Moti-Vitality
https://moti-vitality.com/
(810) 655-9600
Moti-Vitality was founded in 2008 by Kelly Thompson. Although not a family-owned company, Thompson said “we have all worked together so long that we feel like family.” With a mission to help raise the credibility of the way the industry brings their products and services to the market, Moti-Vitality works hard to “combat misinformation and unscrupulous business practices, which we believe harms everybody in our globally critical industry,” continued Thompson.
Moti-Vitality works with all members of the water treatment industry regardless of size, but they tend to focus on small dealers who want to take their business to the next level. Working with companies across North America, Moti-Vitality offers assistance in interviewing, hiring, and managing all staff within the water treatment industry, as well as offering intimate hands-on-training for sales, managements, administration, service, and installation personnel.
“We take our training beyond the classroom setting and into the field or home,” says Kelly. And in addition to their training services, Moti-Vitality also offers over 11,000 water treatment industry-related products including test kits and supplies, filters, and fittings.
Finding the Water Treatment Industry
Thompson stumbled across the water treatment industry by accident 25 years ago, “and quickly realized how much I loved working in an industry that truly made a difference in people’s lives.”
“The industry gave me an opportunity to make a good living while still having the flexibility to make the most out of my life,” Thompson continues. In the past year, Moti-Vitality has been able to turn their idea of an installer training facility into a reality and have had the opportunity to help train multiple sales, services, installation, and office professionals using tools not previously available.
Jennifer Smith joined Moti-Vitality as president last year; she is a mother, grandmother, and mom of a “fur baby.” Having gained knowledge from mentors within the industry, Smith is a certified water specialist and is working towards her certified installer certification. She came into the industry by answering an advertisement in the newspaper that listed flexible hours as a benefit.
“I had little ones at home, and water treatment sales allowed me to volunteer at school on Wednesdays,” Smith says. “Once I started helping other families with their water issues, I fell in love,” she continues. In her current role, Smith loves introducing new professionals to the industry.
Struggles and Successes
“The growth of the industry has created a great demand for our hiring and training services,” Mike says. However, given the amount of attention Moti-Vitality offers to their clients, scheduling can be challenging. Mike states that “many clients make a decision to use us on the spur-of-the-moment without realizing that our availability may be limited.” To address these challenges, Moti-Vitality is busy adding new members to the team and reallocating responsibilities within the organization.
Another challenge Moti-Vitality faces is explaining what they do, due to the uniqueness of the services they offer. “Many people don’t know all we have to offer. Our solution is to keep talking about all of our services,” says Mike.
One of Moti-Vitality’s biggest successes is the completion of the nation’s first-of-its-kind, state-of-the-art installer training facility where installers, new or seasoned, can practice real-world installation from box to pressure reading, using whatever install method or materials their dealership uses.
Moti-Vitality also offers multiple classes, including custom courses. In partnership with the Water Quality Association, it offers an accelerated course for the WQA Certified Installer Certification. Thompson explains that “Moti-Vitality’s courses are the perfect opportunity for an installer with any level of experience, but our custom courses also provide an opportunity for owners, office personnel, or sales professionals to gain an understanding of the challenges an installer may face.”
The opening of the training facility has also provided Moti-Vitality with a warehouse, which has “allowed us to stock many more items to broaden our product lines,” says Smith. Traditionally only selling testing supplies, Moti Vitality is now able to stock media (resin, carbon), filters, fittings, and plumbing supplies.
Women in Water Treatment
When Smith started in the industry, it was male dominated and it was rare to see many women at the conventions. “Although everyone at the conventions were very welcoming, I saw the bonds that had been created throughout the years and felt like I would never be a part of the ‘cool kids’ group,’” says Smith. “Ever since, if I saw a female attending for the first time, I would try very hard to seek her out and make her feel welcome,” she continues. Then came the creation of the WQA group, Women in the Industry, where Smith has been both a mentor and a mentee.
“I love seeing the number of women attending conventions and in volunteer roles within WQA now. I think women bring a difference in perspective to the industry,” Smith states. Smith loves being a resource for women in the water treatment industry and has frequently received phone calls and emails asking how other women can get more involved.
Smith has also started a Facebook Group, Women Support the Water Industry, a group for sales, administration, management, and events for the significant others of anyone working directly in the industry. Smith’s aim was to create a safe space for these individuals to ask questions and to gain a better understanding of the industry.
In her hiring and training role with Moti-Vitality, Smith enjoys bringing women into the industry, especially in the sales field. “I think women are trusted a little more, and when they prove they have the knowledge to back up the ‘nurturing characteristic,’ homeowners trust them,” says Smith.
Looking to the Future
Planning ahead, Thompson says that Moti-Vitality “will continue to expand our training facilities and to embrace the technologies becoming available, such as virtual environment and artificial intelligence.” Moti-Vitality will continue to support organizations that understand the importance of the water treatment industry and the necessity of building a credible reputation. It will also continue to educate members of the industry, as well as the public and legislators regarding the importance of point-of-entry/point-of-use options or addressing the multiple emerging contaminants the country is facing.
“We believe our industry is becoming more and more critical, especially facing emerging contaminants such as PFAS or 1,4 Dioxane. The importance of education and the way we present our products and services may quite literally save lives. Moti-Vitality takes the responsibility of providing credible training and education very seriously. This is why we seek out our own training opportunities through the multitude of resources available,” Thompson states.
About the author
Kaitlyn R. Longstaff is associate editor at Water Conditioning & Purification International Magazine. She studied English at Southern New Hampshire University and publishing at The George Washington University. She can be reached at [email protected].