Alex Cathro
A Cathro Medical
Representing Bovie Medical
Repertoire: What are the two or three most important things you can do for your distributor rep partners to enhance their sales?
Alex Cathro: First, after 35 years as a distributor rep myself, I know their business. I know their fears, concerns, challenges and the importance of hitting their numbers. When I’m in an office, with or without the rep, they know that I have the confidence and experience to interact with the customer the way they would. Second, I know the importance of keeping their profit margins up. When I’m with a customer, I know how to present the features and benefits of the products and close the sale.
Repertoire: Name two or three ways distributor reps can help you add value to their accounts and increase sales.
Cathro: The biggest way a distributor rep can use me to add value to their account is get me in front of the customer! I understand customers are different, with IDNs and hospitals acquiring practices. However, there are still small group practices and single doctors out there fighting to survive. The only way to survive is for them to either cut costs or increase revenue. Because cutting costs is not really an option, their only avenue to stay in business is to generate more income. These are the customers the distributor reps need to focus on, because they are the accounts that can create leads and generate business. Showing these customers how they can generate more revenue endears them to the rep, tightening up their relationship as the trusted advisor.
We need to show the customer how to enhance their productivity and patient relationships with the newest equipment available. This shows the account that their rep cares for them and is concerned about the success of their practice. If we do this and close the sale, the rep has a better chance of keeping the margins up.
Repertoire: What is the biggest change you anticipate in medical product sales in the next five years?
Cathro: Currently, the elephant in the room are companies like Amazon. What I’m hearing on the street from the distributor reps is their concern about how this will affect their business. It seems like these companies are taking over, but I disagree. I don’t believe these huge send-you-anything distributors are set up to deliver with the level of service that healthcare professionals expect, unless somehow they align themselves with a major dealer. I believe we will see a rise in small independent distributors that specialize in niche markets.
Repertoire: What do you like – or dislike – about ride-days with distributor reps?
Cathro: What is there not to like about riding with reps? It is harder these days for them to find the time to spend with us, because of the amount of work that is keeping them out of the field. But if we are riding together, we are focusing on my particular products, and hopefully that will remain the case for a few days after the ride. Second, we get to know each other better, establish a closer relationship, and I learn how they conduct their business and communicate with their customers. As a result, they develop trust in me to work with their accounts and can send me to an account without them. Third, and most important, it’s fun.
Repertoire: Do you think distributor reps should embrace ride days?
Cathro: Absolutely they should! It is the best win-win situation. When I was a distributor rep, I rode with manufacturer reps as often as I could and increased sales because of it. Distributor managers ought to make it mandatory for new reps to ride with manufacturer reps. They learn more about products, thus increasing their profitability. By working together, we may not sell my product, but we may uncover a totally different opportunity for the distributor rep. When a rep is out with a manufacturer rep, he/she is actually selling, not just taking orders. It always works best with two people, because if one person forgets a point, the other can bring it up. Cold calls are much more fun and easy when there are two people working together. Besides, if I’m in your car, I’m not in someone else’s car. And here’s an aha moment: If I get a lead at an account that has no distributor rep, who am I going to turn it over to? Probably someone I’ve ridden with.
Repertoire: Do you have a favorite ride-day story?
Cathro: As I mentioned, I’ve been in this industry for 37 years, so I have many, many ride-day stories. The main thing that stands out in my memory is the fun we’ve had on those cold-call days. One day in particular, another rep and I pulled so many tricks on each other I had to leave in the middle of the call to go out to the parking lot and laugh. Many of those occasions ended up with amazing sales. It’s been a blessing to work with everyone on the distribution side and now as a manufacturer’s rep. Bovie and my other lines are great companies to work for, and I am thankful for all of them. In 1983 at a Midmark Power School, I met Scott Fanning and will always remember his words; “If two people can laugh together, they can’t be too far apart.” And that still holds true today.