Senior Sales Manager, Southern California
Masimo Corporation
Santa Monica, California
Fourteen years in medical sales
Snapshot:
- Born/raised: Gardena, California
- Undergraduate degree: BA, philosophy, University of San Diego
- First “real” job: My father owned a sign business, and I would help him screen print and paint as well as install. Very hard work. He inspired the work ethic I have today.
- Favorite restaurant: I love good food. I’ve traveled a lot, and it never surprises me that there is always good food to find no matter where you are. I went to a restaurant once called Trois Mec in Los Angeles. The chef is French. From the outside, the restaurant looks like a dingy pizza parlor with privacy stained glass windows, but once inside it’s a beautiful and romantic place, and the food experience was out of this world!
- Family info: My husband, Brian, and I have been married for 11 years and have two amazing boys Dean (10), Jack (8), and our Siberian Husky, Mishka (6). Brian is a supportive and loving husband and father. He does double time when I am traveling for work. My kiddos are my Number 1 fans, as I am theirs, and they love basketball, surfing, skateboarding and mountain biking.
- Hobbies/activities: I love RVing – camping and hiking – with the whole family. I also enjoy reading about historical figures and events, as well as medical and science breakthroughs. But nothing beats snuggling with my kiddos and reading stories to them before bed.
Repertoire: What are the most important things you do for your distributor reps to enhance their sales?
Phelan: The most important things I can offer my distributor reps and their customers are my knowledge and clinical understanding of Masimo technology and how it can improve patients’ lives and help clinicians better assess their patients; and to be professional in every aspect when meeting with my distributor reps’ customers.
Repertoire: Name some ways distributor reps help you add value to their accounts and increase sales.
Phelan: Distributor reps know their customers and their needs. By qualifying their customers for me – that is, telling me what exactly their customers’ needs are – they help me determine what products to demo and how to price accordingly with my distributor rep. Second, when a distributor rep discloses competitive products they have demoed their customer, I can be better prepared and offer a competitive price. In addition, it shows the customer that we are there to provide all necessary clinical information so they can make the best choice for their practice.
Repertoire: What is the biggest change you anticipate in medical products sales in the next 5 years?
Phelan: I already see big changes in the medical sales industry. Small physician offices are being integrated into large health systems. Physicians who want to stay independent of health systems are looking for ways to stay financially afloat so they bring in point-of-care testing devices, not only to provide better patient care but to also bring in revenue. Further, with MACRA, physicians are being rewarded on a value-based model rather than on the volume of patients they see.
Repertoire: Ride-days with distributor reps: What do you like? What don’t you like?
Phelan: I enjoy ride days! It gives us a chance to catch up on our personal lives. When you’ve been in this business long enough, it’s hard not to become good friends. I love working with newer reps, especially those who are new to the medical industry, because I can help them navigate the waters and understand how manufacturer reps can help them open doors to new opportunities.
Repertoire: Do you have a favorite ride-day story to share?
Phelan: I and a rep were cold calling surgery centers. The rep did not have any business in this surgery center, since they were purchasing from a competitor. I was leading the call, so I introduced myself first and asked to see the nurse manager. Once inside the nurse manager’s office, I began asking her if they were monitoring their patients’ Endtidal CO2 after surgery. She began to tell me how they actually needed to get a new patient monitor, so I introduced my distributor rep and mentioned that the distributor had promotions on the device she was interested in. The manager liked our technology so much and the distributor rep’s eagerness to gain her business, that she opened up a new account on the spot and placed an order. This happens frequently when I cold call with distributor reps, and it just attests to Masimo’s superior products and technology.