One Customer at a Time

Over the past few months, I have been fortunate in having been invited to speak at several state HME association meetings. These are truly grassroots sessions, and listening to providers share their success stories and hearing the presenters speak about tomorrow is invigorating.

One of the HME entrepreneurs I met during a recent meeting told me how effective Welcome Wagon has been for his company. I have always appreciated what Welcome Wagon does. Years ago when I moved to St. Louis from Union, N. J., my family was visited by the organization before we had finished unpacking all of our boxes. They brought us the names of most of the businesses in the area, business cards, telephone numbers and little gifts from each.

What an inexpensive way to greet potential new customers. If your town has a Welcome Wagon, get on board!

Another company owner told me that advertising in local church bulletins has been successful for his HME. His first venture was the bulletin sent out by the church his family attends, and it brought in a number of new clients. He then visited other churches in his market and found that the cost was so miniscule he could afford to place little ads in all of them. He said this attracted many new customers to his company, and that most have stayed with him after their initial visit.

Wal-Mart Again

Somehow when I hear the name Wal-Mart, the first word that pops into my head is “predatory.” There is no doubt that this retail powerhouse has a fine team running the company. They understand marketing, and they know how best to exploit their business. This is admirable, and they should be congratulated.

But as I watch their success, I see small businesses folding their tents. I read an article indicating that some 26 grocery chains in the country have been closed because they could not compete against Wal-Mart. These smaller companies, now gone, supported the owners' families and those of their employees. They all contributed to the community, and now those jobs and the taxes they paid are missing.

I know I am repetitive on this subject, but I will say it again: As an independent DME provider, you can compete against this giant. The personal service and high-quality merchandise you handle are some of the tools you have. A good salesperson on the floor asking, “May I help you, please?” is a key.