December 29, 2023- To determine the best of equipment sales, Repertoire Magazine sat down with sales reps to learn the tips, tricks, and insights into a pivotal product category for distributor reps.
Says Midmark’s Matt Bourne, it is a rep’s ability to solve their customers’ problems that separates the high achievers from the rest of the pack. “They think in a way that allows their customers to invest in products and services that are going to benefit their environment – the caregivers, the patients and the bottom line.
“To sell equipment in today’s healthcare, you can’t just present features and benefits,” he continues. “You can’t just present equipment in terms of return on investment. You need to learn as much as you can about your customer’s objectives; you must understand it deeply; you have to be embedded in what they’re going to need to do in the next three to five years to drive the measures they have put in place.
“A ‘deep dive’ has to take place to understand the customer’s environment before presenting solutions,” says Bourne. Things are changing so rapidly, that if the equipment salesperson asks his or her customers to articulate their challenges and needs, “by the time you present, things could have changed.”
He puts his comments in context. In some instances, the distributor will be asked by the customer to present several alternatives for a piece of equipment to put out to bid. “It’s easy for the distributor to say, ‘No problem; here are your A, B and C companies and the different price points,’ then walk away and hopefully pick the order up at a later date.
Learn More in the latest issue of Repertoire Magazine.