Strategies for Medical Supply Distributors to Stand Out and Succeed in a Competitive Market
The global medical supply market was valued at $138.40 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach $163.59 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 15.60%. In a multi-billion industry that’s both thriving and laden with competition, how can medical supply distributors make themselves attractive choices for medical professionals, practices, clinics, and hospitals?
In this article, we’ll discuss:
- What buyers in the medical industry look for in distributors
- How medical supply distributors can offer excellent service
- Qualities of best-selling medical devices
- Why the SaliPen dry mouth treatment is an ideal medical device for distributors
What Do Medical Professionals Look for in a Supply Distributor?
Even the most experienced doctors can’t work effectively without proper medical supplies. Therefore, having the right supplies — and enough of them — is crucial for medical professionals to provide proper treatment to their patients.
Usually, a combination of medical professionals and administrators collaborate on deciding which medical supplies to order (and where to order from). Together, they prioritize several factors for choosing a medical supply distributor.
- High quality: Medical professionals can only offer the best treatment to patients when using high-quality medical supplies.
- Availability and location: Practices and hospitals can’t run if they don’t have supplies. It’s not enough for a distributor to offer a brochure of supplies — they must have them in stock and continually available. For this reason, many medical institutions choose local distributors, as that reduces the chances of supply chain disruptions (which happened continually during COVID) and increases the chances that institutions will get the supplies they need on time.
- Product selection: It’s easier to order several supplies from one distributor than to order individual products from many distributors. Therefore, distributors with a large product selection have an advantage over those that don’t.
- Prices and payment terms: Hospital administrators and doctors with private practices need to stay within their budgets, so price plays a large role in deciding which distributor to choose. Likewise, convenient payment terms are always an advantage for medical supply buyers.
- Customer service: Who can medical professionals call if they have an issue with their supplies? Who can administrators talk to about ensuring a smooth ordering and delivery process? Customer service encompasses these things and more — it’s the “je ne sais quoi” that drives all business relationships: a good rapport between seller and buyer.
Five Ways Medical Supply Distributors Can Offer Excellent Service
- Know your audience: No matter what you’re selling, you should know who you’re selling to. What are the needs of medical professionals, practices, clinics, and hospitals? Researching your target market and understanding their pain points, preferences, and priorities can help you fine-tune your product selection as well as general service.
- Deep knowledge of product portfolio: Do you have a good grasp of the products in your portfolio? Do you know the purpose of each product, how similar products differ from one another, and how each serves a specific purpose in the medical industry? Medical professionals know medicine, but they may not know the details of supplies — which is why the knowledge of distributors is crucial in guiding them toward correct choices.
- Follow-up: Selling medical supplies isn’t enough — you need to follow up about them. For example, after sales you can follow up and ask, were these products effective, did doctors (and patients) find them convenient, did they arrive on time? If there were any issues, can they be resolved or should a new product be tried? Not only can this give you a better picture of whether the supplies are successful (and worth restocking) but it can go a long way toward building customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Never be complacent: New medical supplies are always being created — are you staying updated about new products and how they can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your clients?
- Transparency and trust: Transparency builds trust, which is the invisible fuel that drives the entire distributor-medical institution engine. Without transparency about your products, prices, certifications, etc. you can’t build trust with your clients and potential clients. Conversely, being transparent about product pros and cons and what your company can and cannot offer can go a long way toward building a long-term relationship with valued clients.
The best-selling medical devices fit the following profile:
- Demand: There is a high demand for them across various medical institutions.
- Efficient delivery: Medical supplies that are delivered quickly and efficiently are highly valued.
- Price: Medical professionals and administrators prefer medical supplies that are competitively priced.
- Quality: Low prices won’t help if the products are poor quality. In the medical field, more so than any other, the quality of products can mean the difference between life and death. Therefore, high-quality supplies will always be higher in demand than others.
- Compliance/certification: A high-quality product may not have certification or comply with local/international regulations. That’s a problem for medical institutions. Therefore, the best-selling medical devices are those that have the required certification or meet compliance standards.
Why the SaliPen Is an Ideal Choice for Medical Supply Distributors
The SaliPen is an ideal product for medical supply distributors to add to their inventory as it is:
- In demand: The SaliPen is a dry mouth treatment, and more than ⅕ of the global population suffers from dry mouth (xerostomia). Additionally, the SaliPen is an alternative treatment to prescription medications for dry mouth, which gives medical professionals more options to help their patients.
- The device is light and compact and can easily be delivered anywhere in the world.
- It’s competitively priced so distributors can purchase in bulk and sell for a nice profit.
- It works! Several clinical trials have shown the SaliPen to be an effective treatment for dry mouth.
- It’s FDA-approved.
Distributors that are interested in learning more about the SaliPen and how it can boost your portfolio can contact us here.
FAQs
What are medical supply distributors?
Medical supply distributors are companies (or individuals) that sell medical supplies and equipment to medical institutions, including hospitals, private practices, clinics, etc.
What are common challenges facing medical supply distributors?
Common challenges facing distributors include competition, transport and delivery disruptions, quality control, inefficiency, and poor client relationships.
How do hospitals decide where to purchase supplies?
At hospitals, several parties usually work together to make buying decisions. These can include a combination of doctors, administrators, board members, finance department members, and more.
What factors do medical professionals consider when choosing a distributor?
Medical professionals prioritize several factors when it comes to choosing a supply distributor. These include a wide selection of products, high-quality products, competitive prices, efficient delivery, and excellent customer service.
Why is the SaliPen a good choice for medical supply distributors?
The SaliPen is an ideal choice for distributors to add to their portfolios, as dry mouth is a prevalent medical condition that impacts the quality of life. Additionally, it’s small and compact, competitively priced, and FDA-approved.
Is the SaliPen an effective treatment for dry mouth?
Yes, studies have shown that the SaliPen is an effective, non-invasive and non-pharmacological treatment for dry mouth.
Where can I buy the SaliPen?
Individuals can purchase the SaliPen on our site, while distributors can contact us here for more information about bulk purchasing.
