What are the biggest challenges facing mobility retailers in 2017? Chris Cox, MD of Cinque Ports Mobility
Internet sellers. Access to the market. Assessment and servicing. Chris Cox, Managing Director of Cinque Ports Mobility and John Payne, Managing Director of Kent Mobility, share some of their thoughts on what they see as being the biggest issues facing businesses and the industry over the next 12 months. The role of the internet A major concern both Chris and John quickly touched upon were the increasing numbers of internet sellers not offering customer assessments or after sale services, an issue that deeply troubles young director Chris Cox. “If a customer looks long and hard enough at companies in our industry, it is my hope they will discover the bedrock upon which all their business decisions are made – a foundation which insists on bettering the lives of those who enter their stores or visit their websites,” Chris told us. “My fear – a fear I unfortunately have confirmed almost every week – is that many entrepreneurs are approaching this industry to satisfy the customer demand to save money, often at the expense of the longevity of the product or its suitability for their clinical needs. I feel it is my responsibility as a young, innovative and entrepreneurial director to find ways of offering our customers the best opportunity possible to make an informed decision on their purchase,
giving them the resources and space they require to make the most holistic decision possible.” John Payne agreed, adding: “We sell medical devices, so there is a responsibility to maintain a level of assessment professionalism.”
John Payne, MD of Kent Mobility
Access to the market Reflecting on how the ease of new companies to access the market has changed over the years, John explained how it could be a factor for the rise of sellers not concerned with service. “Back when there were a lot fewer retailers in the industry, major manufacturers were far stricter with companies wishing to become their agents. The manufacturer would have a number of boxes that would need ticking; engineers on the road, a certain number of spares on the shelf and a requirement to stock their products,” said John. “Now it feels that there are some manufacturers out there that if someone said, ‘I have a cheque here, can I buy a container load of product?’ the manufacturer would rip it out
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