Specialty equipment, customer care at Next Level
By Ken Leinart
Jay Linx and his company, Next Level DME, have a great American story.
It blends patriotism and the call to service, overcoming adversity, acquiring knowledge and getting better for it, growing, and most importantly, helping others.
Linx is a United States Navy veteran. He was working in another profession, living the dream as it were.
Then he was in an accident where he suffered burns over a good portion of his body. His recovery was a stream of hospital visits and skin grafts. There was also a need for specialized medical equipment he wasn’t familiar with.
He changed that.
Next Level DME was built as a result of his personal journey.
He started out with a franchise in Morristown of a medical equipment company and for five years that partnership worked.
“I was with that company for five years before we branched out on our own,” Linx said. “We were limited in the things we could do and we were doing things that weren’t part of the original set up.
“We took it to the next level.”
So, by mutual agreement, Next Level DME was born. “DME” stands for Durable Medical Equipment and for Linx it’s more than just offering the equipment, it’s also a service for those needing the equipment.
There are numerous reasons that holds true.
The equipment includes chair lifts, mobility scooters, stair lifts, vertical platform lifts, specialized bedding, specialized tubs and showers (walk-in showers and tubs made for handicap access), and home elevators.
The Morristown location served an area from Gatlinburg to Johnson City, but with the largest inventory in East Tennessee, “Possibly in the state,” Linx said, it was time to spread out.
Next Level DME chose Sevierville a little more than a year ago for expansion for several reasons, the number one being Sevier County seemed like a perfect match of multi-level homes and the latest offering for those with mobility issues – home elevators.
Another reason is simply growth – in the expanding need for the equipment as America ages and the growth in the region.
Next Level DME offers sales and installation, a one-stop shop as it were, and they offer lifetime warranties.
Linx and his staff make it a mission to “fit” customers with their needs.
In-home inspections are conducted so Next Level DME professionals can best ascertain what a person needs, what is suitable in the home. Consultations are held and the equipment options are laid out. All of this before a sale is even discussed, which means it’s free.
“We let them come in and sample the equipment,” Linx said. “A lift chair is very personal. It’s like bedding. Do they feel good sitting in it? Is it too firm? Are the armrests comfortable?”
With upward to 50 models between the two locations there are a lot of options.
“Why not look at eight, 10, 12 chairs before buying one? It’s better than ordering one online and finding out you don’t like it,” Linx said.
The growing market is with home elevators. These are not big commercial elevators with big price tags.
“They make a very small footprint in a home,” Linx said. And the costs of elevators and vertical lifts are, like everything else at Next Level DME, offered at a huge discount. “They are very affordable and easy to install.”
Maybe the most important thing for Linx and his staff are the personal touches, finding out what is right for a customer and working with a customer to make sure they have exactly what they need.
For example, say a customer can’t come to one of the stores to try out a lift chair to find the right one. In that case a family member or a loved one can take measurements, anything to help determine the most comfortable option.
The final result is what is important because it’s about, Linx said, “Making it possible to let people stay in their homes.”
Next Level DME has 10 employees which include two managers at the two locations. Linx had nothing but praise for those individuals. He also has four technicians that have medical backgrounds.
The Morristown location is at 208 Montvue Avenue. Store hours are 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday.
The Sevierville location is at 1358 Dolly Parton Parkway. Store hours are 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
