Boost cash sales and build a better bath business by partnering with reputable manufacturers and developing an eye for innovation and design.

This Old House, Trading Spaces, Home Again—the list goes on. Americans are bombarded with home improvement shows. Watch these programs, and you will see that we love spacious, contemporary, and stylish bathrooms. For today’s providers of bath safety products, safety will always come first. However, being on the cutting edge when it comes to aesthetics and sophistication is key to success, too. Building your bath safety business is no small task. But if you partner with reputable manufacturers, understand how to boost cash sales, and have an eye for innovation and design, you will be well on your way.

Team With Quality Manufacturers
Bath safety is a fast-growing market niche. Smart providers are capitalizing on consumer interest in everything from highly functional and practical products to stylish accents such as grab bars that are as appealing to the eye as they are to the hand. So where do you start when it comes to increasing profitability in the bath safety niche? “It is hugely important to have a feeling of togetherness with the manufacturer,” says Joe Pepitone, director of Kohll’s mobility and rehabilitation equipment at Kohll’s Pharmacy and Homecare in Omaha, Neb. “The more support and familiarity I get from the manufacturer’s rep, the more comfortable I feel about buying and offering their products.”

Indeed, equipping a bathroom is not a do-it-yourself project. You need allies you can rely on. Pepitone says that the most important support he can get from a manufacturer is a guarantee that the equipment is safe. To succeed in this market, you need to rest assured that the products you recommend are safe for patients. For example, understanding variances in equipment is key. A shower bench suited to an elderly woman may not serve the needs of a bariatric patient.

When working with manufacturers, choose those with a solid reputation. Moreover, says Pepitone, make sure you ask questions and hear responses straight from the source. “Even though specs and variances are written down somewhere, it is also good to have that face-to-face interaction with a rep,” says Pepitone. “If you trust the rep, you should be able to trust their word.”

Kevin Jones, senior product and brand manager of the home care division for Moen, North Olmsted, Ohio, agrees. “We conducted a provider study and found that the number one concern of providers is that a manufacturer deliver a high-quality product,” says Jones.

The recent Moen study sheds light on what providers are seeking from manufacturers of bath safety products; 84% surveyed said that quality was the most important feature they looked for when determining product selection. Functionality ranked second and price came in third. Style was next—with 26% calling it “very important” and 68% considering style “somewhat important.” “Brand name came in last,” Jones says. “And that fact told me that in the mind of providers, no single manufacturer has a corner on the market and safety is the key issue.”

Jones says that his company aims to look beyond just price concerns. “We won’t just ride the wave of shrinking reimbursements,” says Jones. “Instead, our goal is to offer top quality.”

Top-quality products appear to be what this market is all about. Pepitone says his advice to providers just starting out—or expanding into the niche—is to avoid anything “cheap.”

Pepitone, who works with a variety of manufacturers, says, “Poorly made products are out there. It is wise to stick with the true, proven, and tested sources.”

Unfortunately, liability can be an issue and the best way to avoid problems down the line is by being vigilant up front. Make sure you carefully assess the products you carry. For example, a shower chair is an item that will be used on a daily basis. Ask the manufacturer if it will last, if it will rust, break, or have a tendency to be defective in any way down the line. Follow up with customers after you sell and install an item to gain their feedback on the product. If the customer is satisfied, you will be too. Once you are comfortable with several manufacturers and brands, stick with those.

Boost Cash Sales
Reimbursement cuts are a constant concern for all providers these days. The beauty of the bath market is that there is ample opportunity for boosting cash sales while providing genuine value to patients.

If you do not already have one, feature an interactive showroom in your facility. Kohll’s has seven locations, and each location offers consumers experiences that encourage smart buying decisions. “Each of our stores features a ‘set’ of an actual home bathroom that we have designed,” says Pepitone. “This way, people can try out products and see what best suits them.”

Jones concurs. “It is really important for providers to create a consumer-friendly environment,” says Jones. “A consumer shopping experience is what appeals to people.”

In addition to larger purchases, an interactive showroom helps promote “impulse buys.” For example, senior citizens who visit your showroom are apt to be accompanied by their adult children or another caretaker. Very often it is these caretakers who spot an additional bath safety product that could improve the quality of life for their loved one.

Seniors don’t always want to think about the “extras,” but caretakers are eager to hear about anything that can enhance daily living. So be prepared to demonstrate products, too, because education is often vital to successful selling. Use your showroom to its fullest advantage and, ultimately, it will pay off.

Pepitone says that the key to success for boosting cash sales is really quite simple: Make sure you have cash items available and in stock. “The cash market is bound to improve even more in the next 10 years simply because there will always be a need,” says Pepitone. “The health issues are there and people are living longer.” And most obvious of all, everyone uses the bathroom on a daily basis.

Interestingly, cash sales in this market can often be big-ticket items. One of the biggest innovations in the past 5 years is the motorized or electronic bathtub lift. While Medicare does not cover the item, Pepitone says it remains a big seller at Kohll’s. Priced at around $1,200, motorized tub lifts are just one example of how providers can capitalize on high-end products that are popular with consumers.

The bidet, a common fixture in European bathrooms, is catching on with the American public. These portable items hook up to the toilet and tap into the water line. Selling for $1,500 and up, bidets are not reimbursable, but consumers are paying for them out-of-pocket.

Initiate and Renovate
One of today’s biggest areas of profitability is bathroom renovation. Kohhl’s is known for delivering not only the right products, but a team of experts who can restructure and outfit an entire bathroom. To be successful in the renovations niche, you will need to retain experienced engineers you can rely on for assessing and executing projects.

Upgrading from a standard product to a more sophisticated model is one more way to boost sales. “At trade shows, I notice that providers are concerned about reimbursement cuts,” says Jones. “They are fixated on the impact it will have on cash flow and profitability.” Jones says his response is to encourage alternative revenue streams and, specifically, cash sales. “I tell providers you can’t fight the existing model or system, but you can progress toward a new model that serves your business better.”

An Eye for Design
No doubt, today’s bath safety customers are focused on more than function. They are also looking at form, style, and design. “We are very cognizant of aesthetics in this niche because it is clearly important to the end user,” says Pepitone. “A lot of people are very particular, and you can tell when you get to their front door just who they are.”

Pepitone spends a good deal of his time out in the field. When he visits a potential client’s home, he can quickly see whether they are tuned into aesthetics. With Baby Boomers being a fast-growing segment of the market niche, now more than ever, it is vital for providers to have a good eye for design. In turn, manufacturers are responding with bath safety products that complement—rather than clash with—today’s aesthetically pleasing homes.

Clearly, people want to see more style in bath safety products. “They are looking for a product that helps them live independently, gives them a sense of dignity, and does not detract from the home —but instead adds to it,” says Jones. Moreover, both providers and manufacturers say that clients are more compliant when good style is a product feature.

Whether it is form, function, or a combination of both, it is important to carry a wide variety of options in your bath safety inventory. From bedside commodes to grab bars and shower chairs, variety is the name of the game. “My advice to anyone entering the niche is to carry a product line that is diverse and expansive,” says Pepitone. “But equally important, be sensitive to the customer and confident that your work is helping them.”

If you listen to customers about their needs and tastes, lean on manufacturers for support, and maybe even tune into one of those home improvement shows every now and then, building your bath safety business won’t have to be a “do-it-yourself” project. Instead, it can be a creative and collaborative effort that will be profitable for many years to come.

Marianne Matthews is a contributing writer for Dealer/Provider.