Look Back, See Ahead

With HomeCare magazine celebrating 30 great years in bringing important information to the industry, I find myself reluctantly sharing in the celebration. I was there as the first issue was being developed when the magazine's publishers talked with me about the possibility of writing a column. At the time, I was wondering who would be reading this information.

What was I thinking 30 years ago? I was teaching sales and marketing to almost no one. Most small companies had no salesperson. Money for sales programs was invested primarily in yellow pages advertising; the company owner went out occasionally to call on a few doctors or referral sources. But as we now know, all of that was changing rapidly.

And what about that Six-Point Plan? I never did understand all of that except someone got the idea that renting a commode for 25 years and getting paid monthly was not a good idea.

And what about contracts? We rarely had any. We earned our business the old-fashioned way, one order at a time. We were never guaranteed any business or promised any orders, and we didn't expect anything from customers. We did not work to obtain a contract; we worked daily to build trust in our company. Our service was the only glue that held us together.

We had little paperwork to deal with. Most all of us were not accredited, but we were dedicated. Those who gained accreditation only did so because of their relationship with hospitals or other accredited facilities.

Our offices were in consumer-unfriendly locations since going retail was not yet on the radar screen. We were located in warehouse areas, often poorly lit and hard to find. We had no concern for making it easy for the customer to come to us. When they did arrive, the first thing they would say was, “Wow, this place is not easy to find.”

I remember speaking at one of the first industry shows in 1986 in New Orleans and a NAMES meeting in 1988 in Atlanta. I remember NHHCE conferences in Reno and San Francisco, but it pains the brain to go back that far.

As I write this, I ask myself what I learned from all of this history. What can I share with you that will make a difference as we look forward together? Here's what:

• We are an industry that has never given up on its customers and its caring for people.

• We are an industry that has been guided by doing what is right for our customers, even when it has meant losing money or taking business risks.