Accessibility on web pages - Why?

Or - a personal history of how I became an accessibility consultant (or preacher for some).

Hello everyone, since this is my first post, I'll start by a short introduction of my self:
My name is Joe, I'm a system architect and a technological consultant.
I used to deal a lot wit banking application, architecture and security. May be "used" is the wrong term, because I still do that.

However, a year (or so) ago, I've started researching about accessibility on web site and how to do that.
Back then I was consulting one of the major banks in Israel, and one of the regulation's requirements was to have an accessible web site.

There where two incidents (or events) which gave me the drive:
First, I had a phone call from one of the bank's clients (lets call him M'), a blind man, who described me his user experience on our site.
Second, I've started teaching my mom how to use her computer.

You learn a lot from looking a a person. In M's case, I didn't really look, but the effect is quite similar.

I don't know about you, but for me, technology is a wonderful thing that can, and should, make your life better, by simplifying every day's tasks. When I look on a computer, I can see a tool, an access point, and an personal assistant, all in one.

But what my Mom sees, is a device that tiring her eyes, frustrate her, and so on.

In M's case, the effect is much stronger. Here is a tool that can save him the trouble of going on a dangerous road to the bank (have you ever tried to cross the street with your eyes closed?). But unfortunately, not only that it doesn't, it makes it more difficult and even frustrates him.

Summarizing the above paragraphs, here's a thought: remember the feeling, when your computer went crazy and you didn't know how or what to do but to format it? I don't know about you, but I had my share of those. It's frustrating, bothering, sometimes even heart breaking (all those documents that you don't know if you had backups for...) . Now, this is the everyday feeling for someone like M while trying to surf web sites which are not accessible.

So why should you make your web pages more accessible? (That is, of course, if the above didn't convince you yet)

Well, I could answer that easily with "why not?", but that's not a real answer, isn't it? There are many reasons as of why not to do it.
So I will go differently and try to answer it from different perspective, why should you do it? What is your gain?

You'll get more exposure.

Almost 20% of population needs some kind of technology aid, due to some king of deficiency.
Those 20% might not use your site currently, and just go to a different site who dose offer some kind of answer to their need.

Moreover, accessible site is useable, or at least more useable. Your visitors will stay longer, will use more functions, maybe even buy more. If the user experience will be good, they will recommend it to their friends.

Furthermore, check the next item for even more exposure.

You'll do better on search engines.

Search engines are blind. No matter how'd you look at it. Technology (search technology) is getting more and more advanced, but still it doesn't "see" you fancy flash movie,or the shinning flash title you've put on the front page.
Search engines, how ever, do read the code. They might not see the flash, but the will read its alternate text.
Further more, most search algorithms will recognize an understandable site (I.e. one who uses HTML headers to define data blocks, etc.). Such site will earn better ranking.

You might upgrade your public appearing, and be seen as more "human".

No matter how good you look towards your business partners, your customers are still everyday peoples. Most of them will hold a grudge to a company who "doesn't care enough". Just have a look at the rapidly growing budgets for "Community Aid".
People love to feel that they matter. Web users are people. There for web users love to feel that they matter.

It is sort of a trend these days.

Equality is a trend ever since the 1960's. Everybody keep talking about making the Internet a place for everyone, with no differences. So, if not for any other reason, why not just join the trend?

Last but not least, Gandhi once said: “We must be the change we wish to see in the world.”, sometimes I find my self thinking - "What kind of impact I leave? Do I make a difference?"
Well, with making my organization's web site more accessible for people with deficiencies, I make a difference.