Sales reps shine while managing delayed shipments

As many of you know, several factors over the past two years led to a large number of delayed product shipments here at Cook. Thanks to the hard work of our production team, we’ve made great progress in reducing those numbers, but delays for some products still remain.

While we can’t always control the chain of events that leads to these delayed shipments, we can control how we choose to respond. In true Cook fashion, employees across the company continue to rise to the challenge every day. Our sales representatives are out there seeing and hearing from customers every day – customers who are unhappy about the delays and desperate to get the products they need to treat patients. These reps are taking extra time with each customer to keep them updated on the situation.

A recent example involves Michael Pezzullo, a district manager in Critical Care. A few weeks ago, he received an appreciative email from one of his largest customers. They wanted to thank him for his help handling a recent delayed shipment for one of Critical Care’s most popular products, the Wayne Pneumothorax Catheter Tray. 

When asked about the experience, Michael stressed that when dealing with delayed shipments, communication is key. This starts with giving both the clinical team and the purchasing/materials management team at the hospital a “heads up,” letting them know about delays as soon as possible and explaining the cause. After that, he stays in regular contact – over the phone, by email, and in person – providing timely updates on the status of orders and when they are expected to arrive.

But more than just tracking a customer’s orders, Michael acts as a valuable resource and problem solver throughout the process. Not only does he make sure everyone has the most current information available based on the field updates he receives, he works with the clinical team to find a substitute product. Whether it’s another Cook product or something from a competitor, the priority is to make sure the customer has what they need to treat their patients until the delayed shipment arrives.

For this particular delay, Michael and the clinical team identified Cook’s Thal-Quick Chest Tube Set and Tray as a substitute option. He then provided the purchasing/materials management team with all of the necessary product, pricing, and ordering information they needed to get this substitute shipped right away.

In their thank you note, the customer emphasized how important it was to have a sales rep they could rely on in these situations. As Michael puts it, “They knew Cook was there helping and assisting, and being a partner throughout the entire process.”

By helping our customers overcome these kinds of challenges, we earn more than just their appreciation – we earn their trust.

This is just one example – we want to hear your story, too! Share in the comments below.