Excellence in Sales
Dianna Hundl
Pretty much everybody in Houston knew Hurricane Harvey was going to hit the city hard. And it did, on Aug. 25, 2017. The house in which Dianna Hundl — hospital account manager for Quidel in Houston — and her family were living was rendered uninhabitable. So was the new house – still under construction – that the family was building, and to which they had hoped to move shortly. So the family of four moved to her parents’ house, then to a small apartment.
“Quidel was good enough to let me take off as much time as I needed to get things settled,” recalls Hundl. “But I couldn’t stop. I worked on emails, trying to do everything I could.” She took to waking up hours before dawn, in order to get an early start on her day, so that she could be home with her family at night.
An outstanding work ethic is just one reason Hundl is the recipient of this year’s Repertoire/HIDA Excellence in Sales Award for a manufacturer rep.
“Dianna goes above and beyond for her customers, including our distribution partners,” says Brandi Mayhall, regional sales director, Southeast region, Quidel. “She has worked evening, weekends, and even on vacation, whether it is helping customers solve an issue or achieving a go-live goal for a new platform. She seeks a solution that is best for the customer, while balancing the interests of Quidel. On co-travels with Dianna, I saw first-hand how invested she is in the lives of our customers.”
It’s genetic
Hundl’s work ethic is one she owes to her parents, Rosa and Jose Cantu, owners of a contracting business in Houston, where she was born and raised. “They always said, ‘Work hard, and it will pay off.’ They both love to work and are very competitive. I fit right in.”
Graduating from high school at the age of 16, Hundl wasn’t sure of her career path, but she did know one thing: She wanted to help people. So she enrolled in a nursing program and ended up working in the special care unit at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston.
“It was one of the hardest things I have ever done,” she recalls. For her, caring for kids from zero years old to 18 was heartbreaking. “I quickly learned I was not going to make it as a nurse,” she says, adding, “I will always be thankful for working at such an extraordinary facility and patients who will never be forgotten.”
Knocking at the door
Hundl returned to school to pursue a bachelor’s degree in science. In her last semester, she had an internship at a research lab at Rice University.
“When you work in a research lab, reps frequently knock on the door, asking if everything’s OK and if you need anything. I noticed, there were so many of them.” Her mentor, Jerome Saltarrelli, explained how sales worked, and that there were distributor reps and manufacturer reps.
Sales sounded appealing to Hundl. “I think I can do that,” she thought at the time.
So Saltarrelli asked around, and ultimately got Hundl in touch with Lanette Woodward, a sales rep for VWR. “We went to lunch and she explained the life of a sales rep. I joined her on a few calls the rest of the day. I instantly knew I was going to be a sales rep.” She joined VWR in October 2009, calling on the educational and research markets.
Hundl was right about one thing: She could do it. And she enjoyed it. “From the beginning, I wanted to help people, and this was my way,” she says. “Working for VWR International, I met amazing researchers who dedicate their entire careers in hopes of making a difference, trying to find a cure, uncovering something that will benefit us all.”
In 2015 she joined Quidel, and today calls on integrated delivery networks in Houston. Call points vary from IDN to IDN, but she most often meets with vice presidents of laboratory services, medical directors, pathologists, lab directors and supply chain executives.
“I was sad leaving VWR,” she says. “I was worried about losing the relationships I had with my customers; they weren’t just customers to me, but people who depended on me.” But she found she could establish and maintain relationships with her new IDN customers.
Because equipment purchases frequently make their way to the C-suite, sales cycles are longer, she says. “It takes a couple of more calls and better follow-up to move the contract along.”
Here’s where her work ethic kicks in.
“From the very first meeting, I’m hands-on all the way. I like doing my installs and training. And I think my numbers speak to my persistence. I don’t stop. I don’t want to get behind or let my customers down.”
Two perspectives
Her experience on the distribution and manufacturer sides of sales has made her a better salesperson, says Hundl.
“In distribution, we tend to own the relationship with the customer. We know and understand the customer’s wants and needs, and the customer truly wants our honest opinion. In most cases, distribution managers have thousand of products that they sell. We need to know which manufacturer reps we can count on. They need to always be helpful, fast and efficient. It’s important that we provide the customer with the best solution before the competitor does.
“Learning these skills when I was in distribution has played a significant role in my success as a manufacturer rep,” she continues. “Being helpful, fast and efficient are the skills that I take pride in. I know the importance of a timely response, and I make sure that neither the customer nor my distribution partners wait.
“I know that if I provide the distributor or my customer the information they request, everyone’s job is much easier. Even though I’m the manufacturer rep, I still have the relationship with the customer and make sure that I provide them with the best possible service. Regardless of what side of the fence you are on, it’s a team effort.”
Theresa Freeman, senior account executive with Fisher HealthCare, part of ThermoFisher Scientific, would agree.
“Whenever I ask Dianna to follow up with a request from me or our customer, it always gets done, typically within 24 hours — max. In my fast-paced, busy role, it is so helpful when you only have to ask once and it gets done. When I give her a qualified lead, her close rate must be really close to 100 percent. She never gives up.
“When working with Dianna in our shared accounts, we communicate openly to collaborate on what our next steps are with our customer, either to progress a sales cycle or address a customer question or concern. She understands the business, her products and our customers.”
Always getting better
Hundl believes that a number of factors have contributed to her becoming a better rep over the years. “I take positive criticism very well and learn from it. I’ve learned to truly listen to my customers’ needs. They are the best teachers; they share current regulations and upcoming changes,” which she, in turn, shares with other customers.
“I learn from every experience, whether good, bad or awkward. Quidel is an exceptional company, with a team that will go above and beyond to make sure our customers are satisfied.”
Medical sales is a career Hundl would urge anyone to consider, because it offers the opportunity to:
- Provide safe and efficient products for patient care. “This is extremely important, because I sell to all the hospitals that my family has been to or that I might need to go to. Knowing that the hospitals have great products makes it that much better of a facility.”
- Help drive company profits while maintaining excellent service to the customer. “I enjoy being a part of my customer implementation plan; aiding in any possible way makes my job very rewarding.”
- Work hard. “When you work hard, it’s very rewarding — mentally, physically and financially,” she says.
“The more you work, the more it will impact your goals and help you grow, not only as a sales professional, but as a person.”