Good Design Principles Meet Durable Medical Equipment

Today I was reading about Dieter Rams: a legendary industrial designer who has inspired countless creative professionals. Though his body of work focuses mainly on consumer electronics, his messages of functionality, organization and simplicity certainly apply to modern day branding and customer service in the HME world.  Take a look at Dieter's 10 Principles for Good Design above. Now replace the words "good design" with "a successful DME provider." Kind of makes sense doesn't it? Get more inspiration from Dieter; read his speech here.

Marketing Magic: The Balance of Personality and Professionalism

Personal? Yep. Professional? Check. Last time you wrote one? Umm...
A handwritten note can have a big impact for just a few cents.

Chemistry. Allure. Charisma. Je ne sais quoi.

Whatever you call it, most successful companies have "that certain something" that sets them apart. Of course there are specific strategies you will execute to drive your marketing forward, however, your message is always rooted in your company's personality. Your customers want to know the genuine personalities of your team... but  each office has a few individuals with a little too much personality. (Or so to speak.) Customers also need to be treated with respect and made to feel comfortable -- a pleasant experience is what keeps them coming back! So how do you find the right balance?

Today I ran across this blog post, an entertaining guide to "Uping Your Personal Dignity Quotient." Each tip contains some common sense suggestions that balance personality and professionalism:

1. Don’t clamor for credit when you do good things
The more time you spend looking over your shoulder to make sure everyone sees you being good, the less time you actually have to be good.

2. Play the “wouldn’t you be sorry?” game with yourself
"Wouldn’t you be sorry if this hilarious sexual anecdote that you are about to write an email about was forwarded around?”

3. Watch ya mouth
Ask yourself: Do I need to say this? Can I pause a beat to decide if this joke may offend someone? Does this cruel remark I’m about to make need to exist in the world? Who will benefit from my sharing all these colorful details of recent medical troubles?

4. Act like you’ve been there before
If you’re in a situation where you are either excited or uncomfortable, the best thing to do is to act as though you’ve been there before. I find that if I am working to project calm steadiness outward, usually my brain feels calm and steady as well.

5. Respond gracefully to a-holes
Don’t yell back at them. Don’t swear. Don’t call names. Calmly stand your ground, secure in the knowledge that eventually you will emerge triumphant.

I encourage you to check out the whole article here and pass it around to your team!

Internal Marketing Works

Internal marketing refers to the way you "sell" your company to its employees. Communication is the foundation of successful internal marketing. Your brand is created by all the people who make your company work from day to day: customer service reps, drivers, sales reps, receptionists, clinicians, purchasing, warehouse... Every interaction they have with a patient/referral/vendor is an opportunity to enhance your brand. It is important that each person understands the brand positioning of the company they work for and what it means to them - and that can only happen when it is clearly communicated.

Take the time to think about how marketing translates to each department. Obviously your sales reps will be armed with marketing materials to explain who you are and what you do. What about the receptionist? When patients or referrals call, are they greeted in a way that is consistent with impression the sales rep created? Try making small changes in the way you communicate branding throughout your company by simply paying attention to the details of everyday business. It can help to put yourself in the place of the patient, referral, vendor or co-worker and ask: "How would I want to be treated/spoken to/managed in this situation?"

The best bet is to make the internal marketing train-of-thought part of your everyday routine. If you make a marketing decision that affects your customer service department, don't forget to keep them updated. If your drivers will be handing out marketing materials on their route, help them understand the role they play. I like the way Virgin Group chairman Richard Branson explains internal communication in a recent article about time management:

"You can build good communications into your company's DNA by ensuring that discussions are built on openness, clear language, and a willingness to listen to everyone who has something to say, from the person at reception to your top manager. Make sure that people's curiosity is encouraged. If they have made a good suggestion and have seen results in the past, your employees will ask questions and be persistent, which will help them to solve problems they encounter."

This type of communication is a long term investment into the culture of your company. If you're hesitant about applying the idea of internal marketing, just start small and you will get the hang of it. And if you would like some help getting started or would like ideas for how to incorporate your marketing efforts company-wide, please don't hesitate to get in touch with me! 

(P.S. I recommend reading the rest of the Branson article. He doesn't have his own Caribbean island because he's bad at business!)