Re: Phonak not hearing

On Nov 17, 7:55 am, dsi1 <d...@spamworld.com> wrote:
> Ken wrote:
> > I cannot understand yoru reference to Phonak 'dealers'. I trust you do
> > not think of audiologists in this way? Ford dealers sell, and
> > maintain, Ford cars. But you don't think of a cardiologist as a stent
> > dealer.
>
> My guess is that your audiologist does not see the manufacturers as all
> the same and probably has some reason for selling - yes selling, not
> supplying, that particular brand. It's likely that she was wooed by the
> company and she or her associates have found favor with that brand. I
> understand you point, hopefully, you can understand my point. I think
> she's a dealer, you think she's a saint... :-)
>
>
>
> > Anyway the fax, and the discussion in this group worked. I got the
> > following email:
>
> > I am sorry to hear about this. I am an audiologist and Phonak's
> > director of Marketing for FM products at HQ's in Switzerland and I
> > read this forum regularly. Please allow me to comment on this:
> > Both HQ and our daughter companies worldwide get an incredible amount
> > of e-mails. It is certainly not ill will if we fail to reply or
> > respond. And sometimes spam filters are too aggressive. Nevertheless
> > it is not good.
> > We do consider the end-users as our main customers, in the sense that
> > they should get optimal benefit and satisfaction from our products.
> > But legally and officially the audiologist where your purchase your
> > hearing instruments is 100% responsible for fitting, service,
> > guarantee et cetera. You and/or your audiologist may disagree with
> > that, but you cannot change that fact.
> > We have millions of end-user customers in the whole world, and
> > unfortunately it is physically not possible to have direct contacts
> > with all of them. That is the role of the audiologist, who knows the
> > end-user best. But a cry for help should be heard by us, no doubt,
> > from whomever it comes.
> > I have cc'd David Rundell, the Managing Director of Phonak Australia.
> > I know David as a caring professional, and certainly not as someone
> > who is not interested in small issues of individual patients. We know
> > that details matter and that we should improve wherever we can.
>
> > With kind regards from Switzerland,
> > Hans Mulder
>
> > This seems to support the view of dsi1, and others, that it is the job
> > of the audiologist to supply filters. This misses perhaps the main
> > point I was trying to make - if Phonak recommend replacing the filters
> > every few months, and especially if they are free, why don't they
> > include dozens of them in the kit which comes with the hearing aid?
> > The dispenser does not manufacture the kits. Phonak does.
>
> It could be that Phonak does supply spares for the aid. I will
> frequently keep the extra wax guards that come with the hearing aid
> packages if I feel that the user will not change them. I will also
> supply these free if the user makes a request. Not making an inquiry
> into this is your main mistake but you'll have to do what makes sense to
> you.
>
> Frankly, I feel that this is much ado about nothing - my guess is that
> if asked, your audiologist will happily supply you with what you need
> and mail it to you so that you won't have to make a long trip.
>
>
>
> > I will send off a fax to the office of my audiologist asking them to
> > post me out a supply of the filters. Hopefully Phonak will take a
> > little more care in responding to emails (if they don't want emails
> > why do they quote an address on their site?). Hopefully they will
> > review the number of spare filters included in their HA kits.

Do you feel yourself part of a particular manufacturer's dealer
network or do you dispense different brands/products depending on
their performance characteristics and the needs of particular clients?
I think the fact that Phonak perceives the audiologists who prescribe
Phonak aids as its 'dealers' or 'resellers' is more than a fuss about
nothing. It goes to the heart of the professional/patient relationship
(there is a similar controversy about the extent to which
pharmaceutical manufacturers treat the medical profession as part of
their marketing machinery - this is not a trivial issue).
And don't forget I was offering Phonak a constructive suggestion about
their HA kits. One which, at negligible cost, would make life easier
for them, their dispensers and every Phonak hearing aid user.
[ Auf dieses Posting antworten ]