Owning an Ascension wheelchair lift provides benefits far beyond just accessibility compliance. For instance, organizations can actually profit financially from owning an Ascension lift, or save money by negating the extensive remodeling and construction costs necessary to install traditional elevators, ramps, and many other wheelchair lifts.
Making Money Using Your Lift:
- Rent out your lift: An organization with portable Ascension Virtuoso or Protégé lifts could rent them out when the lifts aren’t in use.
- Increase sale potential: Retail stores using Ascension wheelchair lifts will retain valuable floor space needed to display product, which may otherwise be taken over by large, expensive wheelchair ramps, and thus have the potential for greater sales capability.
- Access a larger customer base: By increasing a location’s accessibility, Ascension wheelchair lifts provide businesses with a larger customer base. According to a 2016 report from the University of New Hampshire, 12.6 percent of Americans in 2015 were living with a disability. Therefore, if your business is inaccessible, 12.6 percent of Americans can’t do business with you.
Saving Money Using Your Lift:
- Dispense with ramp construction: By investing in an Ascension wheelchair lift, an organization can avoid the exorbitant costs associated with large indoor and outdoor ramp construction. This is possible because Ascension’s portable models are simply rolled into place and set up, while permanent models are merely bolted directly to the existing floor without the need for heavy construction or demolition.
- Avoid elevator costs: For businesses and facilities that need to provide second-floor access, many of the construction and installation fees associated with elevator installation can be greatly reduced by installing an Ascension Clarity 16E. Unlike a traditional elevator that requires both overhead and pit clearances, as well as potentially other large-scale construction procedures, the fully-enclosed Clarity 16E bolts directly to the ground and the landing platform.
- Share your lift: Organizations with multiple locations, such as schools throughout a district, may be able to share a portable lift. Doing so can improve an organization’s accessibility across its locations without having to install many lifts or ramps. Ascension portable models are designed to be moved and setup by as few as one person, thus negating the need for formal moving services.
Avoiding Risks Using Your Lift:
- Ensure full compliance: Every Ascension wheelchair lift leaves the factory custom-designed to be fully-compliant with its destination’s disability access regulations. For those organizations making plans for accessibility remodels, one issue to be aware of is that not all wheelchair ramps and wheelchair lifts are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), especially as the regulations vary based on region. As a result, many facilities continue to suffer accessibility problems, thus putting their businesses and organizations at great financial risk.
- Avoid damage to historic properties: Ascension wheelchair lifts provide a low-impact accessibility solution to organizations involved in the restoration and management of historic properties. Like most other places, historic locations are often in need of accessible accommodations; however, the availability of period-appropriate materials may be limited, or the construction necessary to install large ramps and elevators may significantly compromise the historic structure or property. Conversely, Ascension’s portable models are able to roll into a historic space without damaging the structure or property, while the permanent models only need to be bolted in place.
- Be safe: Safety is always the utmost concern, especially for schools and other public facilities, such as theaters and parks. Accordingly, Ascension wheelchair lifts are designed to be the safest wheelchair lifts available:
- The Virtuoso comes standard with a rigid, accordion-style safety skirting that prevents anyone or anything from entering underneath the lift;
- The Protégé features a full-coverage safety pan that automatically prevents the lift from lowering after it encounters an object underneath it, such as a hiding child or unwary pet; and
- The Clarity 16E is fully enclosed, and does not allow anyone or anything to access the inside of the shaft way while the lift is in use.
These above listed safety features are only a few of the precautions provided by Ascension’s wheelchair lifts to reduce the risk of harm to the lift rider, those around the lift, and ultimately the organization that owns the lift.
Learn More About Making a Profit
For more information on how organizations can profit from owning an Ascension Wheelchair Lift, please contact a product specialist: