Stacy Comb + medical sales = a perfect fit
The medical sales profession attracts people for all kinds of reasons. Take Stacy Comb, account manager for Warwick, Rhode Island-based Claflin Company.
When she was a kid, Comb had an experimental outpatient heart procedure at Boston Children’s Hospital. “I was able to have a problem corrected in one day that historically required open heart surgery and a long recovery period,” she says. “Since then, I have always had a passion for the medical field, learning about new procedures and products, and getting the word out to customers.”
Add to that a built-in love for sales and an interesting mixture of sales jobs, and you have this year’s distributor recipient of the Repertoire/HIDA Excellence in Sales Award.
Comb was born and raised in Burlington, Massachusetts, about 15 miles north of Boston. Her mother, Joan, is a waitress, and her father, Mark, a retired union glazier (that is, an installer and remover of glass from buildings). Together, they provided their daughter a model for a successful career and approach to life.
“Both of my parents worked long hours doing physical jobs, and they were tired when they got home!” she says. “But they made sure we always had food on the table and presents under the Christmas tree, and they always taught me the value of a dollar.
“I could see that it was a struggle for them at times. They didn’t want that for me, and I didn’t want it for myself. They’re very proud that I’m a first-generation college graduate, but if it weren’t for their hard work and guidance, it may not have happened.”
Cold calls and copiers
After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of New Hampshire in 2003, Comb took a job selling copiers. “It was the quintessential sales job to gain experience. I made it through a year of cold calling and lots of rejection and came out stronger on the other side.”
Two years later, she became an outside sales rep for Paychex, an outsourced payroll and HR solutions company. At Paychex, she called on prospective customers and built a referral network of accountants, attorneys, bankers, and insurance agents. “My customers had anywhere from one to 50 employees, ranging from pizza shops to daycares to law firms. No two days were alike. It was fun!”
After five years in sales, Comb knew the profession suited her well:
Sales allowed her to be in charge of her own destiny.
Sales gave her the freedom to work with people to find solutions to their needs – something she enjoys.
Sales let her be on the move. “I have too much energy to sit still for too long,” she says.
Pivot to medical
In 2008, she joined Covidien (now Medtronic), selling patient care products in such categories as wound care, incontinence, enteral feeding and urology. Her call points included supply chain, infection control, wound ostomy, nutrition and value analysis.
Five years later, Comb decided that working for a distributor might make her more well-rounded in the healthcare supply chain. She was attracted to Claflin, which was her main distributor while at Covidien. “The culture of the company, the way they serviced their hospitals, and the relationships that they had built with their customers was impressive,” she says.
Today, as Comb calls on health systems in southern Massachusetts and Rhode Island, she continues to learn new things about the profession she loves.
Influence on product selection
For example, “While it’s true that purchasing decisions are often driven by GPO contracts, there is still plenty of room for a distributor account manager to have influence on product selections,” she says. “GPO contracts can be dual or multisource, leaving the hospital with options while still being able to take advantage of GPO benefits, including rebates. Alternatively, if you can show enough combined clinical and financial benefit with a product or product group that is off GPO contract, I’ve never had a customer unwilling to at least give it consideration.”
Patient satisfaction is another factor that is influencing IDNs today, she adds. “Boston is known for its world class hospitals. Patients have options in choosing where to go to receive their healthcare. The best supply chain organizations are looking for ways to improve a patient’s experience.
“It’s not just by giving out welcome or quiet kits – though these are nice. It’s about considering the quality and associated outcomes of products that are chosen for use in the hospital, in addition to the cost. Infection rates, satisfaction scores – this is public information which helps to form a brand for the hospital, and supply chain plays a part in that.”
By participating on value analysis committees at several health systems over the years, Comb has become a trusted resource, and a student of IDNs’ decision-making processes.
“It’s interesting to see how differently [value analysis] is handled from system to system,” she says. “The best value analysis groups that I have been a part of have a sufficient – but not excessive – number of people involved, who are committed to meeting on a regular schedule and staying on task between meetings. With all of the supply chain disruptions that we are seeing in the industry, being able to come to a decision in a shortened time frame is more important than ever.”
The best of the best
To become valuable resources to their customers, sales reps need to share information, provide solutions and stay in touch, says Comb.
“With the increasing product shortages caused by sterilization issues, consolidations, recalls, and most recently, COVID-19, communication has never been more important. Bad news does not get better with age, so when a disruption occurs, hitting it head-on is critical.”
And in today’s digitized world, in-person contact remains essential, she says. “Emails can get lost or misinterpreted, and they aren’t very personal. At the end of the day, it’s important to have a good working and personal relationship with your customers, so that when tough situations arise, you can work it out together – because you have learned to like each other.”
Comb and her husband, Brad (who sells SAP software), have been married four years. With their daughter, Allie, they live in Scituate, Massachusetts, on the South Shore of Massachusetts, enjoying boating and the beautiful beaches there.