Your Clients Expect Accessibility

You just delivered a beautiful website to a client. Clean design, smooth functionality, on time and on budget. But three months later, they’re asking questions about accessibility compliance, or worse – they’re dealing with user complaints about barriers you didn’t anticipate.

Here’s the thing: your clients already expect accessibility. They might not know how to ask for it, but it’s becoming as fundamental as mobile responsiveness was ten years ago.

I see this shift happening with agencies everywhere – and it’s actually an opportunity to position yourself as the professional who gets it before your clients even realize they need it.

Your clients are already thinking about this

Clients understand that accessibility directly impacts their success.

The conversations are happening whether we’re part of them or not. Companies are getting more sophisticated about what inclusive design means for their business, and they’re starting to assume their web developer knows how to deliver it.

Here’s what I’m seeing: 85% of organizations now prioritize accessibility more than before. 47% of companies consider accessibility when evaluating potential vendors.

This isn’t just about compliance deadlines (though new regulations like the European Accessibility Act, Title II ADA requirements, and similar laws worldwide have certainly intensified conversations). It’s about clients understanding that accessibility directly impacts their success.

When 93% of users say it’s important that brands prioritize accessibility, your clients are paying attention. They want to be the kind of business that works for everyone.

The business case your clients already understand

Let’s talk about reaching more customers – something every client cares about. The global disability community controls $13 trillion in annual spending power, representing roughly 16% of the global population. That’s a massive market that’s often unintentionally excluded.

Every $1 invested in accessibility yields up to $100 in benefits.

But accessibility isn’t just about reaching people with disabilities. It improves experiences for everyone. Captions help non-native speakers and people in noisy environments. High contrast improves readability in bright sunlight. Clear navigation benefits power users and mobile users alike. Better structure improves SEO and load times.

The ROI is real and measurable. Forrester Research shows that every $1 invested in accessibility yields up to $100 in benefits. Tesco’s £35,000 investment in accessibility improvements generated £13 million in additional annual sales – a 37,000% return on investment.

Here’s what makes this even better: the improvements benefited all users, not just those with disabilities. Sighted customers found the accessible interface easier to use too.

What this looks like in practice

Instead of waiting for clients to ask about accessibility, lead with it. I like to frame conversations around business value: “Let’s talk about reaching 16% more customers” or “Here’s how accessible design will improve your conversion rates.”

Position accessibility as innovation, not obligation. Many features we consider standard – voice control, predictive text, automatic captions – all started as solutions for people with disabilities. Accessibility constraints often spark creative solutions that become competitive advantages.

The BBC iPlayer is a perfect example. Originally designed for accessibility compliance, the streamlined navigation and logical content structure made the platform easier for all users, particularly seniors and mobile users. What started as accessibility work became a universal user experience win.

You can show clients the immediate benefits during your process. Accessible sites consistently show better usability metrics across the board – lower bounce rates, longer session durations, and higher conversion rates. These aren’t hypothetical benefits. They’re measurable improvements you can demonstrate in real time.

Making the shift in your agency

I get it – adding something new to your process can feel overwhelming when you’re already juggling deadlines and client expectations. But here’s the thing: this isn’t about adding scope. It’s about doing the work right from the beginning.

This isn’t about adding scope. It’s about doing the work right from the beginning.

Start conversations early by including accessibility in project discovery. Ask about your client’s user base and goals. Position accessibility as part of good web development, like security or performance.

Integrate accessibility into your standard process rather than treating it as an add-on. Train your team on accessible design and development. Use tools that make accessibility testing part of your workflow. The goal is to make accessible development as natural as writing semantic HTML or optimizing images.

Here’s a practical approach that works: develop accessible design patterns you can reuse across projects. Create a component library that’s accessible by default. Build accessibility checks into your quality assurance process. This actually makes it faster and more efficient to deliver accessible work, not slower.

Make it sustainable by offering ongoing accessibility monitoring and positioning yourself as their long-term accessibility partner. When accessibility becomes part of how your client’s team thinks about their work, it creates lasting change rather than one-time fixes.

Your competitive advantage

Position yourself as a strategic partner, not just a vendor.

Most agencies still treat accessibility as an afterthought, if they address it at all. While clients are getting savvier about inclusive design, there’s still time to establish yourself as the professional who gets it.

Position yourself as a strategic partner, not just a vendor. Show that you understand business impact, not just compliance requirements. Frame your work as delivering universal usability, not special accommodations.

The new accessibility regulations coming into effect globally mean organizations need accessibility expertise now, but the broader shift toward inclusive design means this expertise will be valuable long after any specific compliance deadline.

Getting started (without getting overwhelmed)

This week, audit your current process for accessibility gaps. Identify team training needs. Start conversations with existing clients about their accessibility goals – you might be surprised how many are already thinking about it.

This month, implement basic accessibility testing in your workflow. Tools like axe DevTools can catch common issues during development. Develop client communication materials that focus on business benefits rather than technical details.

This quarter, position accessibility prominently in your service offerings. Develop case studies and success stories. Build relationships with accessibility experts for complex projects. The goal is to make accessibility part of how you talk about your work, not a separate service.

Meeting clients where they already are

Your clients expect you to build websites that work for everyone. They expect mobile-responsive design, they expect good performance, and increasingly, they expect accessibility. The difference is they might not know how to articulate that last one yet.

By positioning accessibility as part of excellent web development – not as an expensive add-on – you’re not just protecting your clients from potential issues. You’re helping them reach more customers, create better experiences, and build more successful businesses.

That’s not just good accessibility. That’s good client service.

You don’t have to become an accessibility expert overnight. You just need to start where you are and keep moving forward. Your clients will appreciate working with someone who thinks ahead and builds for everyone.