A panel of home medical equipment retailers share some of the strategies that have helped their companies successfully build retail sales - and expand from 3rd party insurance business.
22
Panelists & FacilitatorPanelists & Facilitator
Jim Greatorex, Pres. & CEO, Black BearJim Greatorex, Pres. & CEO, Black Bear
MedicalMedical
Jeff Kelemen, Pres. & CEO, EverythingJeff Kelemen, Pres. & CEO, Everything
MedicalMedical
Tom Mullaney, R.Ph., President, MullaneyTom Mullaney, R.Ph., President, Mullaney
Medical, Inc. (Material presented byMedical, Inc. (Material presented by
Colette)Colette)
Colette Weil, Managing Director, SummitColette Weil, Managing Director, Summit
Marketing (facilitator)Marketing (facilitator)
33
Panel Discussion ObjectivesPanel Discussion Objectives
Learn about different business models andLearn about different business models and
the role retail/cash sales playsthe role retail/cash sales plays
Learn about the panelistsLearn about the panelists’ varying’ varying
marketing strategies and retail viewsmarketing strategies and retail views
Discuss future strategy considerationsDiscuss future strategy considerations
44
Program OutlineProgram Outline
About the PanelistAbout the Panelist’s stores & business’s stores & business
modelmodel
How they built retail/cash sale businessHow they built retail/cash sale business
–
Location & brandingLocation & branding
–
Revenue, product & services mixRevenue, product & services mix
–
Advertising, promotion, sales, internetAdvertising, promotion, sales, internet
–
In-store merchandisingIn-store merchandising
Q & AQ & A
55
Black Bear MedicalBlack Bear Medical
Large showroomsLarge showrooms
Personal servicePersonal service
Two locationsTwo locations
Satellite locationSatellite location
ComprehensiveComprehensive
product offeringproduct offering
66
Black Bear Medical RetailBlack Bear Medical Retail
ModelModel
Product Mix: 48% - Complex RehabProduct Mix: 48% - Complex Rehab
23% - Retail 22% Supplies 7%-DME23% - Retail 22% Supplies 7%-DME
Retail focus since 1994Retail focus since 1994
Surpasses $1 million in Retail-onlySurpasses $1 million in Retail-only
revenue in 2004revenue in 2004
Use Rehab and Supply business toUse Rehab and Supply business to
compliment Retailcompliment Retail
Convenient location in a known but lowerConvenient location in a known but lower
rent locationrent location
1212
Everything MedicalEverything Medical
Las Vegas, NVLas Vegas, NV
ThatThat’s our service’s our service
mottomotto
Started as a wholesalerStarted as a wholesaler
of disposables in earlyof disposables in early
8080’s’s
Launched retail inLaunched retail in ’97’97
Good opportunitiesGood opportunities
We know the productsWe know the products
Two Locations, centralTwo Locations, central
Las VegasLas Vegas
Primary: 5000 sq. feetPrimary: 5000 sq. feet
retailretail
Second: 2000 sq. feetSecond: 2000 sq. feet
retailretail
1313
About Las VegasAbout Las Vegas
Among highestAmong highest
foreclosure levelsforeclosure levels
Among highestAmong highest
vacancy ratevacancy rate
High unemploymentHigh unemployment
Recipe for HMERecipe for HME
Retail?Retail?
3 senior3 senior
communitiescommunities
VisitorsVisitors
1414
Our Business ModelOur Business Model
75% Retail75% Retail
25% 325% 3rdrd
PartyParty
90% Medicaid90% Medicaid
Centrally LocatedCentrally Located
Location 1Location 1
• Across from theAcross from the
county hospitalcounty hospital
Location 2Location 2
• 1 mile from 31 mile from 3
hospitalshospitals
Service: we willService: we will
find exactly whatfind exactly what
you need – you willyou need – you will
love us, you will telllove us, you will tell
your friends (causeyour friends (cause
we know you willwe know you will
be a customer forbe a customer for
life)life)
1515
Selection, Selection, SelectionSelection, Selection, Selection
Good – Better - BestGood – Better - Best
Commitment to inventory !!Commitment to inventory !!
Train employees on differingTrain employees on differing
products and value for price –products and value for price –
explain the why.explain the why.
Merchandise like a groceryMerchandise like a grocery
store or pharmacy – bigstore or pharmacy – big
movers with better margins atmovers with better margins at
eye level – economy lines ateye level – economy lines at
top or bottom of section.top or bottom of section.
Utilize companies with selfUtilize companies with self
service packaging but alwaysservice packaging but always
back up with serviceback up with service
1616
Sales & Top CategoriesSales & Top Categories
Over $4 1/2 millionOver $4 1/2 million
and growingand growing
Top areasTop areas
DisposablesDisposables
Compression hosieryCompression hosiery
OrthoticsOrthotics
Lift Chairs & ScootersLift Chairs & Scooters
Basic DME &Basic DME &
AccessoriesAccessories
2020
MerchandisingMerchandising
Put your best lookingPut your best looking
high volume cashhigh volume cash
items in front of storeitems in front of store
Put bigger ticket itemsPut bigger ticket items
andand “scary“ products“scary“ products
in a remote part ofin a remote part of
showroomshowroom
Hire CSRHire CSR’s with big’s with big
box store experiencebox store experience
2626
AdvertisingAdvertising
Yellow Pages primaryYellow Pages primary
sourcesource
2 million people in one2 million people in one
phone bookphone book
Still the reference toolStill the reference tool
herehere
Print in the beginningPrint in the beginning
Now specialty print magsNow specialty print mags
& online& online
TV advertising using CoTV advertising using Co
OpOp
2929
Results of High Touch, HighResults of High Touch, High
Care, High ServiceCare, High Service
Average 150 walk in customers/dayAverage 150 walk in customers/day
Cash customers return but small returnsCash customers return but small returns
(<3% due to service)(<3% due to service)
Why? We personally help them withWhy? We personally help them with
exactly what they need with trainedexactly what they need with trained
personnelpersonnel
3030
WhatWhat’s Next?’s Next?
Yellowpages.comYellowpages.com
Digital and social media presenceDigital and social media presence
Community Service days get free publicityCommunity Service days get free publicity
Work with high active doctors/prescribersWork with high active doctors/prescribers
Specialty & Niche MarketsSpecialty & Niche Markets
3131
Tom Mullaney, R.Ph.Tom Mullaney, R.Ph.
Mullaney MedicalMullaney Medical
Advertising/PromotionsAdvertising/Promotions
3232
We print these on smallWe print these on small
pads (Rx size) andpads (Rx size) and
pass out to referralpass out to referral
sources.sources.
Chain pharmacies areChain pharmacies are
one of our best sourcesone of our best sources
of walk in business.of walk in business.
3333
We split advertisingWe split advertising
cost with 2 othercost with 2 other
Rx/DME stores thatRx/DME stores that
dondon’t compete’t compete
geographically withgeographically with
us for retailus for retail
business.business.
We each spend 1/3We each spend 1/3
of what we wereof what we were
spending!spending!
3434
Tracking Advertising ResponseTracking Advertising Response
Use a unique phone # on your ads to trackUse a unique phone # on your ads to track
how many phone calls they generate.how many phone calls they generate.
Have a different # for Yellow Pages, TV, Web,Have a different # for Yellow Pages, TV, Web,
etc.etc.
Have your CSRHave your CSR’s ask walk in customers how’s ask walk in customers how
they heard about you & track them just likethey heard about you & track them just like
you do referral sources.you do referral sources.
You need to know what works so you knowYou need to know what works so you know
where to spend your $$.where to spend your $$.
3535
TelevisionTelevision
Network & CableNetwork & Cable
Who is your audience?Who is your audience?
Medicare/Medicaid Patients or Cash Patients?Medicare/Medicaid Patients or Cash Patients?
Use Spots from your Manufacturers andUse Spots from your Manufacturers and
just add your Name & Phone #just add your Name & Phone #
Use Co-Op DollarsUse Co-Op Dollars
Set up a year long schedule, you canSet up a year long schedule, you can
cancel anytime.cancel anytime.
3737
In StoreIn Store
Think like a retailerThink like a retailer
Impulse salesImpulse sales
Add on salesAdd on sales
Up-Sell: Good, Better, Best.Up-Sell: Good, Better, Best.
Set up your show room to do thisSet up your show room to do this
Seasonal Products ( SAD Lights,Seasonal Products ( SAD Lights,
Holiday Gifts)Holiday Gifts)
We participate in very few private pay insurance plans (I won’t accept 60% of Medicare) but we sell these patients a lot of products for cash. Once you explain the coverage criteria & paperwork, a lot of them are willing to pay cash. Think how much better off you are if you only sell 25% of them something for cash, rather than 100% off them at 60% of Medicare and all the extra work involved!
Having the retail pharmacy definitely brings in more people, maybe you partner with a pharmacy that doesn’t want to do DME?
Retail showrooms from 1500 – 2500 sq. ft.
Mobility Location (scooters, pwc’s is 64% cash sales)
We do this internally with our phone system, but your phone service provider should be able to give you reports.
We have a T1 with 24 channels (lines) and can have an unlimited number of phone numbers. They only cost about $5/month for 20 numbers
Cable is cheaper, but it reaches fewer people.
Who is your target demographic?
Older patients or their younger care giving family members?
People with cash or patients who only want it if it’s ‘free’
If you are going to put supplies on your floor (ostomy,etc) at least feature & promote additional accessory and add on cash sales. Most ostomy pts come in for a specific product and you can have it in the back in high denisty selving, not taking up valuable retail space.
Use retail space to show Good, Better, Best & Up-Sell! Our lift chairs start at $600, but we hardly every sell one, the average is $900! But you must have the $600 model to get them in the door. If they call you and yours start at $900 and they call your competition and they start at $600, where do you think they are going to go?