Accessibility
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Customer Service Policy Statement Update December 2023
Our Mission
The mission of Tootsies Shoe Market is to operate in the Canadian tradition of quality and integrity.
Our Commitment
Tootsies Shoe Market strives to provide goods and services in a manner that is accessible to all of our customers, and respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. We continue to be committed to offering equal opportunity to access our goods and services and to providing the benefit of the same services, in the same place and in a similar way to all customers.
Providing Goods and Services to People with Disabilities
Tootsies Shoe Market continues to be committed to excellence in serving all customers including people with disabilities and we will carry out our functions and responsibilities in the following areas:
- Communication
We will continue to communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability. We will continue to train Team Members who communicate with customers on how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities.
- Telephone Services
We continue to be committed to providing fully accessible telephone service to our customers. We continue to train Team Members to communicate with customers over the telephone in clean and plain language and to speak clearly and slowly. We will continue to offer to communicate with customers by email if telephone communication is not suitable to their communication needs or is not available.
- Assistive Devices
We continue to be committed to serving people with disabilities who use assistive devices to obtain, use or benefit from our goods and services. We will ensure that our Team Members are trained and familiar with various assistive devices that may be used by customers with disabilities while accessing our goods and services.
- Billing
We continue to be committed to providing accessible invoices to all of our customers. For this reason, invoices can be provided in the following formats upon request: hard copy, large print, email, etc. We will answer any questions customers may have about the content of the invoice in person, by telephone or email.
- Use of Service Animals and Support Persons
We continue to be committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal on the parts of our premises that are open to the public. We will also ensure that all Team Members, volunteers and others dealing with the public are properly trained in how to interact with people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal.
We continue to be committed to welcoming people who are accompanied by a support person. Any person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to enter Tootsies Shoe Market’s premises with their support person. At no time will a person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person be prevented from having access to their support person while on our premises.
- Notice of Temporary Disruption
Tootsies Shoe Market will continue to provide customers with notice in the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in the facilities or services usually used by people with disabilities. This notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available. The notice will be placed at all public entrances and service counters on our premises.
- Training for Team Members
Tootsies Shoe Market will continue to provide training to all Team Members, volunteers and others who deal with the public or other third parties on their behalf, and all those who are involved in the development and approvals of customer service policies, practices and procedures.
Training will include the following:
The purposes of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and the requirements of the customer service standard
How to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities
How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person
What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing Tootsies Show Market’s goods and services
Tootsies Shoe Market’s policies, practices and procedures relating to the customer service standard
- Feedback Process
The ultimate goal of Tootsies She Market is to meet and surpass customer expectations while serving customers with disabilities. Comments on our services regarding how well these expectations are being met are welcome and appreciated.
Feedback regarding the way Tootsies Shoe Market provides goods and services to people with disabilities can be made by email, as well as verbally. All feedback will be directed to the Operations Manager. Customers can expect to hear back in 5 business days.
Complaints will be addressed according to complaint categories already established in our company’s complaint management procedure.
- Modifications to This or Other Policies
We continue maintain a commitment to developing customer service policies that respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. Therefore, no changes will be made to this policy before considering the impact on people with disabilities. Any policy of Tootsies Shoe Market that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will be modified or removed.
- Questions About This Policy
This policy exists to achieve service excellence to customers with disabilities. If anyone has a question about the policy, or if the purpose of a policy is not understood, an explanation will be provided by or referred to the Operations Manager.