On Tuesday 4th April, John arrived in Orlando, not to see Mickey Mouse but to visit all the potential clients for Design Specific. Firstly, around Orlando North with the large Veterans Affairs Medical Center and some Community Health Services on route. Much research and planning had been made before the trip started to find all these new customers. “Its important to introduce our company and more importantly that we have all this special equipment that will help the Dentists and the Patients” John says. “Once they see the solution, the seed is sewn & the rest will eventually follow”.
Tampa
Clearwater and St Petersburg.
Stayed for Easter Weekend in Treasure Island, South of Clearwater. A nice area to chill and walk about the beaches offered nearby. John bit into alligator for dinner. Said he felt quite snappy after.
Fort Myers, that was hit so badly in the hurricane in Sept 2022, Driving through it was very humbling.
All the Health Centers John visited, were still standing as good funding had been provided to make the buildings solid.
Everglades
Driving across the everglades there wasn’t an alligator in site although plenty of hiding holes for them. You just don’t know they’re there. Apparently they ran away as they heard John was a Gator eater.
Miami was almost welcoming but a torrential storm hit as John approached the city and very quickly the roads were flooding but made it to the hotel just in time.
There were many Community Health Centers to visit plus Veterans Affairs Medical Centers, and Universities. John visited most of these in the allotted time meeting with Deans and Dental Directors to let them all know of the now preferred method in handling special needs patients with Design Specific’s unique products.
At the weekend John was able to enjoy some cycling on Miami Beach in the sun and drove part way along the Keys south of Miami.
Back in Orlando again, John met with Christine who specified an interest to help Design Specific make sales of their equipment.
North Carolina – Asheville
John flew from Orlando to Charlotte, North Carolina for equipment demonstration in Black Mountain. John met colleague Craig (who lives in North Carolina). Craig brought the Compact Wheelchair Recliner with him and they unloaded the equipment into the demonstration room at the Hospital in Black Mountain.
Everyone was impressed as they tried 3 different type of large wheelchairs. They all fitted. This is one of the areas we like the client to test so that they can see how well the CWR can handle all type of wheelchairs.
A weekend in the Appalachian Mountains provided John with beauty and intrigue.
After various other Visits of CHC’s & VA’s between Asheville and Charlotte, John flew to Dallas for the Annual SCDA Conference which Design Specific attends every year without fail for the past 12 years.
He was joined by his colleague Chris who assisted at the event with demonstrating Design Specific equipment.
With an afternoon spare before the event, both Chris and John went to a gun range to try their skill at shooting some pistols then onto the TV series location of ‘Gas Monkey Garage’ for some car art viewing.
