Timothy Saur PhD, CPA, CMA, Vice President of Finance, Operations & Service Durst Phototechnik, AG, USA

You think your organization is providing supreme customer service, but will you be able to continue this as your budgets tighten? What new challenges will you then face when trying to maintain customer loyalty? In this session, Tim provides you with at least 3 key takeaways you can implement when you’re back at the office to increase customer service levels while working with a smaller budget.

Mike Corbin Director, Field Service East Zone Beckman Coulter

Back by popular request, Mike Corbin tackles one of the key issues you’ve been experiencing over the past few years in the Medical equipment and device industry. Don’t miss this essential session that ensures you return to your office, prepared to maintain customer loyalty levels without a hitch, even as you experience tremendous internal changes. This session ensures you are equipped to create a collaborative single culture within your organization, regardless of the obstacles.

• Understanding the various areas to be integrated
• Systems
• Personnel
• Call centers
• Multiple teams
• Seamlessly harmonizing these different areas to ensure a unified face to the customer
• Revisiting your employee retention program to avoid alienating your teams
• Anticipating the situations that may arise when taking on completely new products and people

Get to talking! After a full morning of active listening and learning from some of our featured speakers, you are invited to partake in a medical-industry specific, small group discussion with your fellow attendees.

You control your experience - choose the topic that is most relevant to your responsibilities, introduce the concerns you have to your peers, and offer up your own perspective to the table. Each discussion is led by a knowledgeable moderator who will introduce the subject at hand and facilitate the discussion between all the participants.

This is your opportunity to roll up your sleeves, get the answers and learn the best practices you came to Interlog Medical for, as well as contribute to your colleagues’ experiences.

Table A: Moving Beyond Reactive To Proactive Field Service Through Accurate Data Gathering

Moderator: Ron Tedesco Director, Clinical IT Technical Support Beckman Coulter, Inc.

Table B: Developing Cost Effective Methods For Your Returns And Reverse Logistics Business

Moderator: Paul Toms Logistics Manager Elekta, Inc.

Table C: Expanding Service Team Capacity Without Expanding Your Need For Personnel

Moderator: Steven Raters Director of Field Services Operations bioMerieux, Inc.

Table D: Understanding And Accommodating The Challenges Facing Hospital IT Environments To Improve Service2Customer Synergy

Budget cutbacks are forcing customers to use equipment for much longer instead of rushing for replacements. But how are you properly servicing this equipment when you no longer producer the parts? How can you ensure your customer—and your profitability—isn’t impacted? Richard Springer of TomoTherapy shares his case study in how best to accommodate the customer budget squeeze to guarantee their satisfaction and preserve your long-term profitability.

• Reviewing the areas where customers are cutting corners as prices rise
• Dealing with obsolescence: How do you profitably service product components that may be out-of-date and need parts that are no longer produced?
• Examining the part of recycling and refurbishment in keeping customer costs down and improving serviceability of products

	Rob Riccardi Associate Director, Field Services Alcon Laboratories
	Dr. Frank Crout Executive Director, Customer Support Operations bioMerieux, Inc.
	Amos Schneller Director of Customer Support Minntech Corporation

Customers are more frugal than ever as their budgets tighten, making service contracts seem more like a luxury than a necessity these days. What’s the best way to prove that OEM service is indeed essential— even if their equipment has a good track record? Our panelists discuss and debate proven tactics for demonstrating the true value of OEM service contracts to their customers, providing you with the persuasive tools you need to get your own customers onboard your service plans.

• Identifying reasons behind customer apprehension in signing up for/renewing implementation and break/fix service contracts
• Specifically outlining the benefits of OEM service to your customer to effectively demonstrate the value
• How do you prove that your OEM service is of better value than independent service organizations?
• Developing the credibility of your service organization to guarantee future service contracts and drive revenue

Putting your OEM brand’s service into the hands of third parties is always a risky proposition. Can you really be sure that the external provider is proving the same level of service your organization would? Warren Gitt shares his best practices on qualifying third parties to ensure your service brand’s integrity remains intact as you outsource.

• Reviewing your current process for identifying and qualifying third party service providers
• Establishing criteria to look for when choosing your third party service partnerships
• Getting the job done right: Training third party partners to adhere to the customer service principles of your service organization
• Is an industry-wide information sharing network for qualifying third parties on the horizon?

Welcome to Nashville, the city where music lives! After an educational, interactive day, take off your suit jacket, dust off your boots and loosen your tie at the Interlog Medical 2008 reception. We’ll provide the food, the beverages and the music so that you can socialize with the forward thinkers you’ve learned from throughout the day. Get ready to decompress with your friendly competitors and make brand new industry contacts.