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Good Access is Good Business for Traralgon traders A&P Electronics’ store in Traralgon; l-r: Bill Lawler, Andrew Panayiotou, Cr Peter Tyler and Tina Hunt Latrobe City Council is holding the third session in its successful series of ‘Good Access is Good Business’ sessions on Tuesday 7 October for Traralgon traders. By Latrobe Local News - 2nd October 2003 - Back to News Project Officer Rural Access at Latrobe City, Bill Lawler, said that Council was working in partnership with the Traralgon Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Access Audits Australia to present the session.
"Good access is about ensuring products and services are available to all members of the community, whether it be people with a visual or hearing impairment, a physical disability, parents of young children or carers of older adults," Mr Lawler said.
"The feedback from the previous sessions held in Moe and Morwell has been encouraging and issues such as the design and layout of stores, and appropriate placement of advertising boards in the streetscape have been discussed," Mr Lawler said.
Tina Hunt, Secretary of the Traralgon Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said providing good access to stores, made good business sense.
"While traders need to take responsibility to provide a full range of services to all members of the community, good access encourages shoppers to their store. Making services easy to access generates additional business," Ms Hunt said.
Mr Lawler, said that by holding the ‘Good Access is Good Business’ sessions, the importance and benefits of providing good customer access had been highlighted to the traders and businesses attending.
"Giving them the appropriate information and resources assists them to better meet the needs of new and existing customers," Mr Lawler explained.
Andrew Panayiotou from A&P Electronics in Traralgon discussed issues that he had considered in laying out his store.
"We felt that providing customers with a wide easily-accessible entrance way and room to move comfortably around the store provided a welcoming environment," Mr Panayiotou said.
"With products such as high-fi, television and home theatre, it’s important that customers can feel at ease, and are able to move around the store without feeling they are likely to bump into store product, or break or scratch anything.
"We also provide low sales counters which act as a more friendly and practical environment for customers who use wheelchairs," Mr Panayiotou added.
Mr Lawler said the electronics industry had in many cases opened up a whole new world for people with a disability. "Computer software now provides ways for people who are visually impaired to access computers through sound, Teletext and DVDs provide subtitling for people who are hearing impaired, and there are innovations in the mobile phone industry such as SMS which enables people who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired to communicate," Mr Lawler said.
"Many smart businesses are now starting to take advantage of some of this technology and using it to their advantage when providing services to their customers," he added.
Cr Tyler urged all traders in Traralgon to attend the upcoming session.
"Take a look at your own premises in relation to access, come to the information session and together we can make Traralgon an even greater place to shop, with ease of access for all," Cr Tyler concluded.
The free information session will be held at the Council Chambers on Tuesday 7 October between 6pm and 8pm. Finger food and drinks will be served from 6pm. Traders wishing to attend can register their attendance by calling Latrobe City on 1300 367 700.
For further information please contact Bill Lawler, Project Officer Rural Access at Latrobe City, telephone 1300 367 700.
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com
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