Letter from the Vice President, Jim Greatorex: December 2021

Published in Home Modifications on December 15, 2021

2020 was a year we will never forget. 2021 taught us that life both at home and at work will never be the same.

In our personal lives, we figured out how to re-engage with our friends and neighbors. We went back to restaurants and retail only to find lack of staff, reduced hours and sometimes longer waits. Home services have become more unreliable with supply chain issues and blue-collar workers shortages. Prices are rising at rates we haven’t seen in decades and yet in my view, we seem to be more grateful for what we do have. People expect to wait and give grace to those who are trying their best. We tip service employees a little more than ever because we appreciate and value them much more. Nobody wants to go through a pandemic, but in some ways, it has made the American way of life a bit more meaningful and has made us stop and think of many things we have that we may have taken for granted.

For the home access industry, I believe 2021 is the start of the turning point where our industry has taken a significant leap forward. We have had many new companies jump into the home accessibility market, led by Lowes and AARP, who just announced that they are joining up to help educate senior homeowners on home safety improvements they can complete to make their home more livable for all generations. This announcement had over 950 million impressions during the news feed cycle, which is unbelievable consumer awareness for all of us in the industry.

2021 summary

This year for Live at Home, we welcomed 31 new members and saw almost all our manufacture partners experience record growth. We also were able to bring in a high quality new automatic door opener to market with the Entrematic HA-7 through Live at Home Wholesale. We welcomed Senior Home Services and AAG as great new partners and saw Lowes and Harmar team up with an opportunity to service and meet new retail consumers. We also heard from many of our members that even though there were many new challenges, many were able to grow their businesses. Some are seeing up to 40% growth!

2022 Outlook

We are certainly bullish on the prospects for 2022! We predict that the industry as a whole will continue with double digit growth and new opportunities. Here, our focus will be multi-fold. We will look to continue to define the industry and professionalize it. We are looking at new educational opportunities that will make us all better and help bring the next generation of workers into our fold. Our focus will continue on building a national network of Certified Full Service Home Access members that will be trusted leaders in their markets with our Select Member Program. We will continue to build this program and by growing with our current partners and with potential new referral partners to bring consumer leads to our members; you are the best in the business.

Last month we wrote about the purpose that this great niche industry brings to our dedicated members. Our Select Member Program is the placeholder for full service, certified, customer focused companies who find purpose in doing this meaningful work in the markets you serve. 2021 holds promise for this program to grow and we need more companies to join us we continue to grow our awareness for the professional service you provide. Contact Jessica or myself to learn how you can get leads in your market.

Best Wishes

As we celebrate the holidays, we wish you, your families, and your entire team a memorable experience with the ones you love. We appreciate the great work you do and thank you for your membership. Wishing you all a Happy 2022!

Jim and Jessica

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