The graying of America and changing attitudes about disability have been a boon for businesses that supply wheelchair and scooter lifts for vehicles and other adaptive driving equipment. Unlike in the past, when many people with limited mobility were housebound, today’s elderly—as well as the disabled—are out and about, driving cars or being chauffeured by family members.

“There’s no question that the aging population has brought growth to this market,” says Greg Sims, general manager of Gator Custom Mobility in Gainesville, Fla.

Manufacturers have also contributed to the market’s growth by producing lifts that are user-friendly, safe, and adaptable for a variety of vehicles and a variety of wheelchair and scooter types.

Finally, companies specializing in these products have become much more sophisticated in the past decade. With approximately 575 members, the National Mobility Equipment Dealer’s Association (NMEDA) has played a major role in bringing about opportunities for mobility companies.

Since many lifts are now factory-assembled, as opposed to being custom-made, as they were years ago, the barriers of entry to the market have also fallen. As a result, many individuals with backgrounds in HME, automobile sales/service, and general business have entered the wheelchair and scooter lift field.

Moving on Up
Established mobility equipment suppliers, such as Kelly Graves, sales and marketing manager for Adaptive Automotive, a wheelchair and scooter lift provider in Denver, stress that the manufacturers’ improvements in the design of lift systems have made them a profitable product line.

In particular, Graves notes that today’s lift manufacturers pay special attention to safety features and durability. “Most manufacturers have recognized that lifts need to be designed to accommodate wheelchairs and scooters that have become larger and more technically complex,” she says.

Businesses that sell or rent lifts and other adaptive driving aids market them in different ways. Some use television commercials or magazine advertisements that are targeted at seniors. Others find that community involvement activities, such as health fairs for seniors and the disabled community, are a more effective way to promote products. Adaptive Automotive participates in a large number of trade shows, including non-health care shows such as the 16-day National Western Stock Show in Denver, Graves says.

In addition, the company sends employees to school districts and nursing homes to train their drivers and demonstrate the proper use of tie-downs. “We’ve found that public relations tends to be more effective in promoting these products than traditional advertising, which is so costly,” Graves says.

Sims, of Gator Custom Mobility, also points out that word-of-mouth marketing can be extremely effective in bringing visibility to a company, especially within the disabled community where members are often well connected and share resources. “During the first 10 years of our business, we focused primarily on word-of-mouth marketing,” he says.

Educating Consumers
One of the best strategies for maintaining high customer satisfaction is to offer free information about the products and financial assistance resources. Since few payors reimburse for wheelchair and scooter lifts, customers must seek out other funding, such as state programs, to help pay for driver training and adaptive devices.

A good place to advise potential customers to start is with their state’s vocational and rehabilitation agency, as well as their state’s Technical Assistance Project, which is sponsored by the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA). Veterans’ organizations and groups for people with disabilities, such as the Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Amputee Coalition of America, may also be able to provide assistance.

Graves says that many of her customers also are unaware of the automobile manufacturer discounts and rebates that are available to consumers. “Even many of the [auto] dealerships themselves are not familiar with these programs,” she says.

Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Daimler-Chrysler, Toyota/Lexus, Saturn, and Volkswagen each offer rebates of approximately $1,000. Financing programs are also available from certain banks, such as Chase and Bank of America.

You can also earn customers’ loyalties by helping them understand all of the choices available to them in the lift market. “Our favorite client is the one who hasn’t purchased anything yet and wants to set up an appointment to discuss all their options,” Sims says.

Since there is no single wheelchair or scooter vehicle lift that is right for every client, the expertise of the provider is key to the customer’s purchase satisfaction. Meet with the customer and his or her family members to determine their mobility needs. The vehicle and adaptive equipment selected should be based on the person’s physical and cognitive abilities and lifestyle. Certified driving rehabilitation specialists also play a role in writing the prescriptions describing needed devices and vehicle adjustments.

With all the various choices available for consumers, the adaptive mobility industry can be an extremely satisfying field to work in. Receiving positive feedback from customers who are living active, full lives is something most adaptive vehicle specialists relish.

Carol Daus is a contributing writer for Dealer/ Provider.