RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK – Businesses that aren’t making digital accessibility a priority, could be missing out on a massive chunk of the market, warned John Samuel, head of LCI’s new tech division.

In the US, it’s estimated the annual discretionary spending of people with disabilities is over $200 billion. The global estimate is nearly $7 trillion.

But if these people can’t properly access a company’s website, it’s all for naught, says Samuel. “That’s a lot being left on the table.”

That’s one of the reasons that pushed LCI, one of the largest employers of Americans who are blind or visually impaired with headquarters in Durham, to launch its new tech division.

It’s mission: to bring firms up to speed on digital accessibility and usability.

John Samuel, head of LCI Tech

 

Officially launched earlier this year, the subsidiary offers usability testing, training and monitoring. It’s also one of the few companies where testing is completed by blind or low-vision employees, who have first-hand experience with multiple accessibility tools and platforms.

Samuel admitted there’s a “heavy lift” to raise awareness among businesses about potential earning loss. But change is slowly taking place.

“There’s a business case for this,” argued Samuel.

Already, the firm has hired five employees and completed 25 project, and the work keeps coming in.

“Three out of the next four projects are outside North Carolina,” he said.

Vanh Vue and Alyssa Cheesman working in the new tech division of LCI.

Founded in 1936 as a project of a civic club, LCI operates under the auspices of the AbilityOne program. Since then, LCI has grown into a multi-faceted entity with business capabilities ranging from manufacturing and distribution, to retail, e-commerce and now tech services.

Headquartered in Durham, North Carolina, LCI operates two distribution centers, three e-commerce websites, seven manufacturing facilities and over 36 base supply center stores on military bases across the United States.

Durham’s LCI, a large employer of the visually impaired, acquires Raleigh Lions Club for the Blind