When it comes to senior services, many options address the needs of caring for people at home or in a facility. However, when it comes to personal mobility equipment for the elderly and the disabled, Mobility City has carved out a niche business selling, renting and repairing personal mobility equipment. This strategy has proven successful since the brand began franchising four years ago. By Cindy Charette
When it comes to senior services, many options address the needs of caring for people at home or in a facility. However, when it comes to personal mobility equipment for the elderly and the disabled, Mobility City has carved out a niche business selling, renting and repairing personal mobility equipment. This strategy has proven successful since the brand began franchising four years ago.
According to Vinny Baratta, Mobility City’s chief operating officer, many other companies in the industry focus on ramps and stair lifts, leaving a multibillion-dollar market for personal mobility equipment unattended.
In fact, few companies offer repair services for such equipment, Baratta noted. Some require the equipment to have been purchased from their store, while others may require a customer to bring the equipment to the store for repairs.
With Mobility City, a trained technician comes to the customer’s home to repair their equipment regardless of where it was bought, which is a significant service, especially for the elderly or disabled person who may have limited options. Once the technician is on-site, the repairs can almost always be made using parts that are readily available in the Mobility City van.
As people age, there are many opportunities for repeat business once a customer is established, Baratta added. Some people go through a continuum of mobility impairment, typically starting with a cane and moving to a walker or a rollator walker that has a seat. If a wheelchair is needed, many people will not have the arm strength to roll it, so a mobility scooter becomes the better option.
Eventually, a person may want a reclining lift chair, which helps them stand. Another option, a multi-position hospital bed, can help a person get comfortable, particularly if they are bedridden. Because these life changes often occur over more than a dozen years, Mobility City focuses on customer service to build trust and offer these services across more than 22 states.
Mobility City is the only national mobility equipment and products repair, rental, sales and sanitizing service franchise in the U.S. The brand’s product offerings include powered wheelchairs, scooters, walking aids, wheelchairs and patient lifts that can help anyone with locomotor disabilities. Also, its devices offer significant benefits by increasing a person’s mobility, so they can get to their mailbox or roll through the mall. Mobility City serves veterans, seniors, the disabled and the injured, both young and old, in their homes or a facility.
According to Transparency Market Research, the aging of America and product innovation are propelling growth of the industry, which is recession-proof and essential, and projected to increase through 2031. With 10,000 people in America turning 65 every day, according to IBISWorld, the industry serving the elderly and disabled is expected to reach more than $61 billion this year, with continued long-term growth.
The personal mobility equipment sector, which is expected to reach a market value of $14.6 billion by 2027 according to Allied Market Research, has all the characteristics necessary for a successful business while helping others.
Cindy Charette