Forward-thinking businesses get involved with Purple Tuesday

Businesses across Warwickshire showed their commitment to the Purple Tuesday campaign, designed to heighten awareness of the value and needs of disabled customers and make the customer experience accessible.

 A key goal at Warwickshire County Council is to support towns in becoming as accessible as possible by encouraging businesses and organisations to consider how they cater for customers with either visible or invisible impairments.

It is the right thing to do - but also makes simple business sense. Across the UK, the Purple Pound (the consumer spending power of disabled people and their families) is worth an estimated £249 billion and is rising by an average 14% per annum.  Worldwide, the Purple Pound equates to a staggering £2.25 trillion, yet less than 10% of businesses have a targeted plan to access this market. 

Purple Tuesday was on November 12 this year and businesses in Warwickshire to get involved included Sarah Horne Botanicals in Leamington Spa, Joco Interiors in Nuneaton and Hoorays British Gelato Kitchen in Stratford upon Avon.

They all specifically registered a commitment to the awareness campaign by committing to conduct an on-site accessibility audit of their physical spaces and make plans for improvements. As local independent business-owners, they have realised that sustainable changes in business practice could result in the opening up of products and services to the disability market.

Warwickshire County Council's project Manager for town centres and tourism Aaron Corsi said: "Business owners may not be aware of some impairments, some of which could easily be catered for to open up a whole world of new opportunities for both customers and businesses. 

"Purple Tuesday is dedicated to helping these businesses learn about what they can do to help support and attract these valuable customers through a range of steps.

"We are delighted that these business got involved this year. We congratulate them and would encourage as many businesses across Warwickshire to make a commitment to a sustainable change which ensures they have the ability to access new customers and continue great customer relations with residents and visitors with accessibility requirements."

Simple ways in which this could be done include: 

• Conducting a web accessibility audit of the business's website and make plans for improvements 
• Conducting an on-site accessibility audit of physical space and making plans for improvements 
• Providing disability training opportunities for front-line staff 
• Gathering feedback from our disabled customers through customer surveys or a mystery shopping programme and make plans to act on the results

 * To read We Are Purple chief executive Mike Adams's exclusive Guest Column for Warwickshire Means Business, please click here.

 *  For more information on the Purple Tuesday campaign please visit https://purpletuesday.org.uk/