by
Nancy Ryerson, Staff Writer | August 20, 2013
From the August 2013 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine
“There are countries that are finding us and finding alternatives to reduce their capital outlay on repairs,” says Vandersteen. “I ship parts to Trinidad, Malasia, Russia, China — all over the world.”
Even as certain parts are shipped to emerging markets, parts providers predict that business will continue to grow in the United States, and competition will keep climbing, too. That’s good news for customers.
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“We’re just trying to build a relationship, and save the customers money,” says Vandersteen.
All in the details
Besides connecting with customers online and helping them through every stage of owning equipment, parts providers also try to stand out by emphasizing what makes them different from or more reliable than the next guy.
“One trend that is coming to the forefront is ISO certification,” says Gasparovich. “UMRi is in process of becoming ISO certified, and we anticipate being able to announce that we are certified within the next six to 12 months.”
Parts providers who go through the ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management Standards certification process are made to give careful consideration to their processes to maximize quality and efficiency. The standards also set out clear instructions for audits and process reviews, as well as documentation of all processes and any changes, errors and discrepancies, all of which make record keeping easier.
“Going on our fourth year of being ISO 9001:2008 certified, we know what it takes to create a quality product, and the positive impact a QMS has on increasing customer satisfaction,” says Classic Diagnostic Imaging’s DiCarro.
Similarly, BC Technical says it sets itself apart from its competitors by being ISO:13485 certified, a medical device industry-specific QMS.
“We renew it every year so it’s more work and more expensive, but we can provide better parts,” says BC Technical’s Holman.
Besides finding a provider whose credentials have been checked out, part providers also recommend checking on how long of a warrantee the company in question offers.
“A reputable company should have a large parts inventory, provide technical support, and offer an extended warranty of at least 90 days,” says Gasparovich. “Our standard warranty is 180 days, and we provide technical support to help identify the correct part to resolve the failure along with technical support to help install the part properly.”
Experts predict that as the parts market continues to get more crowded, customers will look even closer at the quality of the parts and the support they get after purchasing.
