Achieve Franchise-Wide Website Accessibility
Achieving ADA compliance for franchise websites protects your brand while providing accessibility to more users. However, it can be challenging if you have several sites representing various locations and serviced by multiple vendors. A great solution is hiring one company to test all websites to implement broad changes faster and easier. Regular, detailed reports pinpointing issues and providing the WCAG-recommended steps to fix them will help you gain consistency in your franchise accessibility approach. Partner with WebAccessible.Biz and feel confident that franchise standards are met.
Why Is Franchise ADA Compliance Important?
Franchise compliance in the context of websites has become increasingly important. Online spaces must adhere to the same requirements as the Americans with Disabilities Act mandates for physical public spaces.
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) were established to give web developers a consistent framework. WCAG can help you achieve franchise accessibility by ensuring all websites are usable by people with visual, auditory, or cognitive impairments. Unfortunately, having multiple websites and operators can make maintaining consistent compliance challenging.
Examples of the challenges posed include:
Decentralized Website Management
It’s common for franchisees in different locations to operate a dedicated website for that area. The decentralized business model makes it hard to enforce consistent standards.
Frequent Content Updates
Constant updates of services and content can unintentionally introduce issues.
Lack of Centralized Auditing
Ensuring regular inclusivity audits for each site can be cumbersome without a centralized compliance strategy or tools.
The Complexity of Managing Multiple Vendors
Corporations may hire many vendors to handle web services for their franchisees, including web design and content management. This can add complexity, especially regarding maintaining compliance for each franchise. Many service providers lack expertise with online inclusivity standards or the WCAG guidelines. Individual companies may also have different goals and requirements, making obtaining a consistent online presence nearly impossible.
Problems With Franchise ADA Compliance Across Locations
Localized content poses a significant challenge to franchise accessibility across locations:
Varying Local Regulations
Different states or regions may have unique regulations.
Inconsistent Content Management
Franchisees left to themselves may implement varying standards.
Varied Media Types
Localized content often includes unique images, videos, or interactive features that may not be adequately labeled with alt text, captions, or other accessibility features.
Frequent Updates
Area-specific promotions or updates are common, increasing the risk of inconsistent compliance standards.
Language and Cultural Adjustments
Different areas may require unique language translations or cultural adaptations of digital content.
A Centralized Approach Will Eliminate Inconsistencies
Decentralized approaches to ADA compliance for franchises introduce inconsistencies. Various vendors and operators managing websites lead to different standards being applied. Choosing a centralized method will provide one standard for everyone and make implementing broad changes across websites easier.
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines are the premier resource for making sites inclusive and usable by people with disabilities. An accessibility audit and using accessibility tools for web developers, like ARIA, contrast checkers, etc., will ensure you meet WCAG recommendations and requirements.
Protect Your Brand’s Reputation
Consistent franchise accessibility guidelines across all websites will protect your brand from potential lawsuits. The legal risks of ensuring an inclusive environment for all people have become a significant business threat. Consumers and employees have all been known to sue companies if standards are unmet.
ADA compliance for franchises isn’t only about avoiding legal penalties. It’s also about improving the user experience for people with disabilities and ensuring they have access to goods and services. Adhering to the highest benchmarks will boost brand reputation and broaden its appeal. Reach new customers and build a loyal following while living up to the values of providing excellent service.
Find out How Compliant Your Franchises Are Today
Multiple locations and vendors will make maintaining franchise ADA compliance difficult. A lack of consistency could hurt your brand’s reputation and expose it to legal risks. A centralized approach to testing and reporting compliance standards will simplify the task. WebAccessible.Biz provides recurring testing and detailed reports to help you implement broad changes quickly and maintain an inclusive online environment. Partner with us today to set your brand apart as a champion of franchise accessibility.