As HME providers continue to place greater emphasis on expanding their revenues via retail sales, the upcoming fall Medtrade event has lined up several conference sessions that aim to help them accomplish that cash sales objective.
Slated for Oct. 23-25 at Atlanta’s George World Congress Center, Medtrade’s conference includes eight presentations involving nearly 20 speakers addressing the subject of retail.
One of the first opportunities to gain some retail education at the event is the Retail HME Town Hall, which runs 3:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m., and features Mark Nicotera, president of AZ MediQuip Inc.; Mike Zeman, president of The Zeman Group; and Wayne Slavitt, founder and CEO of retail-only mobility provider Mobul: the mobility store.
A member of HMEB’s Editorial Advisory Board, Slavitt frequently discusses retail mobility in the publication, most recently having written a column on the subject of retail sales, and provided practical advice on retail mobility. Now he will be providing his insights and advice in a live forum.
“I always talk about how important retail is, and how important it is to address the market with a non-insurance model,” Slavitt said. “It seems to fall on deaf ears with many HME retailers. While companies do seem to think about it, when you get down to it, people still are hopeful that reimbursement rates will go up. This is not where the industry is headed. It’s a failed attempt to hold on to the last vestiges of insurance, but the industry is not going to survive if it continues to depend on insurance.”
“Wayne has powerful opinions, and the success to back up those opinions,” said Kevin Gaffney, group show director, Medtrade. “Mike Zeman, president of The Zeman Group, will also be on the panel during this open forum to discuss the key issues facing HME retailers. A variety of topics will be covered by the moderator and panelists, including merchandising, store layout, cash versus insurance, personnel, marketing, expansion, and customer service. Attendees will interactively participate by asking questions and providing comments during the town hall.”