When having a company that offers taxi services, you must consider all kinds of factors, including having clients with special needs. By having allies who play the role of drivers in your business, it will be very important that they know how to behave when they have customers with disabilities.
With the appropriate advice and recommendations, you can increase the awareness of your company's allies. It is your duty to help them improve the quality of the services they offer, particularly if it is for people with disabilities or reduced mobility. It is important to highlight that by knowing how to behave with people with special needs, drivers will also know how to offer a great service to the elderly, pregnant women, fathers and mothers with babies, school-age children, among others.
It's not just about being kind to people with disabilities. It is about knowing what to do when they require special attention that drivers are not used to. Allies need to contribute to the quality of service.
Take care of the communication
Even when the taxi service is requested by means of an application, the driver must have communication with the customer who requests it. Would communication be a problem if the applicant has a disability? Probably yes, if not done properly. Bad communication could cause discomfort in the service. Therefore, here are some recommendations to maintain a good flow of communication:
● Avoid ignoring them and only communicate with who they are with, unless the person wishes it to be so.
● Use appropriate language when communicating with the person with a disability. Remember that appropriate language helps connect with the customer. Therefore, focus on the conversation being about the person, not about their disability.
● Avoid derogatory adjectives. Do not use words like "invalid" or "handicapped."
● Offers help or assistance correctly and avoids insistence. If the person declines assistance, you simply accept their decision.
● Communication must be clear and in a suitable tone to maintain the privacy of the conversation.
● Being direct is also beneficial. Asking directly what kind of help you might need shows courtesy and respect.
● Maintaining eye contact is respectful, as is helping with luggage by offering to carry it on the seat or by storing it in the luggage rack. You should also let him know exactly where you are placing him.
● Always indicates the possibility of using the seat belt and offers help to fasten it if necessary.
In addition to these, there are many other recommendations so that communication with a person with special needs is the most appropriate. It is clear that treating people with disabilities is complicated if there has never been an approach to them before. However, they are people who deserve respect and dignified treatment.
What should be the proper behavior of a driver?
The behavior of a driver during all taxi services must be the best. However, as it is a service for a customer with a disability, the behavior should be a little different. Because the person with a disability may have some difficulty, it requires more patience and understanding. Keep in mind that you must:
● Be polite and avoid making the customer feel guilty if they make a mistake.
● Provides a positive environment so you can focus on your actions and your mobility. Don't put him under pressure during the trip.
● If the customer is shy or quiet, don't call it rude. Maintaining a calm and friendly demeanor will make the situation more positive.
● Pays attention to his own gestures and movements.
● During the trip, don't make sudden movements or brakes. That is, keep driving carefully.
Creating an environment of trust with the people who travel is paramount. It will help with the business and indirectly help the customer feel more confident with other drivers.
Learn about all disabilities
By having a business that offers transportation service, at any time they will arrive customers with any type of disability. It is extremely important to know all types of disabilities and how to deal with each one. From people with visual disabilities to people with hearing, mobility and many others.
As we have mentioned before, people with disabilities require more attention and a more specific service. Your business must be directed towards all types of users. The goal is for all customers to feel comfortable when requesting a taxi service.
Recommendations for customers with visual, hearing, mobile or other disabilities
From people with slight visual problems to customers with wheelchairs, or who are deaf and more, they will come to your service. They will require special attention and you probably don't know what to do, so we recommend the following:
● If the customer requires someone to guide them to the vehicle, it would be nice if you offered your arm to help them get to it.
● Do not pull his arm and never grab him by the arm with which he holds the cane
● At the end of the service, it would be nice if you inform the customer about obstacles such as stairs or revolving doors.
● Sharing information to your customer would be nice, data such as the type of vehicle and the direction in which it is facing, will help your customer.
● Lip reading helps the hearing impaired and is based on observing lip movements and facial gestures. If the hearing loss is slight, lip reading is confirmed with oral support.
● Make sure the client can see your lips and rely on gestures/facial expressions.
● A person who is deaf or hard of hearing may ask you to repeat what you just said, so be patient.
● The vehicle must have an entry and exit ramp for the wheelchair, it may be adjustable.
● Don’t hold onto or lean on the wheelchair without the client's permission.
There are many recommendations for the service to be the most suitable for all types of customers. You simply have to seek advice so that the drivers who are allied with your taxi service business know how to act correctly.
