Value Added

As a hearing health care professional with over twenty-five years experience in the dispensing field I am constantly reminded that I AM the value added to each of my fittings.  If, I do my job well someone will hear better and have a more harmonious life, with fewer tensions and misunderstandings.

Much of my job involves listening, letting my patients explain in their own words what they are experiencing, what they expect from their anticipated dealings with me and what their budgetary constraints are.   Some aspects of my practice involve taking detailed measurements of what my patient's  currently hearing levels are for use in programing their anticipated hearing instruments.  Other aspects involve examination of their ears and the actual physical fitting of each instrument to their individual ear.  Still other duties involve listening to their experiences in their own acoustic world and then adjusting for comfort, clarity and transparency.  Part of what I do deals with patient education; about their hearing, loss, the equipment we've chosen for them and how they are to use and maintain it.  And, lastly I must be there to service their maintenance needs and keep their aids in their ears and out of the shop as much as possible.

At each step, if I'm performing on my patient's behalf, I add value to that fitting and it is this added value that makes up the difference between what I purchase the hearing instruments I fit for and the price I charge to fit them.  This value added covers my costs of doing business and hopefully enough profit to live a comfortable life style.  It is this same added value that keeps my practice growing with referrals and repeat customers.

Now, I understand that any corporation's officer and board are there to increase their shareholders' yield and stock values and that healthy companies and good management do this through the value they add to the goods and services that they sell to their customers.

So, that is why I ask an open question of the upper management of my industry, particularly the boards and CEO's. who have decided that they as managers add more value to stockholders through different means.

How do you think the folks actually dispensing your product and representing your company to the public feel when you make the management decision that you as the leaders of your company believe you bring more value to your stockholders by selling the company, than by selling the company's products?

I'd like to hear from any of you out there with a response.

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R. D. Taylor, at large.