New website wants to be Yelp of mobility

TEA, S.D. - Founder Bob Lundin first got the idea for Crytico.com, a review-based website for mobility products and services, two years ago during a dinner with friends in Mexico.

After the meal, Lundin's waitress offered to give the group free desserts in exchange for leaving her a review on Yelp.

“I said, 'Why don't we do that for mobility products?'” said Lundin.

Crytico users won't receive a free dessert, but they can request quotes, and read, rate and write reviews for free on more than 5,000 mobility products and services offered by providers and manufacturers. Since the site went live in January, users have already left nearly 1,200 reviews.

To ensure reviews are authentic, Crytico contacts reviewers three times. If the company doesn't reach them, it takes down their review.

“Providers don't have to worry about their competitor down the street writing bogus reviews or hiring a high school kid and writing really good reviews,” said Monique McGivney, a mobility advocate who oversees the website's marketing and communications efforts. “It levels the playing field and takes that off the table.”

While providers and manufacturers are featured on the site for free, they can become a certified partner for $75 or $100 a month per location, depending on the package. This allows them to receive instant notifications, and to have the ability to respond to reviews, post reviews on their own websites, offer referrals and listen to calls from consumers.

“If you go onto Crytico and you inquire with a mobility dealer, that call is recorded for quality assurance and is placed in a dashboard so the dealer or the manufacturer can listen to the call and find out how it was handled,” said Lundin, who also owns two IMED Mobility locations in Minneapolis, Minn., and Sioux Falls, S.D.

Crytico also plans to add a “products you might like” feature, similar to Amazon.com.

“Let's say a customer is looking at a scooter,” said McGivney. “We're going to say, 'Do you need a way to transport that scooter or do you need any home modifications?' which will drive them to their local dealers.”

And there's room to expand.

“We're trying to keep our focus on mobility right now, but we've been approached for travel services for people with disabilities and driver evaluators,” said McGivney. “So we have a lot of opportunities to grow.”