New EZmobility Direct ‘opens up nationally’

PHOENIX – AZ Mobility debuted a new name, EZmobility Direct, and website, www.ezmobilitydirect.com, on Nov. 12 to better reflect its ability to sell and ship wheelchair accessible vehicles nationwide. 

“The name AZ Mobility was a little too restrictive,” said Chris Paczak, chief marketing and merchandising officer for MobilityWorks, which bought AZ Mobility about three years ago. “We serve Arizona and the Southwest, but we wanted to open things up nationally.” 

AZ Mobility launched in 2001as a small, family-owned business and has served more than 8,000 customers. 

While MobilityWorks also sells wheelchair accessible vehicles online, EZmobility Direct allows the company to serve a different customer base, Paczak says – those who are interested in a used vehicle at a lower price. 

“It’s a different product,” he said. “The vehicles tend to be older with some dings and scratches, but customers are OK with that, because of the cost reduction. That’s part of the market we wanted to go into. These vehicles are still very highly reconditioned; they’re front-line ready; they’re still safe and reliable; they still go through the check process.” 

Because customers are buying vehicles sight unseen, EZmobility Direct has measures in place for a smooth sale, Paczak says. Customers can use a proprietary online tool, for example, that allows them to enter information about their wheelchair to determine if a vehicle is a good fit. Once a vehicle is delivered, they also participate in a video call to review how to operate the vehicle. 

“We go over everything so there are no surprises when it shows up,” he said. “There’s nothing worse than when it’s in the driveway and the wheelchair doesn’t fit in it.” 

Selling online and at various price points helps MobilityWorks get as many customers in wheelchair accessible vehicles as possible, Paczak says. 

“More than 50% of EZmobility Direct’s customers are first-time buyers,” he said. “Just because you can’t afford a $70,000 vehicle doesn’t mean they can’t have a vehicle. The ultimate goal is getting these vehicles in people’s hands and doing it with a reputable company behind them.”