As lockdown begins to ease, the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) want to support your staff in helping customers in by offering some simple guidance. This will not only support your customers with sight loss but help to dramatically improve the overall customer experience. 

The RNIB is one of the UK’s leading sight loss charities and the largest community of blind and partially sighted people. With nearly 150 years’ experience of working together with blind and partially sighted people, their knowledge can help your business and bring you accessibility solutions to grow your business. www.rnib.org.uk/services-for-businesses

As businesses begin to reopen, providing up-to-date information about any provisions being put in place to protect staff and customers is so important. It is essential to share what physical changes you are making within the store. These changes could include floor indicators, payment zone protective screens, temporary signage, priority opening times and changes to store layouts/one-way systems. Not everyone will be able to see these changes.

RNIB Best Practice Guidelines

RNIB have created some best practice guidelines to help retail businesses understand how they can help their blind and partially sighted customers with these changes.

Read the Retail Best Practice Guidelines

They have also created some best practice guidelines to help sport and leisure businesses understand how they can help their blind and partially sighted customers.

Read the Sport and Leisure Best Practice Guidelines

How to feel confident interacting with a blind or partially sighted customer

Here are a few quick tips to help you feel confident in interacting with customers with sight loss during this time.

Helping you to help your customers

For more information read the key principles for supporting blind and partially sighted customers. 

You can also contact the RNIB at ExternalAccessibilityEnquiries@rnib.org.uk for further help or advice.