Homecare Suppliers 2012
It is good for us to occasionally take a step back and look at not only what we have accomplished since our beginnings but also to look at what is working, what is not and how we can improve. The New Year is a perfect time for this self-assessment.
Homecare Suppliers began as simply a stairlift company. We sold one stairlift in the beginning, the Summit SL350. There was a huge need for qualified dealers and installers at that time. The market was not saturated with internet dealers and there weren’t 14 different dealers in our area. Simply put, there was a need and demand. We stepped into the gap in our area as well as online. It was our online presence that set us apart. There were not very many dealers selling these units via the internet. Our sales were amazing those first years.
Then two things happened, the economy took a hit and the market became saturated with stairlift dealers. Thankfully, we had diversified. We had increased our stairlift product line, we began selling various other mobility products including ramps, lifting devices and daily living products.
During the next couple of years the economy also boomed with senior living products and CAP (Certified Aging in Place) remodelers and builders. The baby boomers caused a boom in the senior market. With the influx of retailers, including big box stores carrying aging in place items, smaller mobility companies felt the most changes. Amazon and large online dealers added to the crunch by offering some of our products at discount pricing that was so low many of us were unable to compete.
So, what then set Homecare Suppliers apart? These things alone: Customer Service and the willingness to go the extra mile. We aren’t tooting our own horn here. That is truly what has allowed us to stay in the game. We have always been a family run organization. We have always focused upon our customers and their needs, not the bottom line. We committed to being a supplier of stairlifts and home care supplies because there was and is a huge need.
The people that call us are in need, often a far greater need then just getting a simple product. They are in transition. They or someone they know are suddenly facing mobility challenges. These challenges come with many questions, more than just the price of the unit. It is there that I believe Homecare Suppliers stands apart from the big box stores, the massive internet distributors and the fly-by-night dealers that pop up overnight and then slip away when they see how competitive the market is.
We have ate, slept and lived stairlifts and mobility products. When we began our company we came from diverse backgrounds. One of us had years of experience in human resources and customer service. Another of us was a trained law enforcement officer with an inherent desire to serve and protect. Another of us was an experienced IT person with vast experience in internet marketing and web promotions. We came with qualified consultants and contractors that knew all the ins and outs of the industry. We each stepped into our rolls with a hope of making a difference.
Looking back over the last seven years, I know that we have.
So looking forward into the fullness of 2012, our eyes continue to be on standing apart from our competitors. We will never be a huge conglomerate that carries every item needed for those facing mobility challenges. Our goal was never to be a big box store. So, with eyes focused straight ahead we will continue down the path that is before us – making it possible for those with mobility challenges to live life unlimited!!
