Frequently Asked Questions

Some of the common questions asked are the following:

How did you evolve to where you are today?

One sure thing...companies that do not include constant change in their plans are going to go by the wayside. When we started we sold everything from canes to wheelchairs to aluminum walkers.

We found was there was little profit in the small ticket items. Small ticket sales are as much or more time consuming than larger ticket items. This is especially true for recycled equipment. Over a five year period, we slowly evolved to selling more and more of the larger ticket items. Each year we would drop a product line and replace it with a larger ticket item. We went from selling small bathroom equipment in 1993 to installing home elevators in 2004. Since we believe in being very concerned with the Franchisees' profit, the elimination of the small items was a given over time.

How do you differ from the other companies in the marketplace...

  1. As mentioned, we do not sell small, non profitable, time consuming items. Our main products are elevating devices coupled with the large mobility products like scooters, powerchairs etc..
  2. Our franchisees are truly a couple of notches up from our competition and would be successful in any business endeavor.
  3. We are completely client focused and key in on the Customers' Long Term Experience with SILVER CROSS.
  4. Recycled equipment is more profitable than new equipment and represents a major part of our business. This makes us different in the market place.
  5. We have learned over the past ten years, the nuances of the used equipment business. This part of the business is unique, different, standardized for simplicity, challenging and extremely lucrative. To give you an example...we are one of the few companies in North America to recycle custom curved stair lifts.
  6. Accepting trade-ins, repurchasing the equipment in the future and coupling new with recycled to meet our clients' specific needs makes us unique in the market place.

Where did the SILVER CROSS name come from?

In 1992 Bob Harvey was trying to come up with a name that would be perceived by the end user as a helping, empathetic, solution orientated entity. Over a 6 week period, every day, Bob would put three names on a sheet of paper and flash them each evening to his wife and son and ask them their opinion. Hundreds of names were reviewed and eventually evolved to the name SILVER CROSS. Today, the name is a trademark in the USA and Canada with brand name recognition across North America.

How big is SILVER CROSS?

The SILVER CROSS network consists of over 100 companies in the USA, Canada and the UK. Total revenues are in excess of $100,000,000. Our ten franchisees in Ontario enjoy over substantial market share for home elevating device in their trading area of Ontario. Our web sites receive a large quantity of leads. Our marketing system in Ontario has captured the dominant percentage of the entire home accessibility market.

What is the primary reason for your success....

  1. The market is growing by leaps and bounds.
  2. Our franchisees are extremely strong individuals.
  3. Our position in the market place is unique.
  4. The recycled aspect of our business draws customers and results in a higher average profit percentage than the industry average.
  5. Our business model continues to evolve and stay ahead of the curve of change.