Selling Value at MDDexec’s Boston Summit

When asked about his latest customer-centric strategies, BD Biosciences Sales VP Jeff Duchemin commented, “Customers differentiate on price, leaving innovative products to prove real value in order to compete.” He elaborated on his company’s Territory Management initiatives at the recent MDDexec Devices and Diagnostics Sales and Marketing Conference on June 22 and 23 in Boston. The market has seen increased penetration and this factor, coupled with changing healthcare policies and reimbursement lists, led BD Biosciences to focus on differentiation and personalization. Duchemin says his group is using behavioral segmentation as the basis for its commercial strategy and deploys field forces tailored to address different customer profiles.
Another hot topic popular at the event was Sales Force Effectiveness. Presentations from Joseph Hartzell (Sales Force Effectiveness Manager, Medtronic International) and Jerry Conway (VP, Genzyme) focused on “Hiring and Retaining Superstars” as well as how to best use technology to improve the effectiveness of reps. Conway stressed that “sales professionals must possess new skills and tools to secure value-based reimbursement.” The overarching take-home message from both talks was that the industry is collectively coming to realize that in addition to promoting its products, its sales and marketing teams must offer customers greater value.
Based on the key conclusions from the event, Kate Eversole, Managing Director of MDDexec, predicts greater focus on business excellence and e-communications for the device and diagnostics industry next year, in addition to more traditional SFE topics. “The real value in discussions started at events like this comes in carrying them on beyond the conference,” she added. To that end, speakers will post articles and blog on the MDDexec LinkedIn group: Medical Device & Diagnostics Executives. —Kate Eversole, Managing Director, MDDexec

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