Winnipeg Football Club – Customer Service Accessibility Policy

Purpose

The Winnipeg Football Club strives to provide our products and services in a manner that is accessible to all customers and potential customers, and respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. We are committed to offering equal opportunity to access our products and services and to providing the benefit of the same services, in the same place and in a similar way to all customers and potential customers. We strive to provide a barrier-free environment for our customers and potential customers and are committed to identifying and removing barriers where feasible. This policy is based on the Accessibility for Manitobans Act.

Providing Goods and Services to People with Disabilities

The Winnipeg Football Club is committed to excellence in serving all customers and potential customers including people with disabilities and carry out our functions and responsibilities in the following areas:

Communication

Communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability.

We train our staff on how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities.

Telephone Services

We are committed to providing fully accessible telephone service to our customers and potential customers. We train staff to communicate with customers and potential customers over the telephone in clear and plain language and to speak clearly and slowly.

We offer to communicate with customers and potential customers by email, if telephone communication is not suitable to their communication needs or is not available.

Assistive Devices

We are committed to serving people with disabilities who use assistive devices to obtain, use or benefit from our goods and services. We ensure that our staff members are familiar with various assistive devices that may be used by customers and potential customers with disabilities while accessing our goods or services.

Billing

We are committed to providing accessible invoices to all of our customers and potential customers. For this reason, invoices are provided in the following formats upon request: hard copy, large print, or e-mail.

We answer any questions customers and potential customers may have about the content of the invoice in person, by telephone or email.

Use of Service Animals

We are 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 and other third parties. We also provide training to staff and others dealing with the public so they are properly trained in how to interact with people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal.

Use of Support Persons

We are committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person. Any person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person is allowed to enter the Winnipeg Football Club premises with his or her support person. At no time will a person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person be prevented from having access to his or her support person while on our premises. For ticketed events, all persons must have a valid ticket for entry, including a support person. Tickets may be purchased by contacting our office in person at the Bomber Store, by phone (204) 784-7448 or by email at fanservices@bluebombers.com

Notice of Temporary Disruption

The Winnipeg Football Club provides customers and potential customers with notice in the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in the facilities or services used by people with disabilities. This notice includes 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 public entrances and service counters on our premises.

Training for Staff

The Winnipeg Football Club provides training to all staff members 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.

All staff members training include the following:

• The purposes of the Accessibility for Manitobans 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 Winnipeg Football Club goods and services
• The Winnipeg Football Club policies, practices and procedures relating to the customer service standard

Applicable staff is trained on policies, practices and procedures that affect the way goods and services are provided to people with disabilities. Staff is also trained on an ongoing basis when changes are made to these policies, practices and procedures.

Feedback Process

The ultimate goal of the Winnipeg Football Club is to meet and surpass expectations for customers with disabilities. Comments on our services regarding how well these expectations are being met are welcome and appreciated.

Feedback regarding the way the Winnipeg Football Club provides goods and services to people with disabilities can be made by e-mail to fanservices@bluebombers.com, verbally, or by letter. All feedback is directed to the Fan Services Manager. Customers and potential customers can expect to hear back from Winnipeg Football Club within 5 working days.

Modifications to This or Other Policies

We are committed 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 the Winnipeg Football Club 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 and potential customers with disabilities. If anyone has a question about the policy, or if the purpose of this policy is not understood, an explanation should be provided by, or referred to our Human Resources Advisor.

Training

Each Staff Member is informed of the Winnipeg Football Club Policies.

Evaluation

The Winnipeg Football Club shall review this Policy, and its effectiveness on an annual basis or more often as deemed necessary.

Revision History of this Policy

October 2018 – Development and implementation of Policy

Required Forms

None

Legislation/ Standards/ Regulations

Accessibility for Manitobans Act

Human Rights Code

Accessible Employment Policy

The Winnipeg Football Club’s accessible employment policy is available to the public on request and will be made available in a format that is accessible to the user.