Pita Pit Customer Service Policy
1.01 Pita Pit is committed to providing our goods and services in a manner which ensures that all of our customers are treated with dignity and respect and are able to access our goods and services in a way which is equitable and free from discrimination and accessibility barriers.
2.0 PURPOSE
2.01 The company is committed to ensuring that persons with disabilities have the same opportunity to access our goods and services with independence and dignity in a similar manner as any other current or potential customer.
3.0 SCOPE
3.01 This policy applies to all employees of Pita Pit facilities and other third parties, whose position includes, in whole or in part, interacting with current and potential customers on business-related activities with respect to the provision of our goods and services.
3.02 Any customer or potential customer who has any comment or feedback regarding this policy and procedure or any current or potential customers with disabilities who believe they are being denied equitable access to our goods and services are invited to use the Feedback and Complaint Procedure identified in this policy.
4.0 DEFINITIONS
4.01 “Disability” means,
(a) Any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical co-ordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheel chair or other remedial appliance or device,
(b) A condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability,
(c) A learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language,
(d) A mental disorder, or
(e) An injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997
5.0 COMMUNICATION
5.1 Pita Pit will communicate with persons with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability.
5.02 Upon request, we will provide our advertising brochures, customer invoices and all other company materials available to members of the public in a format which allows for equitable access to all our goods and services. Furthermore, if telephone communication is not suitable for any customers’ communication needs, other means of communication such as e-mail, TTY or relay services will be provided on an as needs basis.
6.0 ASSISTIVE DEVICES
6.01 Pita Pit is committed to serving persons with disabilities who use assistive devices to access our goods and services. Persons with disabilities who use or rely on assistive devices such as, for example, wheelchairs, motorized scooters, hearing aids, white canes, etc. will be reasonably accommodated to ensure equitable access to our goods and services.
7.0 SERVICE ANIMALS
7.01 Pita Pit is committed to serving persons with disabilities who rely on a guide dog or other service animals to access those parts of our company premises that are open to the public and other authorized third parties.
8.0 SUPPORT PERSONS
8.01 Pita Pit welcomes persons with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person in order for them to equitably access our good and services. Any person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed on our company premises, and at no time will that person with a disability be prevented from having access to his or her support person while on our premises.
9.0 NOTICE OF TEMPORARY DISRUPTIONS
9.01 Pita Pit will give prompt notice to customers with disabilities in the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in the accommodations, facilities or services provided by Pita Pit to ensure equitable access to our goods and services. This notice will be in the various formats that the company normally uses to communicate with persons with disabilities and will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration, and a description of alternative proposed accommodation service, if appropriate and available.
10.0 TRAINING
10.01 Pita Pit is committed to ensuring that all employees involved with the development, review and implementation of the organization’s policies, practices and procedures are trained. The training will include but are not limited to:
1) Human Resources
2) Sales
3) Front-line employees
4) Management
5) Any employee who may interface with customers/clients
10.02 Training will conducted in the following areas:
1) Introduction to AODA – What is AODA?
2) What is a disability?
3) Understanding Impairments, Disabilities, and Handicaps
4) Visible and Invisible Disabilities
5) Working with Assistive Devices, Support Persons, and Service Animals
6) How to work with or service a person with a Disability
7) An overview of the company’s policies, practices and procedures pertaining directly to serving customers with disabilities
8) How to use assistive equipment or devices pertaining directly to the business location
9) What to do if a person is having difficulty accessing our goods or service
10.03 All persons mandated for training under this Policy will be promptly retained in the event there are changes made to this Policy or any other Pita Pit customer service practices and procedures.
10.04 New employees, contractors and other third parties who are mandated for training under this Policy will be trained in the subject matter indicated above within two (2) weeks of commencing employment with Pita Pit.
11.0 FEEDBACK PROCESS
11.01 Customers who wish to provide feedback on the way Pita Pit provides goods and services to people with disabilities can forward their feedback by telephone, e-mail, and letter or in any other form convenient to the individual at the following address:
Pita Pit Canada
305 – 11 Princess St.
Kingston, Ontario,
Canada
K7L 1A1
Tel: (613) 546-4494
Fax: (613)546-1436
Email: accessibility@pitapit.ca
11.02 The Human Resources Manager, or her/his designate, is responsible for responding to any feedback as promptly as possible, but no later than within ten (10) business days of first being apprised of the feedback, issues or concerns.
12.0 POSTING AND NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
12.01 A copy of this Policy will be given to all employees, contractors and other third parties who participate in training mandated by this Policy. Furthermore, this Policy will be made available on the Pita Pit website.
12.02 All customers of Pita Pit will be notified that this Policy and any accompanying documents are available upon request.
13.0 AUTHORITY FOR POLICY
13.01 All procedural and administrative matters arising out of the implementation of this Policy will be coordinated by the Human Resources Manager.
13.02 In the event that other commitments prevent the Human Resources Manager from expeditiously fulfilling any or all of the responsibilities conferred on him or her under this Policy or when he or she concludes that it is otherwise appropriate, the Human Resources Manager may designate another senior employee to act on his/her behalf.
14.0 EVALUATING AND MONITORING OF POLICY
14.01 This Policy and any accompanying documents will be reviewed annually by the Human Resources Manager to determine its continued effectiveness in ensuring that current and potential customers with disabilities have equitable access to the company’s goods and services.
