HME Today Magazine
May 2008 — by Rich Smith
Retail sales and political advocacy are keys to surviving competitive bidding at Petersen Medical.
In 2001, when Tom Bradley acquired Utah-based HME provider Petersen Medical, the venerable company employed a staff of 20. Today, just 7 years later, it has a payroll bearing the names of 80.
This fourfold swelling of the ranks was in part a response to the rapid expansion of Petersen Medical's retail presence: in that short time, the organization went from one retail location to six. Significantly, at every store, emphasis was placed on the merchandising of not just big-ticket items, but also the mundane sundries, such as bandages and compression hosiery. "Many HME retail suppliers shy away from carrying the everyday smaller items because of the inventory issues involved," says Bradley, the company's president. "But often what brings customers into the store is those smaller items."
And, once they step foot inside, the opportunity exists to draw their attention to other items—in particular, the expensive stuff.
