Manufacturer Reps to Watch
Nicole Gibson
Territory Manager Primary Care
Hillrom
Marietta, Georgia
10 years in medical sales
Primary call point: Physician/clinic, post-acute
Snapshot
Born/raised: Born in Long Island, New York; raised in Marietta, Georgia
Undergraduate degree: Marketing degree from Kennesaw State University
First “real” job: Business development for Chase Professionals, selling recruiting in 2008 after the recession when no one was hiring, Talk about challenging.
Complete this sentence: The one thing I did not expect when I got into medical sales was/is: Looking back, initially medical sales was to have been a steppingstone into a marketing role. However, my experience has taught me to appreciate the opportunity I have to improve patient care and help caregivers diagnose and improve outcomes.
Family info: My husband, Justin, and I met in college in Atlanta and have been married for six years; we welcomed our beautiful daughter, Peyton, two years ago, and our first child, Tripp, the golden-mix mutt.
Hobbies/activities: Traveling, reading, spending time with my family and doing anything outside and on the water!
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Repertoire: When, how and why did you get into medical sales?
Nicole Gibson: I began my career in the orthopedic division at BSN medical in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Medical sales in this division was a way to feel connected to my previous years as a competitive swimmer.) I enjoyed learning about medical manufacturing from inside the corporate office and working my way up in various roles within the organization, until accepting an outside sales position, which allowed me to move back home to Atlanta.
Repertoire: Mentor or role model?
Gibson: Several mentors throughout my career have helped me get to where I am today, and their impact will influence me in the future. One of them – Marc Jones – has been a colleague and is my current manager. He taught me the value of good teammates and helped increase my business acumen in planning. He is someone I can call to bounce ideas off of, and collaborate with to be more successful – similar to what I hope to provide to my distributor reps now and in the future.
Repertoire: What are the 2-3 most important things you can do for distributor reps to enhance their sales?
Gibson: I would say being responsive and valuable are the two most important attributes of being a manufacturer rep. Distributors are inundated with customer demands and corporate initiatives, and my goal is to be an asset to them and their customers for the benefit of the caregivers and their patients. Second, it is important to be at the forefront of the rapidly changing healthcare industry as it relates to their customers and patients. Third, it is important to be proactive regarding new opportunities and detailed post-sale service. My ultimate goal is to make their day go as smoothly as possible and be the go-to manufacturer in the primary care setting.
Repertoire: How can distributor reps help in your sales efforts?
Gibson: Relationships and strategic planning. My distributors’ relationships in our mutual accounts are invaluable. Covering a larger territory, I cannot be everywhere. My partners do an excellent job identifying opportunities, determining the stakeholders within the accounts and bringing me in as the expert to answer more in-depth questions and discover additional needs and opportunities.
Repertoire: What is the biggest change you anticipate in medical products sales in the next 5 years?
Gibson: More consolidation within the IDNs, including their acquisition of outpatient practices, and the standardization of those practices to a specific formulary of equipment and products. This trend will continue to consolidate services into one healthcare system. Digital technology will continue to advance in regard to wearable technology and software-based plans, and the patient will become as much our customer as the physicians’ office, as patients continue to be more responsible for their care.
Repertoire: Ride-days with distributor reps: What’s to like? What’s not to like?
Gibson: Considering most of my career has been spent in orthopedics, my tenured distributor reps are extremely valuable in helping me continue to learn about my new call points in primary care – cardiologists and pediatrics. Also, I enjoy the personal relationships built over time as we work together to reach our mutual goals. Ride-days are also extremely important times to deliver information on new technology and workflow optimization.
Repertoire: Care to share a memorable ride-day story?
Gibson: I have had so many memorable ride-days, but my most rewarding are those that end in a sale that benefits the patient, the providers, and my distributor partner.