The station master assists the writer into the train in Japan.
BUSINESSES have increasingly acknowledged the diversity of their customer base in recent years. They particularly recognise the need to establish positive relationships with disabled people. At 15 per cent of the population or one billion people, we are a market segment to be reckoned with. This could also mean businesses have become more socially conscious. I like to find reasons to be optimistic in this.
From merely selling products and services, these companies are raising the ante to provide a complete experience of their brand with excellent customer service and more to attract disabled customers. They have already made their premises physically accessible but want to go the extra mile by upgrading their service to better serve disabled customers.
Going this way makes good business sense as it is an indication of the value they place on customers regardless of attributes. On the other hand, we can be fiercely loyal customers when our needs are looked into and properly provided for. That is not all. Any business that treats us well are likely to get our family members and friends as customers too because companies with inclusive policies or are responsive to our needs are generally well-regarded.
Major retail chains, insurance companies and other service providers have shown a keen interest in training their frontline staff to serve and support disabled customers better. Doing this requires their staff to learn interpersonal interaction skills and techniques to physically assist disabled customers when necessary.
This kind of training is known as disability-related services training (DRST). Although the term is not heard of often in Malaysia, DRST is not new here. It has been around for 10 years. The training modules were first jointly developed by Dr Kenji Kuno of the Japan International Cooperation Agency with disabled people’s organisations in Malaysia to train the staff of AirAsia. The training covers four major disabilities, namely physical, sight, hearing and learning.
Due to time constraints, DRST are usually one-day workshops comprising the teaching of myths and misconceptions of disability, and etiquette followed by practical exercises. The exercises are the most important component of the training as what is learnt will have to be applied in real life situations afterwards. If they fail to learn during the workshop, they will not be able to help a disabled person correctly.
Let me digress a little here. I have fond memories of my time in Tokyo because of the extensive rail network, which is mostly accessible. I am especially impressed by the professionalism of the station masters. They are all well-trained to assist disabled passengers at all times. The confidence and efficiency with which they go about doing it gave me peace of mind even though we could not communicate well due to the language barrier.
I cannot make a similar comparison back in Malaysia as I do not take trains here. The service staff I encountered in other industries like at airports, hotels and banks are mostly helpful. What they lack in skills, they more than make up for with their enthusiasm. This eagerness to help however is fraught with risks if they have not gone through DRST.
There are specific ways of pushing a wheelchair and proper methods to carry an immobile person. Using incorrect techniques could lead to serious injuries to both the disabled person and the one providing assistance. That is the reason why I am very particular about accepting help from strangers. When I do accept, I always made doubly sure to give them precise instructions. I am as much responsible for their safety as much as they are for mine.
Ideally, Disability Equality Training (DET) should be conducted together with DRST. The former involves understanding the causes of disability and taking proactive actions to remove disabling barriers while the former equips participants with skills to assist disabled people. Both training programmes complement each other and are effective in making society more inclusive.
Whether one has gone through DRST or not, there are two important points to remember when providing assistance to disabled people. Before anything else, always ask “Do you need help?” If the response is positive, the next question should be “How can I help you?” Disabled people with a similar condition may require a different kind of assistance. Therefore, never be afraid to ask just to be sure the correct assistance is required.
Like DET, DRST is a niche market. The number of trainers in Malaysia are far and few in between. I hope more disabled people will commit to work in this area. On my part, I will be more than happy to pass on the knowledge and skills I have to my peers who are interested. After all, many hands make light work.
If businesses are keen on improving services for disabled people, there is no reason why we should not work towards fulfilling that demand. It is a win-win situation for everyone. The current level of service here may not be on par with that of the Tokyo station masters yet but we are slowly and surely moving towards that direction.