We received a call from a cosmetologist who reached out after speaking with the developer who built and maintains her website. As we always do, before diving into the deep end and walking her through the whole process, I asked her with a smile: "Have you checked whether you might actually qualify for an exemption?" If you've read any of our previous stories, you may have noticed that's a pattern for us — we never rush to sell a service someone doesn't need.
She was more than happy to find out. 😊
To check her eligibility for an exemption, we asked 2 key questions
Has your business been operating for more than 3 years? — She said yes.
Were your revenues in each of the last three years below 100,000 ILS? — She answered yes to that one too.
Great news! She met the criteria, and we were genuinely delighted to let her know she was exempt from website accessibility compliance, and that all she needed to do was ask her developer to add an accessibility statement noting the exemption on the grounds of economic hardship.
She was thrilled, thanked us for being upfront with her, and we were glad to have done the right thing.
But then came a surprise…
A few days after our call, the cosmetologist contacted her accountant to get an official confirmation of her revenues for the past three years. When he reviewed the numbers, he told her that the most recent year had actually been a great one — and her revenue had crossed the 100,000 ILS threshold.
She remembered our conversation and got back to us right away with an update: "Looks like I'm not exempt after all… what now?"
We understood that she was, in fact, required to make her website accessible — the law is the law. First and foremost, we reassured her that everything was manageable and that we could get to work quickly and efficiently.
We walked her through every step of the process — clearly, efficiently, and without any pressure. We were given access to the website and moved swiftly to bring it into full compliance with the legal requirements.
What did we take away from this story?
First of all, it's always worth checking the exemption upfront — it can save clients real time and money.
But beyond that, reality has a way of surprising you. It's dynamic and ever-changing, so it pays to stay on top of the details. At the same time, don't assume the worst straight away — there's always a structured, professional solution.
And we got yet another reminder that when you approach client relationships with honesty and transparency, people notice and they come back. She remembered that we hadn't rushed to sell her something she didn't need. Yes, that's simply the right way to do business — but it's always encouraging to see that integrity pays off.
From the initial consultation all the way through to full accessibility implementation, with transparency and fairness every step of the way, we'd love to do the same for you. 😊