Crisis-proof: moso navigates confidently through the coronavirus pandemic

Mr. Gierse, how has the coronavirus affected your work at the Motion Solutions GmbH in 2020?

Klaus Gierse: There is no easy answer to your question. The great news is that we have all stayed healthy so far. Having said that, the coronavirus also meant big changes for our company. Most of our accommodations require us to work closely with the users, many of whom are often at high risk for COVID-19. For example, it’s inherently impossible to maintain social distance when we make adjustments to the EasyStand standing frame. It’s a delicate situation for everyone involved, but especially for the actual user of the unit. In some instances, school and facility closures have prompted the delay of important support services for weeks or even months, which results in decreased mobility and reduced quality of life for many.

How did you respond to these changes?

Gierse: Right from the start, we provided the crucial personal protective equipment to our field staff and trained them in practicing positive hygiene behaviors. Fortunately, our field staff has a very flexible mindset and is always willing to find new ways to support our customers and ensure the best care as quickly as possible. We have also expanded our digital services to include contactless communication options for interested parties and customers. For example, we offer live online video consultations at no cost. We answer any questions and showcase how our auxiliary aids and services work. We are also continuously expanding these options.

Delivery times have been longer than usual in some areas of the auxiliary equipment industry. How do you ensure customer support for your clients?

Gierse: For our EasyStand standing frame – still one of our best-selling products – we were able to stabilize the supply chain and prevent any significant delays. We developed both our heavy duty/high weight capacity LEO wheelchair and the COSEAT floating module in-house and produce both units with a high degree of vertical integration here in our Remscheid facility. This makes us less dependent on external suppliers and allowed us to control delivery commitment times for these two products.

How has the fact that the REHACARE trade fair has been postponed affected your company?

Gierse: The REHACARE trade fair is a very important yearly event for us where we can showcase our brand and our products. The trade fair is a great chance for us to connect with potential customers. Suppliers, competitors and potential partners also keep in touch and look forward to checking out our latest innovative products. At last year’s REHACARE, prospective buyers from China approached us and expressed interest in our proprietary COSEAT floating module. Collaborative negotiations are now well underway. Needless to say, these types of leads are incredibly valuable and not easily replaceable.

What makes the COSEAT so unique?

Gierse: The COSEAT is a one-of-a-kind seating module for power wheelchairs that simulates a natural sitting posture. This significantly reduces the risk of pressure sores or ulcers and helps improve the user’s mobility and quality of life. Thanks to the COSEAT, one of our clients can now sit in her power wheelchair for up to ten hours, up from only half an hour per day. Her life has changed completely as a result. What’s more, the COSEAT offers several functions that make driving any power wheelchair safer and more comfortable. One of these features includes the automatic angle compensation, which keeps the seating unit in a level position at all times. When the wheelchair drives up a ramp, the seating surface is automatically tilted, so the user sits as if he/she was driving on a smooth level surface. This mode works in all three dimensions – including a steep decline.

Can the COSEAT be integrated into any power wheelchair?

Gierse: The COSEAT can be mounted in nearly all standard power wheelchairs between the base and the seating system. Based on our heavy-duty capacity wheelchairs from our LEO series, we have also developed proprietary wheelchairs such as the COSEATcomplete and the COSEATflex. All three systems – the base, seating system and the COSEAT – are optimally integrated in these devices. Based on this principle, our COSEATfly even allows supportive care for patients in prone or supine positions.

It sounds like a big organizational challenge to build the market for the COSEAT and to integrate sales into your company?

Gierse: Yes it is. A product as complex as this one needs more time for consultations and adjustments and must therefore be effectively managed and serviced. That’s why we restructured our team this year and added several specialists to key positions. I am delighted that we were able to convince Paralympic medalist Karina Lauridsen about our products and persuaded her to join our team. Not only is she a wheelchair user and thus intimately familiar with the subject, but she is also a mechanical engineer and physiotherapist! If someone had told me in the past that one person could have all of these qualifications and skills, I would probably have smiled in disbelief. We also strengthened our team in other areas, including human resources, marketing, and in our factory.

What expectations do you have for next year?

Gierse: I think it’s safe to assume that COVID-19 will still have a big impact on our company in 2021. That means we must find creative and safe ways to continue to guide and support our clients in spite of these inconvenient circumstances. We provide products for high-need care settings – when standard auxiliary aids are no longer sufficient. That’s why it is crucial for the users of our products that we avert any notable delays or supply shortages as this would cause a significant decline in their quality of life. We are and always will be committed to supporting them to the best of our abilities.