 |
| Left to Right: Gerry LoDuca (Owner), Tony Betti (Central Regional Sales Manager), Brooks Reid (National Sales Manager), Ellenmary Martin (VP of Sales and Marketing) |
Tony Betti
has been a member of the DUKAL sales force since 2010. Hailing from Chicago, he is the Central
Regional Manager, Tony’s consistently been an asset to the company since coming
on board. At this past year’s holiday party
and annual sales meeting, Tony was awarded our Sales Excellence award! Tony was nice enough to sit down with us for
a bit so we could find out his thoughts on medical sales and the industry as a
whole.
Congratulations
on winning the Sales Excellence award! What are some key
actions/experiences that helped you to make such a large impact in 2012?
The success that I’ve had is due to working closely with
various departments within our company. You can’t do it alone and I believe in
that. I rely on customer service, marketing, and supply chain for their
expertise. Jessica Sable is the customer service representative for the central
territory and it all starts with her. Jessica speaks more to my customers in a
day than I would in a week. She is the “eyes and ears” of the region. In addition, support from marketing providing sales tools to help assist in the
sales effort had a big impact. It’s important
I show customers how we can maximize their value in using DUKAL.
What made
you want to be in sales and what do you enjoy most about it?
My first “real” job out of college was an outside sales
position. I realized quickly I loved the
freedom that sales allowed me to have. If you wanted a raise it was simple…sell
more. Sales is entertaining, it’s hard work, rewarding and I enjoy it. I was
hooked from day one. There is nothing
else I would rather be doing right now.
What are
some of the difficulties you face as medical rep?
The workflow has increased dramatically and so has the need
to prioritize what you want to do today, this week, this month, and this year. It’s
not an 8-5 work day. Your day begins very early in the morning and ends by
answering the last email late at night. Technology has a major impact on the
work day. Timely information and correspondence are the rule. The challenge is
how to manage your work life and home life.
What are
the biggest misconceptions people have about what you do?
A lot of people assume that sales travel is all glitz and glamour.
First class accommodations, you get to wine and dine prospective clients every
night and visit exotic cities. That’s far from reality. An example of an exciting road trip is driving
to Ft. Wayne, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Detroit and Flint for the week. I wish I had
a flying car!
Sales
involves a lot of traveling, what is the one thing you have to always have with
you when traveling that isn’t a toothbrush?
Over the years I’ve forgotten numerous items to pack in my
luggage or in my brief case. I’ve forgotten presentations, computers, shoes and
even underwear. However today, presentations and electronic files can be
emailed to hotel computers and department stores can handle clothing items. The
one item I always have in my possession before I walk out the door is my cell
phone. Think about it. Your phone
contains contacts, appointments, calendar, emails, everything. Besides, when was the last time you used or found
a pay phone?
I’m sure
there’s been some wild events occur amidst your travels; tell us an
unforgettable travel story?
One morning I was going through the security check point at
O’Hare airport. The person in front of me was putting their items on the
conveyor for them to be x-rayed. I
noticed one of the items was a rather large jar of what looked to be
pickles. I thought to myself, good luck
trying to get that jar through security. Sure enough, the TSA pulls aside the
traveler with the jar. The agent asks, “What do we have here?” The traveler
said it was a jar of Gourmet pickles, hot & spicy garlic gourmet pickles,
actually, which can only be bought in the Chicago area. The agent very calmly
explains that the jar containing the pickles can’t be cleared through security.
Either the traveler must arrange to ship the pickles to their destination or
they will be confiscated and destroyed.
Following a brief exchange, the pickle person quickly exited the
security area, sat on a nearby bench, opened the jar of pickles and began
eating them. I was happy I never saw the
pickle eater on my flight due to the fact there was heavy turbulence that day.
If someone
were to begin a career in sales, what advice would you have for them?
Be a sponge. Soak up every tidbit of information you can.
Take advantage of industry seminars, take continuing education courses, enroll
in sales training programs, be part of company group projects. Read and gather
information about not only your industry but others. Read the paper, read online,
read a book, read your competitors product brochures, take a break to read the
comics. The quest for knowledge never
ends.
We think
everyone should want to work at DUKAL, what drew you to the company?
Tough question to answer since many positive reasons come to
mind. I would sum it up as opportunity; it was like a siren song which drew me
to DUKAL. The opportunity to provide for my family, the opportunity to advance
my career in a growing organization, and the opportunity to work with outstanding
people.
If we were
a customer, tell us why we should buy into DUKAL?
We are a privately held company built on integrity and
partnerships for over 20 years. DUKAL
provides an innovative product offering through a vast network of distributors
to serve their customer base. It’s
simple. People do business with people they like and trust. We are the face of
DUKAL and have a vested interest in satisfying our customers.
How do you
see today’s current medical industry trends affecting us in the next 5 years?
First thing that comes to mind is federal regulations and the
government being more involved. The medical device tax and new healthcare
legislation is having a dramatic impact on healthcare jobs and R&D
investment. The challenge will continue on how to build value through the
distribution channel and end user.
How has the
ever growing emphasis and use of technology affected you as a sales rep?
The use of information technology is fantastic. Data is instantaneous and it’s the catalyst
for incorporating analytics which aids sales reps in being better decision
makers/better business people.
With the
rise of real time communication and mobile reliance, how do you feel these
things help in sales?
It helps you make better business decisions quickly. We have a lot of data and the real question is
what do you do with that data? Technology is constantly changing and to
continue to be successful we need to constantly be changing with it.
DUKAL has
recently taken on the Dawn Mist brand, how will this brand help grow the DUKAL
business?
It was an excellent acquisition. The basket of products that
we offer to distribution and the end user is quite extensive. This will
position DUKAL for the introduction of other brands into the DUKAL family.
No matter how
strong one person or an entire family is I know that strength is always tested.
Cancer has put my family to the test more times than I will ever understand and
beaten us more times than anything else. My mom is an only child and my dad has
only one sister so our immediate family has always been small and close. Since
I was 12 we have lost the battle to cancer four times, and are currently on our
fifth battle for a woman who has already sacrificed too much. My aunt has lost
both of her parents, her husband, and her first born son to this disease and
now continues to fight her own battle. 
.jpg)
Posts
