Here at Leasing Chat, our Live Chat systems and website integration are all WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) compliant. This is and important consideration for us when incorporating technologies and workflows for our customers. We wanted to highlight a few considerations, why they are important, and how we have adapted to them to ensure all visitors are able to utilize our Live Chat tools and communicate effectively with your Leasing Specialists!
First, What is WCAG?
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines are a set of accessibility standards put forth by the World Wide Web Consortium. The goal is to make websites and web systems accessible for all, which includes people with disabilities, as well as devices with limited functionality.
There are a few key components to the guideline, each of which need to be addressed on a website, and in our case, within our chat application and software systems.
Perceivable
Being perceivable accounts for the ability of your website and/or software to be viewed and represented by the person or device. It states that visible content should be easily legible and understood by audible page reading software, and that audio or video content is transcribed and captioned appropriately.
Operable
Being operable accounts for the ability of all users to propertly navigate your website or User Interface. It states that elements should be accessible through the use of a keyboard or audio navigator, in place of a mouse or pointing device.
Understandable
Being Understandable accounts for the ability of users to see the content they intend to see and have it not obfuscated by extraneous elements or content. It states that elements on a page or UI should follow a logical order and be able to be structured by small screen devices, audio readers, and follow expected layout conventions for the visually impaired.
Robust
Being robust accounts for the ability of your website and UI to function properly in a wide array of browsers and across devices. It states that technological choices should be made to account for as many users and visitors as possible, and to provide a consistent experience for all.
Keep ADA Compliance Across your Organization
Here at Leasing Chat we take the adoption of the WCAG guidelines seriously and do our best to incorporate tools and functionalities that help us reach that goals. We are WCAG 2.1 AA compliant and continue to make improvements for the experience of our users.
- Our Live Chat Software is keyboard accessible, meaning you do not need a mouse to interact with a Leasing Agent.
- Our Live Chat Software is accessible by text-to-speech reading software for the visually impaired.
- Our Live Chat Software will be stylized to fit the branding of your properties, but we always strive for a contrast rating of 4.5 or higher, creating clear distinctions between elements and improving ease-of-use.
- Our Live Chat Software functions perfectly across all major web browsers and mobile devices.
By adhering to the standard and using technologies that are WCAG compliant, we are also guaranteeing that our services will reach, and be effective for, the widest possible user base. So you as a Multifamily Owner and Operator can be assured we will always be accessible for all your prospective residents, no matter who they are or what devices they use.
For Multifamily Organizations that take ADA compliance seriously on their property grounds, those considerations should also extend to your technologies and marketing - and we at Leasing Chat can help!