The Gauntlet Is Down

There is nothing more effective than competition to bring out the best in a businessperson. Once again, the gauntlet has been thrown to DME. This time, joining Wal-Mart, Sears has made a corporate decision to enter the fray, and I am waiting for Target and other mass marketers to seek entry into DME.

Their marketing experts have done a very careful study into the potential awaiting them. They find, as I have been saying for a very long time, that DME offers a tremendous opportunity for profits, especially with over-the-counter cash sales.

If major marketers see this potential, certainly you, too, must recognize the prospect and make a much stronger effort to carving and keeping a big share for your company. As an independent local dealer, you have the finest tools at your fingertips: your operation, your personality and the care that your staff gives to each and every one of your customers. Your success hinges on these, and these create the strong base you have to build from.

But to strengthen OTC sales, you must do a few things that the conglomerate does not. It is imperative that members of your staff take advantage of the referral sources they have developed. I must repeat this: In particular, much attention must be given to your referral sources.

A visit to say hello and extol the virtues of your company’s personal services is a starting point, but other marketing efforts should also be used. In effect, your people become “detail” salespeople, same as the pharmaceutical companies. But in this case, rather than selling a product, your staff is selling a service — and that service is your company. You have something that cannot be taken away by the giants. Use that strength!

Handling Complaints

In the past few weeks I have received a number of calls about handling complaints. This may be a consequence of the weather, or politics or perhaps the moon being in a new phase. But handling complaints correctly is vital to maintaining your customer base.

Every grievance is legitimate, especially to the customer, so responding promptly is vital. Occasionally a provider may bristle and try to brush it off. This happens because many complaints are unfounded, yet they can easily be resolved with a pleasant answer and an offer to see just what can be done. After you follow up, make a return phone call to your customer and tell him that his grievance has been resolved to maintain goodwill.

There are going to be occasions when you, as a home care provider, can do little or nothing. The manufacturer or supplier will not cooperate, and you are stuck with a difficult decision. Explain to the customer all the efforts you have tried to resolve the problem. Sometimes under these circumstances, you might give your customer the telephone number so that he can call the source to try to resolve the problem directly. Or, in the case of a very good customer, it may be worth it to make an exchange and absorb the cost yourself.

However, never fight back. Often I’ve heard providers say “no one else has ever made this complaint,” or “you seem to be the only one who has that problem.” This type of response is a no-no because you will have just lost that customer. He will feel that you have attacked his veracity.

Remember, a gentle word will often assuage your customer.

What, Me Worry?

Sometimes I read little things that upset me. I saw in one of the major newspapers that our country has fallen way behind in education. In China, 59 percent of the college undergraduates, and in Japan 66 percent, will earn degrees in science and engineering. We in the U.S. only reach 32 percent.

Now when I call a service company for difficulties with my telephone or my computer, I reach a helper in India, Pakistan or the Philippines. Everything is outsourced. We buy more manufactured product from China than any other country, and we owe them so much money that I shudder when I consider the consequences.

That’s another problem, but “me worry?” No, but someone in Washington better start.

Sheldon “Shelly” Prial is based in Melbourne, Fla., with Prial Consulting and also serves as the director of government relations for Atlanta-based Graham-Field Health Products. In 1987, he founded the Homecare Providers Co-Op, now part of The VGM Group. He can be reached by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at 321/255-3885.