as seen by Transport for London - accessible travel becomes available for disabled users, their friends and their families. It even gives users with buggies and heavy luggage the ability to plan their ideal route from point A to B. We’re constantly improving the features of Mobility Map. Our future plans include incorporating an innovative algorithm that can provide personalised route and mode of transport recommendations as well as augmented reality features! In addition, we offer a white-label model in which our data can be seamlessly input into existing maps to enable users to find accessibility information for whatever purposes desired.
Want to check whether your website complies with international accessibility guidelines? Our Aware digital audit service can tell you. By screening your website’s homepage against WCAG 2.1 we can provide you with an initial report of the errors making your website inaccessible to a variety of disabled users. To fully enhance the accessibility of your site, you even have the option for our expert consultants to delve into your website with a fine-tooth comb. This way, you can be confident that your entire website is compliant with both internationally recognised guidelines and local legislation; as well as being an enjoyable experience for disabled people and their friends and families.
For more information about any of our products, or about how you can align with our mission, please email our friendly team at hello@CityMaaS.io
The Purple Pound
Disabled households in the UK have a spending power of £274 billion per annum. Globally, it’s $8 trillion. Within the disability sector, this is referred to as The Purple Pound. At CityMaaS, our industry-leading accessibility software empowers disabled people to access the sites they love and spend their money freely.
Many businesses are missing out on a sizeable share of this spending power simply by not making their websites disability-friendly; £2 billion per month to be exact! With more people becoming disabled year on year due to population growth, medical advances and an ageing population - and the Covid-19 pandemic steering customers away from the high street and towards digital purchases - the cost to non-accessible sites can only be expected to rise.
(Alt Text: 4 statistics showing the spending power of the disabled community - A range of figures showing the revenue loss for businesses)
With our simple yet effective accessibility software, digital experiences for disabled users go from strenuous to straightforward. As 86% of disabled users are willing to pay more to shop from accessible sites - and 83% already limit their shopping to accessible websites only - having accessible websites benefits both the disabled community we serve and the businesses who use our products. There’s really nothing to lose!
How you can help open up the digital world
Who doesn’t want to make the world a better place? By joining our mission to improve accessibility, you’ll simultaneously be making life easier for billions of disabled people worldwide and boosting your engagements, sales and profits!
Get started today by trying our free initial Aware digital audit and check how your website stands up against international accessibility standards.
(Alt Text: A purple background with CityMaaS logo overlaid -"CityMaaS The code for mobility")
Author: Emily Hamilton - https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-hamilton-9363a718b/
After several years working in healthcare, Emily now works in copywriting and digital marketing. She is passionate about health, social change, good coffee and cute cats.
Co-Author : Scott Hazelwood - https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-hazelwood-24b258226/
With a variety of experience working in cultural events, catering and local authorities, Scott now supports start-ups in sales and marketing. He is passionate about development, project management and building relationships.