IF YOU SHOW UP at a health fair on the west side of Los Angeles, you will come across Roberto Ramon.

Or if you're a case manager for a hospital in the area, then he'll soon be buying you lunch, assuming he hasn't already.

Ramon is director of operations at Westside Home Medical Equipment, located not far from the Westwood campus of the University of California at Los Angeles. But don't be distracted by the many young hardbodies in the neighborhood. The community is equally populated by retirees, many of whom have enjoyed lucrative younger years and are willing to pay out-of-pocket to make their golden years a little more enjoyable, says Ramon.

These potential consumers of home medical equipment flock to the UCLA campus for health fairs and are regulars at hospitals such as the UCLA Medical Center-just like Ramon, who is determined to spread the word about his many products and services. "I set up a booth, take our products to the shows and hand out fliers about our company," says Ramon, a nine-year HME veteran who took over operations at Westside earlier this year for new owner Wehia Kalifa.

"There's a lot of competition in this area, and we need the consumers to know who we are, where we are and what we carry," Ramon says. "Sometimes, they aren't pleased with their current provider, and they are ready to make a change. But if they don't know about us, they will never be able to find us."

To make sure his business is well-known in professional circles, Ramon also takes a proactive approach to courting hospital decision-makers. "We make presentations to case managers at their hospitals on how we service patients, on our prompt delivery, on our whole operation," he says. "The best time to catch them is at lunch, so we bring in Subway sandwiches or Chinese food. That helps get their attention. Who wouldn't want a free lunch? Then once we've got them, we can give them the whole spiel. We tell them that our delivery is guaranteed in two to four hours, depending on where it is. We take them literature. We answer their questions."

Ramon says questions from case managers usually center on service, reimbursement and the experience of drivers. "They want to know that the equipment won't just be dropped off, but that our people will explain each form to be signed and will orient each patient with every piece of equipment."

His reassurances seem to be paying off. "I'd say we've had about a 50 percent response so far. And even if we don't get a commitment, we might become a backup provider to a hospital that doesn't want to give all of its business to one company."

This year, Ramon has also approached local board-and-care facilities, notifying their directors of Westside's new ownership and ongoing commitment to servicing the community. "Here, we mainly just supply incontinence products, but that can lead to other equipment when the patients need it," he says. "This is all about exposure. The competition around here is tough, and if you show people that your service stands out, that's what counts the most." HC

Has good thinking in sales paid off for your business? HomeCare Magazine would like to hear about it. Contact Ken Gurnick by phone at 800/543-4116, ext. 275; fax: 310/317-9644; or e-mail: ken@miramar.com