A Lesson For Lawyers ... and Buick?

Here’s a piece from The Truth About Cars arguing that GM should abandon its desire to lure younger buyers to Buick, and instead position Buick squarely as “The Pensioner’s Best Friend.”  Like the piece on Ford I’ve already highlighted, this article contains some pretty radical advice that should not be ignored by lawyers looking to find their elder-law niche.  For example:

With a little development, Buick is the logical choice. “Beyond precision” lies simplicity: a brand offering vehicles with cost-effective innovations and equipment levels. Cataract-friendly gauges at the heart of basic instrumentation. Oversized switchgear. Heated, cooling, massaging seats that swivel to ease entry and exit (remember those?). Extra wide door apertures with reinforced hinges to ease entry and exit. OnStar. Electric everything, with power sliding trunk floors for easy loading and unloading, and power pedals within a Rockport’s reach. Adjustable warning chime/turn signal volumes. Electronic medication reminder timers. Run-flats. Oversized sunglasses bins for granny’s favorite set of Terminator shields. Two words: Rascal storage.

Every possible safety feature should be standard, from lane-departure warning systems to self-parking. Electronic nurses? Loads: SRS + ABS + EBD + DSC + ASR + BA = AARP. The ordering and purchasing experience must be simplified as much as possible. This author has railed against illogical options bundling, but the geriatric niche is one segment where simplified trim levels actually make sense. If higher-end features like satellite navigation are deemed a marketplace necessity, so be it— but designers must ensure that they’re simple, intuitive designs, preprogrammed with relevant waypoints— drug stores, casinos, cat hospitals and Cracker Barrel restaurants, say.

If you were building a firm from scratch to only serve a certain population, where would you start and what would you do?