Selected Tag: HME providers

Special Delivery

March 29th, 2010

Here’s another perspective on setting your company above what a competitor can do. What do you offer your DME customers? The same or similar products as your competitor? So, how do you differentiate your company from the competition?

Maybe you’re thinking, “But look at the vast differences between our ‘XL3000′ and their cheap imitation. Potential customers will see right through that ruse.” Maybe so, but probably not.

Remember that you’re much more educated regarding the “XL3000.” Many potential customers may not get excited over those advantages.

Don’t worry. You’re not alone.

We, as an HME software partner, we face the same challenges as you. Some HME providers believe “all the software vendors do the same thing. As long as I can bill and get paid, ….”

And we say, “Wait a minute. The differences among us are like night and day.” So we either need to educate you regarding those differences (until your eyes glaze over) or accept the fact that HME software is now perceived as a commodity, like toothpaste. I know I need toothpaste, but I’ll buy whatever’s on sale when I need it.

The downfall of that analogy is that my tube of toothpaste may last a couple of weeks. If I don’t like what I bought, I’ll grab another brand next time.

HME software, which is critical to the management of your business, isn’t practical to purchase every couple of weeks. One owner once likened switching software to “having a fire.”

Even though we believe we offer the best HME software value, all the other vendors probably believe they do. So, although we’re very different, we face the same challenges as you with your “XL3000.”

We constantly scrutinize how best to “special deliver” our HME software and service to our awesome client base. They all may appreciate different benefits that our HME software provides, but they usually prefer to sing the praises of our people. I can accept that.

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It’s All in the Delivery

March 25th, 2010
Delivery

An audio technician adjusts your mic. Just beyond the sound booth where you’re standing, an agency rep, creative director, and usually a client (business owner) wait for you to make magic with the words before you. You’re on the clock and they’re paying for the studio time.

Invariably, the creative director mutters into your headset, "It’s all in the delivery, Brian." Some of these writers will wait for a few takes before offering any direction. They prefer to allow the voice talent to interpret the script, which may provide an even better result than the creative team had expected.

Everyone in the studio has an opinion. When the creative juices flow, the hard and fast rules take a back seat to meeting the objective at hand. However, if they can’t see eye-to-eye on interpretation or expectations, the work suffers and the client leaves the studio dissatisfied.

How does this scenario relate to HME providers?

When you provide products to customers, they have certain expectations of you (concept, script, coordinating with the studio and the talent). They count on you to bring it all together.

When you do, you’ve met their expectations; when you don’t, you lose a degree of credibility. When you deliver beyond their expectations, you gain loyal customers.

I always remember that anyone can stand at that mic. (I’m sure you’ve heard any number of business owners who voice their own commercials.) But if I deliver something exceptional, something they’ll all remember, chances are that I’ll be booked for more sessions at that studio, with that agency, and for that business owner. Any or all of them may even recommend me to others.

What can you deliver beyond a customer’s expectations? Exceptional service? A little surprise? Anything besides the ordinary?

If you’re stuck, how about a "suggestion box" brainstorming session with your team? You may be surprised how a few pizzas or boxes of doughnuts can stimulate ideas!

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Still Hearing Choruses on Health Care

March 24th, 2010

Let’s offer HME providers (and other business owners) some practical advice. How do you approach your staff regarding this issue?

Communication, as usual, is the key. Jennifer Benz of Benz Communications presents a template for you.

The Kaiser Foundation has a side-by-side comparison tool on its site, so you can select various components of different versions of the bill. The site also features a Health Reform Subsidy calculator that you may want to try.

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Listen to the Music

March 22nd, 2010

My intention was to present some links to well-written articles and blog posts about health care reform in this space. Sadly, I couldn’t find any.

Everything I read today was either slanted one way or another; or, left me embarrassed by off-color and hateful comments for fellow Americans. That, in itself, is a pretty sad commentary. I certainly won’t promote either sort of poison pen (or keyboard).

Update: naturally, soon after I post, I’m trumped by Joan Cross, FAMES Executive Director, who obviously has much better research skills than I. Joan presented this article by Marrecca Fiore from AOL Health in a FAMES Email.

Are you aware of any [other] solid, unbiased stories? How about any related to the effect on HME providers? If so, please share so we can alert the whole class.

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DC Dirty Pool

March 16th, 2010
Health Care Reform?

So where do you stand on health care reform? Are you in the camp that believes politics is taking the lead? Do you see this as a Washington insider health care hijacking?

Maybe you’re okay with the process as long as the results help the ones who we’re supposedly helping. Maybe you see millions of uninsured and those with pre-existing conditions and how they’ll benefit.

Latest polls reveal that 43% of Americans fall into the second camp. However, 53% are vehemently opposed while 4% are unsure.

So many of us on each side of this fence assures much democratic debate (as well as some unhealthy tactics). The historical implications will resonate for decades (if not longer) should this bill pass.

So where do you stand? With the 43%? With the 53%? Or somewhere in the middle? Yet another dimension near and dear to all this: how will this bill’s passing or not passing affect HME providers?

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Spring to Action

March 8th, 2010

I had to mention “spring” today. Following a gorgeous weekend, we’re expecting blue skies, warm sunshine and near 60-degrees today. I brought gloves and a ball in case anyone has a few minutes to play catch at lunch time.

You’ve heard the adage about how things usually occur in threes? Well, three HME providers within the past ten days experienced server failures.

CAU’s offices normally work at an uptempo pace, but you should see how we kick into overdrive when an HME provider’s revenue is threatened. (After all, HME providers have enough hurdles to get properly reimbursed!)

This entire process springs into action: coordination, acquiring the latest data, creating a new Web Edition world, migrating the data, creating user accounts, testing data, introducing staff to Web Edition navigation, and usability with our close monitoring. This process goes day and night so that the provider may be productive the following day.

We love these success stories. They exemplify why we’re here.

I plan to interview a few of the owners to share their stories with you. Meanwhile, blue skies!

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There’s “Snow Business” Like the HME Business

February 5th, 2010

We interrupt our regularly scheduled discussion on Customer Service to put some of our theories into practice. Skies are dark gray; trucks with plows are everywhere.

The Mid-Atlantic is bracing for another winter storm beginning this afternoon. Not that we expect any sympathy from our Midwestern brethren, who’ve been pounded by snow, ice and extremely cold temperatures for weeks.

So, as an HME business — no matter where you may be located — how do you prepare when Old Man Winter has your service area in his cross hairs? If this is a regular occurrence in your neck of the woods, do you have any advice for HME providers in, say, the Delmarva Peninsula, where more than 15″ of snow has been forecast?

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Customer (Rather than Lip) Service

January 21st, 2010
Customer Service

It’s like a broken record. When HME providers call me to ask about upgrading to our software, they invariably talk about the lack of customer service they receive from their current software vendor.

They’re obviously frustrated and usually for several reasons. I listen to their pleas about no one returning their calls; restarting their issue at square one with every call; speaking to someone different each time; and, the list goes on.

Any software vendor can claim to have “great customer service.” What some vendors fail to understand is that their customers get to decide whether that statement is true or not.

The proof is in the action. That’s why our customer service team believes that they need to re-earn their reputation with every call.

We’ve also been listening to our customers for more than two decades. With surveys, focus groups, and one-on-one conversations, we’ve allowed them to shape our customer service strategy to meet their expectations.

Next time, we’ll touch on a couple of those expectations and how you may apply them to better communicate with your HME customers.

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HME Welcomes Another NCB Ally

December 18th, 2009

The Center for Regulatory Effectiveness has sided with HME providers in the struggle against National Competitive Bidding. The CRE, established to provide Congress with independent analysis of agency regulations, has filed a petition against CMS to stop DMEPOS competitive bidding until it publishes financial standards for the program as required by law.

The interesting blog post explains the details, including quotes from a provider and a beneficiary. Maybe, just maybe, this independent analysis will catch the attention of more of our representatives in Congress.

The flawed NCB plan really has no redeeming value. It hurts beneficiaries; will only (potentially) save from DMEPOS to exponentially increase hospital stays (and costs); loses jobs; and, basically tells small business owners to go away. All of this flies in the face of our current domestic economic challenges and will create undue harm to our aging population.

Having CRE on the same sideline isn’t the knockout blow, but it could help for Congress to hear these same messages from another independent source.

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Did Someone Order a December?

December 2nd, 2009
Year End Reports

How in the world could it be December already? I finally get used to writing and typing 2009, and now I have less than 30 days to celebrate my new quest.

Before you know it, the calendar year will end for all of us. The curtain will close on the fiscal year for many as well.

Visions of counting inventory, closing the month and year, and generating the expected year-end reports may already be dancing in your head. Great way to throw wet snow on your holiday season, isn’t it?

If you’re one who looks forward to the challenge or simply has found a way to facilitate year-end projects, please share with the rest of the class. Maybe one little idea you have will trigger another solution for someone else, and before you know it, we’ll have many more HME providers enjoying their holidays a little more this year.

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