With cost containment ruling the day in mosthealth care facilities, getting into the customer’soffice and making a sale is no small feat fortoday’s vendor. But technology is still the numberone driver of innovation in health care, and thatmeans respiratory care managers are workingclosely with industry to bring the highest qualitycare to their patients. How are sales representa-tives working with respiratory care departmentmanagers to maximize today’s sales meeting?Here’s what some industry people have to say.

“Department managers should alwaysinquire what the agenda for the meetingwill be in advance, so that they canprepare themselves for the salescall and avoid wasting time dis-cussing unimportant issues orwatching product demonstra-tions they have no interest in,”says Bill Hilton, from B&BMedical. If the meeting is thefirst with a particular sales rep-resentative, he also suggestssetting some ground rules. “Let the rep know if you insist onscheduled appointments or if youare open to occasional cold calls.”

Margaret C. Mathews, criticalcare account manager at Nellcor, rec-ommends that managers develop spe-cific requirements ahead of time when aproduct evaluation is scheduled. “Since thecustomer will be using the technology to treat theirpatients, they should be the ones in charge.Having written guidelines, protocols, and expecta-tions established well ahead of the evaluation will help ensure this.”

Glenda Frischkorn, a sales rep with Sepracor,believes in keeping the communication flowing.“Ask questions — and then ask more questions,”she suggests. “Next, allow the sales representativeto ask questions. Even if I have the perfect feel fora problem or need, I ask questions so that the cus-tomer will know I understand.”

Frischkorn says flexibility is important and thatthe customer and sales rep both need to remaincognizant that “the ultimate goal is to improve

quality of care for the patient.” She addsthat honest feedback from the cus-

tomer is good and that not everyproduct will fit all needs.

Her colleague at Sepracor,Michelle Jones, says man-agers need to take the leadin driving the agenda ofany meeting. “In thisdynamic marketplace,and with the demands ofthe RT workload, time isprecious. Challenge therepresentative to knowyour market and to

address your specific con-cerns.”

Like the managers theyserve, these sales reps also

emphasize the importance of ser-vice after the sale. “A customer

should not have to chase down aresource,” says Jones. “Hold your sales repaccountable.”

Mathews agrees. “When a customer signs acontract, they are buying more than a product —they are really buying into a relationship.”

118 AARC Tımes July 2004

RT managers have a lot on their plate – but that’s onemore reason to form a solid partnership with vendors

Partnerships Between RTs and VendorsPartnerships Between RTs and VendorsWork Well in Today’s Competitive Marketplace

Bill Hilton says good companies don’t take cus-tomer service lightly. “If your sales representativedoesn’t inservice your product after the purchaseor call regularly to make certain you are satisfied, perhaps you might want to avoid that scenario in the future.”

Glenda Frischkorn believes customers need toget a firm commitment about follow-up before they ever sign a deal. “As a sales representative, Iencourage my customers to call any time withquestions.” She believes in accountability andhonoring her word.

What are some of the sales reps’ pet peeves?• Bill Hilton: “Pre-scheduling an appointment andhaving the client cancel without letting me know inadvance. Constant interruption during a salesmeeting. Signing an agreement and then calling toask for a bigger discount because another com-pany said they would beat my deal by 5 percent.”• Margaret Mathews: “Customers who view salesreps as being on the ‘other side of the table.’ As aNellcor sales representative, I work very hard togain the trust of my customers.”• Michelle Jones: “Being underutilized — a goodday for me is when I can go home feeling like I’vemade a difference.”

Establishing good partnerships between usersand vendors can shorten the path to success forall involved. Every relationship can benefit from thecommon goal of serving the patient well.b

AARC Tımes July 2004 119

Why would respiratory care vendors want to exhibit atthe AARC International Respiratory Congress? A betterquestion might be, why wouldn’t they? As the longest-running, best-attended respiratory show in the world, the InternationalCongress offers the most access to key decision-makers in respiratorycare you’ll find any-where all year.Attendance at lastyear’s meeting in Las Vegas topped6,200; and with this year’s meeting celebrating the Congress’s 50th Anniversary, expectations are high. The Exhibitor’s Prospectus is online now atwww.aarc.org/education/meetings/.

2004a

Why Exhibit at the AARC InternationalRespiratory Congress?