Drive Throughs and Visible Authenticity
It seems from the second that I got into the car with Hope and Theresa to the minute they dropped me off at home, my social media road trip was an experience interwoven with more social than media. My plan had been for weekend retreat focused on bringing people back into SOBCon2010, seeing more green trees and less concrete, and getting space enough to open my mind. Time to reflect while driving or sitting alone can re prioritize which ideas bubble up to get attention. Serendipity can intervene to lend light to those thoughts.
Simple conversational phrases started trending …
- how quiet the car is … but it’s not a hybrid.
- I didn’t bring my metal water bottle. I’ll have to buy an earth-killing plastic one.
- look at the view at the Grand Geneva Resort — all that green!
- I wouldn’t call this handicapped accessible … We checked two of the buildings totally are.
We’re obsessing about causes. We were just talking. But still there it was. Statements about how we cared for the earth and how we cared about the people who more around it were coming up.
At breakfast yesterday, Beth Rosen, and I discussed small nonprofits that we want to make part of SOBCon2010: BeBrightPink.org, inclusionsolutions.com, and job angels. We made a plan to find two others one that support people and the planet — one green and one that helps teachers and kids.
The conversations were all so normal for the social media crowd that they didn’t really stand out.
Bikes Are Green Wheelchairs Are Not
Then on the way home, I got an email and shortly after a phone call from Patrick Hughes about something disturbing. Here’s some of what it said.
.. I just saw some press about the company Burgerville in Oregon who is now allowing bikes in the drive thru and touting it – good for them.
However, I am frustrated.
S woman 3 weeks ago, is denied on her bike in Oregon at a drive thru and within 24 hours they have a new bike policy and are welcoming bikes with open arms. http://bikeportland.org/2009/09/15/burgerville-announces-bike-event-new-signage/
2 years ago, as you know, Karen Putz [went] through a drive thru and is denied service because she is deaf… she does the same thing and goes home and blogs about it, but because it’s a disability issue and not a “green” issue, it goes to lawyers vs the marketing dept. why isn’t disability considered GREEN? They dragged her and this issue out for 2 years … http://www.diversityinc.com/public/3158.cfm
Several weeks ago a woman went into a drive thru in Minnesota in her wheelchair and was denied and no one really came to her rescue either… she was [labeled] as a radical … [W]hen restaurants have a 24 hour policy — meaning the main restaurant is closed but the drive thru is still open — they ARE violating the ADA by not allowing everyone to be able to spend their money.
http://thecrustycurmudgeon.wordpress.com/2009/06/17/wheelchair-woman-denied-service-at-white-castle-drive-thru/Having legal departments tell their people to just put up disability stickers is not the answer anymore!
So what i am learning after many years in this deal is that when it comes to disability issues, it goes to the legal department and unless someone is suing them, there is no problem. you can talk all day about how big the disability market is however it’s still going to be relegated to legal and not marketing…
Will the GREEN people help ALL people? What if businesses aren’t considered green unless they are also inclusive? When will disability issues go to the marketing departments vs. legal?
Does all of this make sense? How do we tell this story?
Which brings me back to the social in social media and makes me wonder whether those corporations think planet is more important than people living on it?
How authentic is a company that can’t see the problem with policies that conflict like that?
–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz on your business!!
Buy the ebook. Learn the art of online conversation.
Here’s the difference, as I see it. Burgerville is from Oregon, which is arguably more responsive than places like Illinois to sensitive issues such as this. Begin flaming now…
Additionally, Burgerville has a history of being responsive to their customers needs and suggestions. I would bet that had a deaf woman pulled up to a Burgerville drive thru in a wheelchair, they would have served her and then modified their policy if necessary.
Hi Jason,
I find it interesting that you assume that you assume a defense from flaming.
I’m glad that Burgerville is responsive to customer needs. But one store isn’t really what this story is about, is it?
How can it be better to be green than to be accessible? Just wrong.
Hi Douglas,
The planet and the people both need our care. I agree that we can get myopic to a bad end. Our passions can overrule our brains. 🙂
interesting point, Liz: what’s more important, the planet or the people living on it? Seems like we shouldn’t have to decide, especially when both have disabilities.
I think companies that listen will hear that both issues are important. Those that act on what they hear will end up looking really good.
Hi Todd,
I hope we’re starting to figure that out. So often we have to choose between the two. Environmentalist issue protect a species, but set up a situation that causes brush fires that burn down houses … We’re our own worst enemies often enough. 🙂
Liz, thank you for posting that note…
many people are conditioned differently when it comes to disabilities. When I first got involved in the disability community (at 19 – now 41), I was completely uncomfortable. It took time and discussion (and more time) to eventually know how to be comfortable and not see people as charity and as true assets in our community just like anyone else.
I find that I still run into things that make me uncomfortable and I now know that it’s my problem and not theirs that I am feeling this way – so I work hard to learn and educate myself to see another perspective.
As I travel around and talk with people, I am amazed at how many people think that deaf people don’t drive. Then when I tell them that they do, they then argue with me that they shouldn’t. Some of the people that have shared this view with me are very prominent people who are very influential in the business community.
In Indianapolis at a Culver’s Restaurant, they now have 30 deaf customers a week using their drive thru because of our simple communication system called OrderAssist. It’s less than $1000 and the government gives ADA tax credits as well. It makes me SO happy to know that the employees now have a way to welcome this customer base and the customers feel respected and welcomed.
There are 28 million people who are deaf and hard of hearing and many of them want to use the drive thru without feeling like a “problem” to the restaurant –
Many of the franchise businesses are afraid of things like this because if one restaurant does “it”, they all will have to – it’s something I hear all of the time. one company we actually gave our system to test and understand the market better, actually forced one of their franchisees to take the system out because of this very reason.
The first brand that fully welcomes this market will be a hero and in my opinion will reap the rewards both in understanding and market-share. The power of Inclusion is real, however, it takes leadership, some discomfort and time to make it happen.
Liz, Thank you for sharing this with your readers because I see this as an attitudinal issue vs. a physical one.
Patrick,
At what point do I quit being human? When I can’t see, hear, move? I’m unwilling to take away a person’s humanity. My reason could be totally selfish and self-preserving. I wouldn’t want anyone to take mine away from me.
I would like to share my experience of access at my Post Office. We had to make a video as no one believes the difficulty required. At least it was a nice day. Moline IL Post Office
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWqOLfyqJ14
Thank you, Mitchell.
Every time I carry a heavy bag into an inaccessible hotel, I think about such things.
For safety reasons, I can understand not allowing wheelchairs in the drive thru lanes.However, perhaps there should be handicap accessible drive thrus. Again however, more asphalt to create the special lanes.
Hi Nancy,
I wonder if you would feel differently if your child were the one constantly disallowed.
Everything in business is a compromise between meeting different needs and serving different markets, and still doing the thing that will allow your business to survive. Achieving a balance is what keeps companies alive.
In these cases, it seems like enviroethics are taken to an extreme that alienates customers more than it draws them to buy from a company that takes responsibility.
We see what happens when the balance is off, eh?
Hi IMC team,
Do you have a name?
Balance is important. More than balance, though, I think humanity is what could be the problem here.
Liz,
I like the question. I think we never stop obviously. and I think to be a jerk is human but I would like to think that we have capacity to shift our minds and not just follow the herd when we have heard about injustice.
I heard a civil rights panel speak a couple of months ago at the DuSable Museum here in Chicago and many of the African American civil rights panelists said that if it weren’t for a couple of Jewish Leaders that spoke up for them and marched with them, they said they may have not gotten to where they are today. Some of those Jewish folks had just been a part of Hitler’s hate in Germany and found time to look out for someone else when they saw injustice here in America – I love that humanity!
(Liz, I am not sure I totally understand your question either, so forgive me if the answer is not totally responsive to your question)
I really don’t see what the big problem is. When there are such simple and affordable solutions like The Big Bell, Order Assist and Fuel Call that are easy for companies to install and adopt, why aren’t they all jumping on board immediately? It would be wonderful positive image and press for the compnay, a great marketing coup in addition to providing needed services to their customers. The first major corporation to adapt good practices will get special recognition from the disabled community while building good will with its entire customer base.
I truly think it all comes down to ignorance. Obviously, the Post Office in Moline, IL (Mitchell’s video) has put a great ramp and ample parking space in place, but someone missed the point and didn’t go all the way by putting in a proper automatic door and adapted counters inside.
And it is not only ignorance of completing the project as is should be done, but ignorance of the disabled community as a whole. Corporations are scared of the reaction of their non-disabled clients if suddenly the place is filled with wheelchairs and hearing impaired clients. Get over it people! Aren’t we trying to make America a better place to live for everyone?
I live in Paris, France, which is not the most wheelchair-friendly city in the world. But even here in the past several years they have started modifying the fleet of city buses to add ramps and special stop-request buttons, installed elevators in the metro, merchants are putting little ramps in front of their shops. Every café and restaurant in town is quick to make room for a wheelchair at a table. Sometimes you don’t even notice your neighbor is in a wheelchair until they leave!
If Paris is quickly becoming a very disabled-friendly city, I don’t see why anytown USA can’t follow the lead…
Hi Liz
My video at the Post Office is designed to bring to light just how simple a door can be made accessible. It seems the fight against accesibilty stems on to much expense. If the Post Office were to install a simple BigBell we could communicate with PO personal to gain access
We don’t always need a power door. We just need to use our heads; that is why we were given the ability to reason.
Hi Liz,
Thanks for being involved in your comment thread, that’s awesome! I assume no defense for my opinion. It’s just an opinion. Having seen my fair share of comment threads, I fully expected some hot-heads accusing me of bashing Illinois, which wasn’t my intent. I’m impressed to see such a level headed discussion going instead.
My point was not to single out a specific store, or even chain. I feel that sensitivity to issues – handicapped, environmental or otherwise – can be different from region to region. I’m not from Oregon, but after having spent some time here, I wasn’t surprised at Burgerville’s decision.
The region I came to Oregon from is – in my opinion – quite sensitive to the needs of the handicapped community. I would not, however, call us the most environmentally friendly! Nobody’s perfect I guess, but you’re right, we should keep trying.
Liz,
I have an interesting perspective on this issue. For several years a back problem made it impossible to walk through a grocery store. Thankfully the stores in my area all have electric carts. However, I discovered that when I was in the electric cart, I was absolutely invisible to a startling number of people. A few did go out of their way to reach an item from a high shelf or inside a cooler or freezer. But it was amazing how many blocked the aisle and ignored me.
As for the concern about safety for wheelchairs in a drive-through: Most…OK, all of the drive-throughs I have visited have been in parking lots. They aren’t streets. If we can’t allow wheelchairs in a drive-through because it’s not safe, that must mean that we can’t allow them in parking lots either. Oh, no! What are we going to do about the pedestrians!
I’m sorry, Liz, but the fact is that more people seem to care about the planet than the people who live here. I’m not advocating carelessness. I just think we need to get our priorities straight.