Picture this: Your HME retail space is gleaming, your shelves are stocked with a variety of quality products that are complementary to your business. Every supplier’s representative has assured you that you are poised for retail success. There is absolutely nothing lacking in your store that would motivate a client to shop elsewhere for their aids-to-daily-living (ADL) requirements.

However, the stock sits idle and the question remains. How do I move these products off the shelf?

To find the answer, consider analyzing your retail space through the eyes of the customer. First, take a close look at your floor space. Is the distance between aisles wide enough to accommodate a scooter or power wheelchair safely? If needed, go for a test drive. Have you organized your products by manufacturer or product category? It helps to choose a system that makes sense for both you and your customers. Put on your “customer hat” and walk or drive through the aisles. Are you confused or overwhelmed by the array of products? If the answer is yes, make some adjustments.

There are also other considerations. Are the shelves well stocked with a variety of products and more than one of each? Did you remember to make the shelves height accessible? Does your staff dust and clean the shelves on a regular basis? Does your staff refrain from placing mobility or other items in front of the ADL display?

These are some of the basics to good retailing. If you have most of these items under control, you are well on your way to ADL sales success.

Perception is Reality
On the showroom floor, the home health care provider faces the same challenges as most retailers: How do you make your products look so inviting that consumers will want to purchase them? The retail tips I mentioned earlier are a good start. You can also add an attractive product display at the end of an aisle. Better still, build a display at the front of your store that immediately grabs the customer’s attention the minute they enter.

A properly arranged window display can go a long way toward enticing customers into your store in the first place. As an example, a window display that focuses on independent bathing might feature a bath lift as its centerpiece. To make it more attractive, add a long-handled scrub brush, an extended-length handheld shower, and a nonstick tub mat. Colorful bath towels and informative brochures complete the display. You have visually choreographed a number of items that fit very well together for independent bathing. By packaging your window display, you have also increased the opportunity for customer dialogue and the potential to sell multiple items instead of just one.

Knowledgeable Staff Generates Sales
Once customers are inside your HME store, good merchandise selection may not be enough. Successful home health care providers know the true value of having friendly and knowledgeable staff. Well-schooled staff can identify customers’ needs and provide value-added service that will bring profit to your bottom line.

Make certain that your staff is well trained in how to observe customer behavior and physical movements. This will offer clues to a customer’s current medical condition and possible product requirements.

Staff that are able to ask customers meaningful questions without being intrusive will instill a feeling of genuine care for that customer. Tactfully asking questions about a customer’s lifestyle, daily habits, and hobbies in a conversational manner will put the customer at ease and enable the salesperson to focus on solutions to the customer’s specific needs. It may also mean repeat business based on the one-to-one relationship developed with the customer.

If your salesperson determines that a customer likes to travel, offer products such as compression stockings, elastic shoelaces, and wheeled shopping bags. If you see a book peeping out of a jacket pocket, or resting in a walker basket, mention that your store carries book holders and magnifying book lights. For the customer who prefers to read while in bed, a lap tray or a lumbar pillow support are great suggestions. Keen observation and tactful product suggestions can increase your odds of selling more than one item to each customer.

Ask meaningful questions without being intrusive to develop a one-to-one relationship with the customer, advises Paul Fogh-Dohmsmidt, BA, FCA, ATS (left).

On The Road
If a customer is unable to visit your store, make sure that the outside sales representatives have an abundant supply of literature and product samples. As an example, when selling a wheelchair to a client off-site, make certain that you upsell the benefits of reachers and dressing aids, and perhaps a lift chair. Leaving behind brochures about these items also serves as a reminder for a future purchase. Good external salespeople will also offer house-bound clients the opportunity to try some of these products on a trial or short-term basis.

Profitable home health care providers realize the importance of balancing their rehab sales with retail. It is not prudent to rely on third-party funding as your single source of income. Changes in government rules or regulations can delay or even deny your billing altogether. Insurance companies may approve a particular product one month and not the next. Cash sales are reliable. We all like to hear the ringing of a cash register.

At the end of the day, your customers are looking for products and services that allow them to continue to function independently and live with dignity. Aids to daily living can enhance their personal safety and enjoyment of life. The home health care provider’s ability to identify the customers’ needs and provide them with appropriate solutions will earn their respect and long-term business. Do not be discouraged if you end up selling only a small item that eases a daily task. You have established the proper relationship with the customer. Ultimately, this relationship will create top-of-mind awareness and repeat business for those large medical equipment purchases in the future.

Paul Fogh-Dohmsmidt, BA, FCA, ATS, is one of the partners of MEDIchair Victoria in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. MEDIchair is North America’s largest and fastest-growing HME franchise operation. For more information, visit it online at www.medichair.com.