Accessibility isn’t just a nice-to-have anymore. With Germany’s new Accessibility Reinforcement Act (Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz – BFSG) taking effect on June 28, 2025, many businesses are now legally required to make their digital products—and that includes customer support—accessible to everyone.
In this article, we’ll explain:
What the BFSG actually requires
Which parts of your support setup are affected
How to make your helpdesk accessible—practically, legally, and with minimal hassle
What Is the Accessibility Reinforcement Act (BFSG)?
The BFSG is Germany’s national implementation of the EU Accessibility Act (Directive 2019/882). Its goal is to ensure that digital services and products are usable for people with visual, hearing, motor, or cognitive impairments—without barriers.
Key facts:
Enforcement starts June 28, 2025
Applies to any business offering certain digital services or products, including B2B companies
Requires compliance with EN 301 549, the European technical standard for digital accessibility
Non-compliance can lead to fines and legal action
If you offer a website, customer portal, or live chat, you’re likely affected.
What Does This Mean for Customer Support?
When we talk about accessibility, many think of ramps or elevators. But in digital support, it’s much more subtle—and far more widespread.
Accessibility in support means:
Help Centers that work with screen readers
Interfaces with sufficient contrast, readable fonts, and scalable elements
Keyboard navigation support for all actions
Clearly labeled fields in forms
Plain language and clean content hierarchy in help articles
If your helpdesk widget is embedded on your website—it also has to be accessible.
Accessibility Support Checklist
Use this checklist to audit your helpdesk and self-service experience:
Area | Ask yourself... |
|---|---|
Text content | Are your help articles written in plain, understandable language? |
Contrast | Do buttons and text meet contrast ratio requirements? |
Navigation | Can everything be used via keyboard (no mouse)? |
Forms | Are fields and labels screen reader–friendly? |
Screen reader support | Can users read the interface with assistive tech? |
Alternative formats | Do you use alt text for images and captions for videos? |
Quick test tools: Try wave.webaim.org or Google’s Lighthouse to get a quick sense of what’s missing.
What HelpSpace Already Offers
At HelpSpace, we take accessibility seriously—and we’ve already built several features to support it:
High-contrast mode, configurable by each user
Keyboard navigation across the widget and app
Clean, semantic HTML for better screen reader compatibility
Clear article templates for easy scanning and comprehension
Accessible forms and UI elements with ARIA roles and focus indicators
How to Get Ready for BFSG (Without the Stress)
Here’s how to prepare in five steps:
Educate your team—especially support, legal, and IT
Audit your support systems (Help Center, chat widget, forms, etc.)
Ensure your helpdesk platform (like HelpSpace) meets technical standards
Review and revise your help content for clarity and structure
Communicate accessibility clearly—on your contact page, footer, or legal pages
Bonus: Document your accessibility efforts. It shows commitment—and helps with compliance.
Final Thought: Accessibility Is More Than a Legal Requirement
Making your customer support accessible isn’t just about ticking boxes. It’s about building an inclusive experience where everyone can get the help they need—without frustration.
It’s also smart business:
You reach more people
You boost customer satisfaction
You reduce legal and reputational risk
