Do you want fries with that?” is a phrase that has become commonplace in the fast food industry, and it has taken on new meaning in the past few years. Depending on the restaurant, you can choose from fries, onion rings, chili, fruit, salad and the list goes on—it’s not just fries anymore. Fast food chains have realized that they need to offer options that will satisfy the desires and needs of a diverse customer base. Ramps are a necessity for true mobility, but a ramp is not just a ramp. Too often ramps are an afterthought, and users end up with the not-so-perfect ramp for their application. To truly profit as an accessibility dealer, it is imperative to learn the ABCs of ramping.
Ask the question: “Will you need a ramp with that?” Identify to the customer the need they will have for a ramp. Don’t let them wait to find out that they need a ramp and lose the potential of a cash sale. Ask simple questions like, “How will you get your mobility device in your vehicle, house or other places you want to go?” Use the tools that ramp manufacturers offer to display ramps in your showroom to make the need visible to your customer. The use of hang tags on the mobility equipment is also an effective way to identify the need to your customer.
Be the expert: Your customer does not know that they do not know. Show them the ramps that will work best for their given situation, like EZ-ACCESS Suitcase or Trifold ramps for automobile use and travel; threshold ramps for door thresholds and sliding glass doors; solid, one-piece curb ramps for small steps and obstacles at home; modular ramp systems for higher entrances or multiple steps at home. Don’t make your customer self-diagnose their ramp need. Be sure that your ramp manufacturer trains your team, and enhance the training with programs such as CEAC certification through the AHIA group.
Consider all obstacles: There are some needs that are more visible than others. Doing a thorough assessment of all the scenarios will help you provide the best solutions for ramping. Understand that your customer may have a need for several ramps, not just a “one size fits all” product. Once you identify the individual ramp needs, show the customer the ramp(s) that will best fulfill those needs. Whether they purchase the ramp(s) today or in the future, you have laid the groundwork for your customer to buy from you.
Once you have mastered the ABCs of ramping, consider your own business model and the role that ramps play in that model. First, determine the type of ramps that you want to offer—portable ramps are often the easiest to implement in a business model, as there is little installation work needed and they can be a cash-and-carry item.
Modular ramps are a little more complex to implement into a model, but will fit nicely if you currently have a service tech or do in-field work. If you do home deliveries, do not miss the opportunity for ramp sales there as well. Use a ramp to unload equipment to demonstrate the use of the ramp, and consider carrying threshold ramps that you can sell and install on the spot. Keep in mind that the more you offer in your ramp program, the less likely your customer will need to go elsewhere to fill their ramp needs.
Next, consider offering ramps on a rental basis. This will meet short-term ramp needs, as well as provide options for customers that cannot afford to purchase all the equipment that they need at that time. You can then offer a buy-out option, which applies a portion of the rental price toward the purchase of the ramps. This will set you apart from your competition in this market.
Finally, consider offering a buy-back program. When offering high quality aluminum ramping, such as EZ-ACCESS products, the lifespan of these products makes them perfect for re-sale or re-use as rental inventory. Often, when a customer no longer has use for a ramp, they look for a way to get rid of it. Offering to remove the ramp, or offering to buy it back for a percentage of total cost, is a good way to build your rental stock program, or to have used ramping available for sale.
So remember, when you supply a mobility device, make it a “full-meal deal” and always ask the question, “Do you need a ramp with that?”
