Buying Locally is it Important?

As a consumer, we all wrestle with the decision on whether to make a purchase locally or from a catalog or from a website. Many times you can get a lower price from a catalog or website, but sometimes at a huge cost.

If you are in the market for a book, Amazon is the leader; not only because of the price, but because of the selection. It only takes a few times of going to a local book store and not finding what you are looking for and are told they can special order it for a premium; that you become an Amazon Fan.

There is a trend of people shopping on line for medical equipment. The reason many times, is that a local brick and motar company is more expensive than the catalog or on line company. As a consumer I understand that every dollar needs to go farther these days; but also understand that when buying equipment that needs service and support I need someone in my corner when there is an issue.

I receive regular phone calls from customers asking me to repair their equipment, to modify equipment that they bought on-line or to take their on-line equipment as a trade when they find out it doesn't work for them. 

Although the mission of Active Mobility Center is to help the community, we have had to make tough decisions on how to best service our customers. This is a trend in the Medical Equipment industry; as when a customer calls and asks us to put tires on their wheelchair that they purchased on line to save a few dollars, or wants us to consult them on how to fix, or modify a chair they purchased online cheaper that doesn't fit.  Most companies have adopted the policy that they didn't provide the equipment than they do not service it.

Not to sound uncaring, but the costs to operate a medical equipment company are tremendous. Like other brick and motor companies, there are the standard operating costs. Unlike many of these other companies, medical equipment companies have additional insurance, accreditation fees, yearly fees to work with Medicare, required continued education of staff, contstant retraining of staff to the changes in the industry and with insurance, and much more. 

To spend time with those customers who do not patronize the local provider takes valuable time and resources from the firm's loyal customers; and the key to keeping customers is ensuring their needs are met.

Your local medical equimpent company provides the valuable services of their knowledge, their experience, and their network.  This experience and available follow up service/support is what you pay extra for; and to ensure your local support will be there when you need it. Because they are local, they have to be the expert to keep people coming back, they need to have a network so when you have a question or problem, they can recommend a person or place to solve your issue.

Please contact Carey Britton at cbritton@wheelchairguys.com with any questions or comments, he can be reached at 954-946-5793.