Bovie Medical Insights

The following is a guest post by a Bovie Medical client. Enjoy! ...and add any thoughts you have, in the comments, below.

  Building customer relationships is the single most important element to success as a sales representative.  As a medical practitioner, when I am in the market to purchase medical equipment, my purchase is not purely based on how I feel about the product but largely how I feel about my sales representative.  I need to know that my sales representative values me as a customer and not just as a 'sale' or 'commission.'  

There are a few ways I feel valued during the process of building customer relationships.  

• First and foremost, know your product backwards and forwards.  An intimate knowledge of your product helps you anticipate what will serve your customer best.  When you are able to show me confidence in yourself and your products, we are then able to establish trust in our relationship.  I must trust you if I am to chose you as my sales representative.  Bovie, as an example, provides an excellent ebook resource, Understanding Electrosurgery, to help their sales representatives know their product inside and out.
• Once we have bridged our relationship with trust, it is important that you show me why I am a valuable customer.  The most effective way to make me feel valued is understanding my needs as both a practitioner and as a business. Demonstrate how your product will enhance my business.  Be able to explain how your product will improve my patient procedures.  Making yourself easily available to answering questions will make my business run smoothly.  I save time and headaches when myself,or my staff, is able to competently operate the product and if an issue arises, I need to know that you will be there to help.
• I am more likely to use you as my medical device representative if I feel that you prioritize building customer relationships.  We all like to buy but nobody likes to be sold. When I feel valued as a customer, not as a commission, I will chose to do business with you not only for the initial purchase, but for a long time thereafter.  Building a solid relationship and making the customer feel valuable paves the road for a positive interaction in the future.