Supplier Spotlight: How Scooterpac is taking the rough with the smooth
Founded in 2014 on a mission to “enhance the lives of the less able through innovation by inventing and building cutting edge mobility products”, Scooterpac has been thriving ever since with its all-terrain cabin cars. THIIS meets Dane Lawrence, Managing Director at Scooterpac, to find out more about the products and how the firm has been developing…
Last year was a busy one for Suffolk-based Scooterpac, when it began developing a number of projects as part of a boosted level of investment. The first of these was the release of the Invader – an advanced off-road mobility scooter capable of travelling on gravel, dirt tracks, sand and snow.
Next to come was the Ignite – an 8mph mobility scooter featuring a heated seat as standard, 1400-watt motor and a range of up to 40 miles.
Most recently, the manufacturer introduced a ‘dealer portal’ to enable its dealers to access a series of troubleshooting videos and information about Scooterpac products. THIIS spoke to Scooterpac’s managing director Dane Lawrence to discuss the past year, and the firm’s plans going forward.
What has the past year been like for Scooterpac?
“2021 was a transformational year for Scooterpac. With the launch of the Ignite and Invader we have filled the gap in the mobility market; a powerful long-range road scooter coupled with a stand-out powerhouse product, ready to take on any surface!
“Countless cabin car production improvements have been made to strengthen consistency and quality, as well as the introduction of the incredibly popular, electric windows.
“Whilst the year was an immense challenge, we doubled our product line-up and were able to support our customers by delivering products when other suppliers struggled to fulfil orders.”
How did it help meeting people at trade shows again after these were paused due to the Covid-19 pandemic?
“Finally, being able to engage with the industry and most importantly our customers was exactly what the whole sector needed. For Scooterpac, both Naidex and BHTS (British Healthcare Trade Show) were the perfect platforms to both reconnect with retailers, and most of all, launch our new products. You really cannot replace experiencing products in the flesh, as I am sure those who sat on the Ignite featuring the heated seat would agree!
“Thanks to the platform provided by the British Healthcare Trade Show to launch the Invader, we were able to gather invaluable dealer feedback. We offer a countless number of adaptations to suit individual needs such as thumb throttles, foot plates, foot brakes and flashing beacons.
“If a customer is looking for that off-road experience and has a specific mobility requirement, it’s very likely we can help.”
What kind of feedback have you had on Scooterpac’s latest product offering?
“The responses to both the Ignite and Invader have been fantastic. Both offer an incredibly unique and standout vibe in our customers’ showrooms. With demonstration models on show, the standout comment from retailers is how they are huge conversation starters, peaking customer interest and aiding footfall.
“Increasing our product range has enabled us to build relationships with new retailers and strengthen those with ongoing partnerships. Also, whilst other suppliers struggled with stock, the key to success for these launches was that we obtained secure stock levels, with immediate delivery available.”
Which product do you regard as a bestseller at the moment?
“The Ignite – by miles! Built with powerful components and a large battery setup, enabling a product segment beating range, it has taken the market by storm. Whilst initially viewed as a gimmick by some, the heated seat has been a real eye catcher – adding value above and beyond the competition.”
How are Scooterpac products distributed in the UK?
“Our products are distributed through two main avenues. Traditionally we ship directly to our dealers’ showrooms. An increasingly popular service we offer is using our own product specialists as a direct-to-consumer delivery model.
“When considering the cabin car, an increasing number of our customers are selecting this option as it offers convenience and flexibility. Delivery experiences are undertaken as joint handovers or can directly be handled by our team. We are of course happy to work with our customers in whichever way best suits their business model.”
Are you looking to expand your dealer network?
“We are always looking for new partners wherever they may be located. Heavily cabin car- and canopy-focused, our expanding range is now providing solutions for alternative audiences. There is no better time to start talking to us about how we can support your product offering.
“We are so much more than a mobility scooter supplier – to all our customers, we are a partner. We take pride in offering the very best customer care and most of all, easy-to-access technical support either via phone or online.
“With our in-house and proactive marketing team, we create engaging and tailored support materials to suit the individual needs of our customers.
“In the field we continue to support with product demonstrations as well as offer a programme of engineer-level technical training.”
Do you think more training should be given to retailers about the use of scooters?
“We believe Driving Mobility is a fantastic scheme, which supports and provides valuable training to mobility retailers across the country. We trust our dealers to offer the highest standards and most appropriate training to their customers. “Working in tandem with the comprehensive product and technical training Scooterpac provide, we ultimately believe it is down to each retailer to decide what is best suited to their customer model.”
Can you summarise how the dealer portal works?
“The response has been incredibly positive, from those working in sales, customer service all the way through to the engineers, working in the field. They love the fact they can access all information (technical, marketing and sales related) at the touch of a [few] buttons.
“To build on this success, in the second quarter, we will be launching the ability for our customers to place parts orders within the P=portal. Everything we do at Scooterpac is all about providing the very best experience. This enables our dealers to spend their time focused on their own customers.”
What do you see as the main challenges for Scooterpac?
“From my perspective, the last two years have been the most challenging period in business.
“In 2020, when the COVID pandemic changed our lives overnight, we pivoted the business to supply PPE equipment to a wide variety of sectors including the healthcare industry. After assisting our dealer network with these vital supplies, and as we moved back to our core product offering in 2021, we realised many of these relationships had been strengthened.
“I am proud to say the team has strengthened our supply chain by increasing our stock holding for core products and parts. Throughout most of 2021, this dramatically reduced backorders to virtually nothing.
“And to ensure 2022 runs as smoothly as possible, we are continually sourcing components from alternative suppliers, both to ensure expediated shipping times and to help keep any increasing costs to a minimum.
“Throughout this year we are determined to continue our mission in avoiding ‘me-too’ products and investing our energy in delivering exciting and unique solutions. We have a fantastic growing team here at Scooterpac, and, with this, we are now in an even stronger position to increase the level of support we provide to our customers.”
What’s next for Scooterpac over the next 12 months?
“We have some very exciting plans for 2022. Our biggest focus is recruitment and organically growing the team in the best way possible. We are particularly interested in talking to people with experience in business development and operations.
“For us to best showcase our expanding product range, our M=marketing team has begun work on a brand-new consumer focused website. We are also investing in an improved Dealer Portal, which will enable our customers to purchase parts and track orders.
”Product development is in full swing as we look to further increase the range of products which add value to the sector – more on this later in the year. We are also excited to confirm that we will be showcasing all our products at this year’s Naidex and Rehacare.”
