ADA Compliance: The Benefits of Accessibility and Risks of Noncompliance
August 2025
In today’s hyper-competitive marketplace, delivering exceptional UX means catering to every potential customer—regardless of their ability or device. By embracing accessibility early in your design process, you not only protect your organization from legal and financial risks but also unlock three core business advantages:
1. Expanded Market Reach
According to the World Health Organization, people with disabilities represent over 1.3 billion potential customers worldwide. Inclusive design invites these users into your ecosystem, driving incremental revenue and fostering brand loyalty among an often-overlooked audience.
2. Superior User Experience
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that over 70 million adults living in the U.S. report having a disability of some kind. Given the rise in ADA-related lawsuits and the number of individuals currently living with a disability, it is imperative that brands create experiences that both shield the organization from potential litigation and simultaneously serve the maximum number of users possible.
3. Brand Reputation and Trust
Companies that prioritize inclusivity project empathy and social responsibility. In an era of conscientious consumerism, accessible brands stand out as leaders committed to equitable experiences. Simply put, if brands do not prioritize trust, they risk losing market share.
The Hidden Risks of Noncompliance
Many organizations assume that basic accommodations or automated tools fulfill accessibility requirements, but the reality is more complex. Overlooking true compliance can lead to:
- Legal Exposure: ADA-related lawsuits have surged in recent years, with plaintiffs targeting digital products (websites, apps, etc.) that fail to meet the current standards. Settlements, legal fees and remediation costs can escalate quickly.
- Revenue Leakage: Accessibility barriers—like unlabeled form fields or inaccessible multimedia—drive frustrated users away. Every abandoned session represents lost sales and diminished customer retention.
- Reputational Damage: Negative press and social media backlash can erode brand trust. Inaccessible experiences are often perceived as exclusionary, undermining your organization’s commitment to its customers.
WCAG: Your Accessibility Roadmap
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provide an internationally recognized framework for measuring and improving digital accessibility. WCAG is organized around four core principles:
- Perceivable: Information and UI components must be presented in ways users can perceive (e.g., text alternatives, captions).
- Operable: Users must be able to adequately navigate and interact with content (e.g., keyboard accessibility, promptness of input responses).
- Understandable: Information and operation must be clear (e.g., predictable navigation, readable text).
- Robust: Content must be compatible with current and future user agents, including assistive technologies.
By building the latest WCAG guidelines into your UX strategy, development and QA processes, you safeguard your brand against legal risk while delivering richer experiences to all users.
Accessibility as a Strategic Advantage for Brands
Accessibility goes beyond compliance—it’s a catalyst for innovation, growth and resilience. When your website or platform is designed with accessibility in mind, you reduce friction across the user journey, improve lead quality and signal to your customers that you take compliance seriously.
At Bailey, we approach accessibility as an integral part of UX strategy—not an afterthought. Whether we’re mapping user journeys, auditing site experiences or building digital products from the ground up, accessibility considerations are embedded into every phase of the process. We help our clients stay ahead of legal risks—but more importantly, we help them turn inclusive design into a competitive advantage that fuels growth, engagement and customer trust.
If you'd like to take the next step in making your digital products more accessible, reach out to us to see how we can help.
Let's Make Your Brand Matter
To learn more about this topic or to discuss an issue impacting your business, contact Bailey’s Vice President of Client Services, Jamie Gailewicz, at 610-818-3103 or email us at [email protected].
