Are you being served?

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by Gavin Neate, board member Accessible Travel Foundation

Knowing your customers

Knowing your customer is a sort of ‘holy grail’ for retailers and service providers in general. Billions have been spent on collecting data through social media, loyalty cards, and market research, all with the aim of ultimately knowing who is being served and working out how to serve them better.

The unsubtle approach has been to use “we’ve got something you want” special offers, or money off in return for their customers data. However, there is a chance, like me, that you aren’t as trusting as you might have been with the morals of those who are collecting our personal information. Certainly, I’m not comfortable giving up address and bank details in return for a box of cornflakes or access to a venue I live nowhere near.

So, how can the people who serve us build trust, and yes, gather the sort of data that allows us to create and provide an even better service?

WelcoMe: A Different Approach to Data

As you will know, WelcoMe allows disabled people to begin an interaction with a destination in advance of an arrival. The sole purpose of this interaction is to create a better relationship, encourage disabled people to visit and improve venue staff members’ ability to engage effectively.

WelcoMe is totally free to use, so no need to share bank details, and because it’s about arriving, we don’t have to ask our members where they live. We could, but we don’t. Our members don’t even need to have or declare a disability to use the service, just feel that they might need a little support to complete that day’s mission.

There are a few data touch points like a guide to the numbers of people living with hidden disabilities, where numbers weren’t previously known. More importantly, we can let venues know what percentage of their customers may be vulnerable or require visit-specific assistance.

The Business Case for Ethical Data

WelcoMe operates on a model of ‘informed consent’ and minimal data collection. Instead of using a carrot, like money off, to get personal data, the platform’s value proposition is the service itself. The data collected is a natural byproduct of the service, not the primary goal. This approach demonstrates that building trust and providing a meaningful service can lead to the collection of valuable, and more importantly, ethical data.

And this isn’t just a win for the customer. For businesses, the data on hidden disabilities isn’t just a number; it allows them to:

Improve Accessibility: Adjust service for a more inclusive environment.
Enhance Staff Training: Educate staff about disability and the specific needs of customers, and provide a more personalised service.
Boost Reputation: Creating a significant competitive advantage.

When data is pure, comes with lashings of integrity and is given willingly as part of a mutual agreement based on trust, we can use it to create a better experience for all.