Rentals: Prioritize maintenance

A. It's easier to retain an existing customer versus landing a new one. In the medical equipment rental business, providing a medical device that is not properly cleaned and fully functional is a recipe for not only losing a customer, but also any referrals they may generate. Additionally, dissatisfied customers tend to broadcast their bad experiences more readily than happy customers share their good ones.

Max Feldblyum, who operates BW Surgical Supply and serves the metro Washington, D.C., area, shared this insight:

“Constantly servicing and checking rental inventory is essential in today's rental market. Performance issues during the rental period are unacceptable. Constantly checking the equipment before and after each use is the only way to make sure high standards are maintained.”

Rich Ritondo owns and operates AABA Family Medical Supply, a full service DME company, as well as Mobility on Wheels, a mobility services company located in Atlantic City, N.J. Ritondo said both companies employ stringent cleanliness standards. Both companies clean, sanitize and thoroughly inspect each and every medical device or patient equipment between each use.

“When we pick up durable medical equipment, it is pre-treated, and then carefully bagged in clear plastic and labeled prior to placing it into our vehicles. When the equipment is unloaded it is re-sanitized, thoroughly inspected, and appropriately labeled with the date and the name of the associate who treated and inspected the equipment. Equipment that has not been treated and inspected is never commingled with 'clean equipment.'”

Jason Glass is founder/CEO of Rent It Today. Reach him at 866-441-5246 or jglass@rentittoday.com.