Tag: Wayne Slavitt

LONG BEACH, Calif. - Along with sales growth, there's another important retail metric Wayne Slavitt also tracks: repeat business.“There are two ways to grow,” says Slavitt, founder and CEO of Mobul. “You can sell existing products to new people or sell new products to existing customers.”Not only is repeat business easier, it's a good barometer of how happy a customer is with your store, said Slavitt, who said his repeat business represents about 67%, or two-thirds of his...

Business is booming for two HME providers who focus on retail.“Year to year, we are running 15% over last year,” says Wayne Slavitt, founder & CEO of Mobul in Long Beach, Calif. “Relying on the insurance model is yesterday's news.”Slavitt says his top sellers include big-ticket items like beds, lift chairs and scooters, as well as more unique items like a new line of zero gravity chairs.“The chairs are gorgeous and we have them on our floor, and that gives us a chance...

A. One of the toughest parts of running a retail store is getting people to visit.  This is especially true for specialty retailers, like HME stores. So, it only makes sense to do all you can to provide opportunities for your customer to take care of multiple issues at one time to sell more per transaction than you are now.After all, they are already in your store. Why not show them complementary products that could help them even more?Merchandising can play a key role in doing this. What products...

A. Keeping your store looking good is so important and it doesn't have to cost much. If you ever shop at Costco, you'll notice that they are continuously moving merchandise around. Giving their customers a new look on a regular basis provides Costco with the ability to regularly force their customers to pay attention to product offerings. This rotation policy allows Costco to look fresh at a very low cost.For your HME store, consider moving entire departments a few times a year.  (This is easier...

Providers who don't offer their employees commission-based compensation are doing it all wrong, says Wayne Slavitt, CEO of Long Beach, Calif.-based Mob�l.“If you don't compensate them based on performance, then they're an order taker and an order taker simply waits for things to happen,” said Slavitt, who pays his sales staff an hourly rate plus commission on every item they sell.Eric Kline, president of HME SalesPro, agrees.“Employees want to know that the harder they work, the...

A. Department signage is ubiquitous in retail. Imagine walking into a Home Depot without signage directing you to a department. For most retail HME stores, however, I think it's unnecessary.Proponents of department signage argue that it provides customers with the ability to quickly find what they need. Certainly, a customer in need of a package of incontinent pads can easily find this department with proper signage and without the need of a salesperson. If your HME store is set up to require...

A. If your vendors want to send you POP materials, be happy. Only a handful of HME vendors understand retail and the need to help you be “retail friendly.”There are a variety of POP materials available, including hanging banners, floor-stand banners, signage, floor displays, countertop displays, brochures, brochure holders and video displays.The most important question to ask when deciding which POP materials will work for your store is “Will the materials enhance my overall look...

CHARLESTON, S.C. - Bernie Zimmer, Wayne Slavitt and Dr. Joseph Krainin all have different approaches to the HME industry, but they all believe this: Play the hand you've been dealt.“We always need to be thinking what's next,” said Zimmer, who has shifted his company, CHME in Foster City, Calif., largely away from Medicare and its competitive bidding program, toward a capitated business model with local and regional health plans. “Don't come into my office if you want to talk to...