Meetings industry educator Joan Eisenstodt, chief strategist for Eisenstodt Associates, answers additional questions from the Destination and Site Selection and ADA Compliance: What Might You Miss? webinar, which originally aired on Wed., April 29, 2015.
1. Hi, I was in your session in 2013 in PCMA ever since I've been working on making my event accessible. Made some progress but have ways to go. One item I keep struggling with is scents, can I ask the hotels and convention center to use unscented products in the bathrooms? My meeting is before the holidays so we always have issues.
First thank you for being at the PCMA program and now being part of this one. It will continue to be a struggle until our industry decides to cooperate. What I recommend is, in your RFP, stating that you want ONLY unscented products in the bathrooms of your participants and that, when possible, all rooms should be cleaned with unscented products. Ask them to respond. I'm unsure if a hotel will fully comply; they may become more sensitive to the issues and try.
2. What are the common ingredients that trigger chemical allergies?
Good question. I think for each of us it's different. For example, I use Palmer's Cocoa Butter lotion which does not make me sick. I can also tolerate almond scents. But florals?! I'm miserable. There are also specific chemicals used in cleaning products that can be toxic. Let me try to get a resource for you.
3. I am never sure where the financial liability falls regarding providing for accommodation...the venue or the planning organization? (i.e. handrails for steps)?
Ah, handrails should be a given for steps – the liability for a property would be great if they weren't there, whether someone had a disability or not. The law requires "reasonable accommodation" and that is sometimes at odds with what a property believes they should do. In the resources, there is a link to the ADA and more information on the DoJ website. Read more there and when in doubt, call DoJ.
4. We often use the same site for an event. How often do you suggest doing a site visit to ensure the level of access has not changed?
GREAT question! Thanks. I suggest every year at the time of contracting. I don't know if you do multiyear contracts though. If you do, negotiate conditions for service and condition and for a site inspection each year perhaps six months out of the meeting. If you don't do multiyear contracts, still negotiate service and facility conditions and that you'll conduct a site visit before signing the next year's contract. Many things can change…for the better or worse but any change can be disruptive to your plans.
5. One point of interest that I learned that was most important was the difference between being ADA "compliant" and ADA "accessible." Many historical properties are grandfathered in to the ADA and only have steps into the lobby. No ramps! Compliance does not mean accessible! :)
Grandfathered or not, you still want a property that is accessible. Use this information and provide to a hotel—http://www.ada.gov/business/accessiblemtg.htm—and ask them how they meet the standards and can help you and your meeting help others fully participate.
6. What if someone is hearing impaired but doesn't speak asl? Are there other services that are required to be provided?
There is no "grandfather clause." Each place must still attempt to remove barriers. Possible resource is to contact your local Independent Living Center to help with site visits.
7. Because space is limited on registration forms, we usually ask if an attendee has any "special needs?" Mostly we get responses regarding food allergies, or other accommodation needs: mobility or assistive hearing. How specific should we get?
I think the better way to ask or state it is "Tell us what you need to fully participate in the meeting" and use the wheelchair symbol because it's the international symbol for disabilities. Then make follow up phone calls or correspond by email to ensure that you can help. A colleague said that her association wants her to list all the possible accommodations. I think that will mean something will be left out and will make it tougher. Those (of us) who need accommodations are very good about advising.
8. Recently had issue with not enough disabled parking. Do you have alternative parking strategies? Sometimes I've found that the parking garage is too far from the venue. Also I find that some valet parking does not handle handicap vans and ran into issues with how to get around that. Thanks.
Best to know your audience and to, in the RFP, ask the hotel what their parking situation is prior to booking. Unlike accessible rooms or Deaf Kits, there is not a provision for the number of spaces or how vehicles can be parked, mainly because not all hotels own or control their parking. You might consider, if the need is great, running a shuttle to and from accessible parking.
9. We are renting an AED device because the property does not have one (pre-existing contract). Should we also request a sign like the one on your slide?
Whoa! I'm stunned that the property doesn't have one! You might strongly recommend they get it. The better way to advise your meeting participants might be to include in any printed or electronic material that in the event of an emergency to notify hotel security first and that you work with hotel security to notify you. It's cumbersome since you'll have the AED and not them, but otherwise, you may be getting any and all emergency calls for your group.
A sign can't hurt to have on the conference office door but I wonder if that means non-meeting goers will assume it's for the public. Talk with whomever handles risk management for your organization. This is tricky! Also use this url for more information: http://tinyurl.com/obe64bg.
10. On our registration form, we asked: "Do you have any special needs?" and left the box open for them to write anything relevant.
See response to Q11.
11. My association does ask that all restrooms be resigned (we provide signage) in our contracted space as "Gender Neutral Restrooms" in our RFP and in site visits – is this something we should ask for in the contract?
I'm not a lawyer so double-check with yours. I do believe that all information and expectations should be contained in the contract so there are fewer opportunities for misunderstandings.
Read on to the next page for even more Take 10 Q&A responses from Joan Eisenstodt.
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12. What can you do when you learn that some meeting space in a contract (after the contract is signed) is not ADA accessible?
Email me please (Eisenstodt@aol.com) – this is more specific than I can answer generically.
13. Thank for the myriad of resources! We just had American Occupational Therapy Association with us and we learned a lot during the site visit which helped us prepare for their group. We also periodically have Sensitivity Training provided by our CVC which is great for staff and new hires. :-)
Thanks for learning from them and this! Thrilled to hear you are being pro-active.
14. How do you approach "ADA" concerns at international locations?
Use this resource: http://dredf.org/legal-advocacy/international-disability-rights/international-laws/
15. What is the correct wording to put on invitations asking about disabilities?
See response to Q11 (on the first page of the Take 10).
16. For the braille print material, is this a standard at a conference/convention? Or do we provide if an attendee only asks for it?
Double-check the DoJ recommendations. My experience is that you only need to provide if it is requested. Do check with the hotel to ensure they have signs with Braille, and menus and other materials available. Their obligation is greater/different than yours.
17. We'll have some international folks at my event. My thoughts are sparked by your comments toward having signage in multiple languages.
Most US-based international conferences establish English as the language used. That said, for safety, having signs and information about safety in other languages would be a great held and service.
Thanks for thinking of that.
18. Do you create your own RFP or use ones provided by companies such as Cvent?
I create RFPs specific to client needs. They are long and extensive and go into far more detail provided (and requested) than any I've seen from any other company that does site selection. I am cleaning the checklist up and hope to have it on my web site (eisenstodt.com) in the next few months.
19. Will including budget numbers hurt the negotiation process because they know how much money we are working with?
It's a subject of disagreement in the industry! I believe that if you put a range of prices—say, your F&B budget (for x number of events, listing the number of courses, attendees expected, and whether they are inclusive of tax/service/admin fees) is better than learning too late—meaning after someone has decided that this is the property you want – is better at the start. Using a range—say, for guest rooms $125 to $175 exclusive of taxes and other fees—is broad enough for the hotel to provide some information and you to have room to negotiate.
20. Can you discuss making registration accessible? Our registration is set up by an exhibit company with high counters. Any trends/cool ways/recommended ways to set this up?
Provide the URL from the DoJ to your decorator/exhibit company (http://www.ada.gov/business/accessiblemtg.htm) and ask them what they think is the best design. Simply a lower counter and a place to sit will make it better. Remember to ensure that hearing and sight will be easy.
21. Who is required to pay for assistive devices? Hotel? Association or guest?
It depends on the need and device. Hotels must provide rooms that are equipped for people with disabilities and 4% of their inventory must have either Deaf Kits or have in-room access for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. For other items, it depends.
Refer to the DoJ information (http://www.ada.gov/business/accessiblemtg.htm) for more.
22. We include questions regarding ADA needs in our registration process. Should we do anything else?
Thanks for including that! Be sure, once it is received, to 1) call and confirm and 2) meet the person's needs. It's awful to be asked and then to be ignored.
Joan reached out to Meetings Focus after sending in her responses regarding the launch of an accessibility guide from Chapel Hill and Orange County in North Carolina. She asked that we include a link with her responses as an example of what a pro-active CVB or venue might be able to provide to visitors.
A digital version of the 2015-2016 Chapel Hill/Orange County Access Guide is available at the following link: http://issuu.com/chocvb/docs/access_guide_2015w/1.
Editor's Note: If you enjoyed the 'Destination and Site Selection and ADA Compliance: What Might You Miss?' webinar, or found the follow-up info useful, spread the word to other planners!
