How do I judge a mobility store’s showroom range of power chairs and walkers?
Look at whether the range covers the clients the store actually serves, from basic walkers to more complex power chairs. Check how many items are floor samples, how many are in stock and how many are ordered per client. A wide showroom can hide thin stock, and a narrow one can hide a loyal specialty.
Walk the floor as a customer would. Are the walkers, rollators, scooters and power chairs clean, working and easy to try? Can a person actually sit in them and test the controls? Notice whether the choice is balanced or dominated by a few models, and whether anything looks old, discontinued or unsold for a long time.
Next, ask what lies behind the displays. Find out which units can go out the same day, which are ordered for each client and which brands the store depends on. A showroom full of floor models that cannot be sold from stock is a different business from one with boxes ready in the back. Ask the seller for sales by product type so you can see what really moves.
Finally, ask about the people. Ask who fits clients, how long a fitting takes and what training staff have. A range is only useful if someone can match it to a person. Your accountant can help you compare the stock shown with what is in the books. Take notes on how staff greet visitors, since a showroom that is welcoming and knowledgeable often does more to keep clients than a larger range does.
Key takeaways
- Test the floor models as a customer would, looking for age and wear.
- Ask what is in stock versus ordered per client.
- Ask who does fittings and what training they have.
- Watch how staff greet and guide visitors on the showroom floor.
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Sources
This answer is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentWhat is inventory
- 02Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentHow to conduct due diligence when buying a business
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