Feel-Good Business Brings Mobility and Independence to Clients
After Mark Rafferty (above) was hired as marketing manager for Amramp Accessibility in 2007, he realized he wanted to be fully invested. Literally. So, after a few years working for Amramp headquarters, he opened his company, Rafferty Home Systems LLC, an Amramp franchise that serves the residents of New Hampshire and Maine. This feel-good business was perfect for him. “I wasn’t looking into other franchises,” Rafferty explains. “I just wanted to be part of this organization. Amramp is in the business of helping.”
Since 1998, Amramp Accessibility has provided its residential and commercial clients with durable, powder-coated steel modular wheelchair ramps that install quickly over existing steps; stair lifts; and vertical platform wheelchair lifts that function like elevators. Depending on their needs, customers may purchase or rent the equipment.
Amramp’s market is growing along with the number of seniors in the American population, which is made up of about 60 million residents older than 65, according to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau figures. Physiopedia, a source for evidence-based data about physical therapy and rehabilitation, reports that the United States has approximately 3.3 million wheelchair users, and more than 1.8 million of them are 65 and older. Of course, people of all ages deal with physical conditions that contribute to the need for wheelchairs and for Amramp products.
A Feel-Good Business
As he meets his clients’ needs, Rafferty gives back to the communities he serves while running a profitable enterprise. Amramp’s inspiring business mission appealed to him. “I wanted to have a business where I provided products to help people in their lives – where I am able to make a difference for my clients in a time of need,” he says. Rafferty adds that he’s really touched “when someone says that they haven’t been able to leave the house in nine months. After we provide them with a ramp or a lift, they can get out and enjoy the outdoors.
“A lot of our clients are grateful to be able to get back home or remain living at home. Sometimes they’re grateful to provide access to their home for a loved one. They tell us how much they appreciate our services. Changing lives for the better is the most rewarding part of running my Amramp business,” Rafferty says. He gives back in another way, too, by actively participating in the nonprofit AmrampCARES program. It provides and installs free wheelchair ramps to individuals in need, particularly people whose incomes are at or near the poverty threshold.
A Day in the Life for Rafferty
Serving clients pulls Rafferty in different directions every day, spicing up his business life. “A typical day is very busy,” Rafferty says. “I spend time taking client calls, working with my employees, managing schedules, managing inventory, and handling billing and money management.” (Other franchisees have mentioned that dealing with logistics plays a major role in their day-to-day routines.)
In his early days of franchise ownership, his duties were a little different. Rafferty says he faced the usual challenges of starting a business from the ground up. “It took dedication and persistence” to develop a presence in the community, increase sales and cover the managerial aspects of running Rafferty Home Systems.
Why Choose the Amramp Franchise
He sees a bright future for Amramp and for his franchise, which he continues to grow, most recently through a focus on expanding stair lift sales. The Amramp Accessibility franchise appeals strongly to entrepreneurs as a feel-good, recession-resistant business – its services and broad product offerings are needs, not wants. The brand also offers several additional advantages, such as the following:
- Low overhead, because it is a home-based operating model and needs as few as two employees as a start-up.
- Strong franchisor support, including a toll-free phone number for Amramp’s national call center that qualifies leads before sending them to franchisees. The franchisor also offers start-up financial assistance, comprehensive training in installation and business operations, ongoing support from a dedicated operations director, IT, sales, engineering, and marketing support and cooperative advertising.
- Flexibility as an owner-operator business model or a semi-passive model with a general manager.
- Referrals from a wide range of sources. In addition to recommendations from happy residential and commercial clients, franchisees benefit from referrals by hospitals, rehabilitation centers, schools, veterans’ groups, government programs and even event planners.
- Recurring income from the same equipment – even after rentals have covered its original cost. A client recovering from a surgical procedure or a leg fracture, for instance, may decide to rent rather than buy. This sometimes seals the deal for an Amramp franchise as compared to a competitor that only sells equipment.
To Learn More
Massachusetts-based Amramp is looking to expand its North American footprint this year. Amramp Accessibility currently has 54 franchised units and two company-owned locations in operation. The franchisor has territories available throughout the United States and Canada.
For more information, visit the Amramp franchise website.
