Technology Services Consultant's owner Alan Cunningham, a medical software reseller out of Reno, recently sat down with us and gave us some insight into their business and what has brought them success over the years.

KB: How did you get started selling Medical Software?  

AC: I started when a Client of ours who was running a Novell 3.12 network wanted to change from Medisoft for DOS to Medisoft for Windows. He could not find anyone local to help him so we got certified and were Medisoft re-sellers for over 7 years.

KB:  So, what made you want to start in this business?

AC:  Apart from the Money? I really enjoy seeing the difference that good software implementation and training can bring to each and every job within a Medical office.

KB:  Now, tell me a little bit about your background.

AC: My background in Technology started with HF and Satellite radio in the Army. I had to train, implement, use and repair all types of radio equipment. Then we started using early computer equipment which I had to "learn" on the fly without any proper training. I emigrated to the US in 1995 and found a job as a computer technician. It was a great start learning from another tech who had been in the industry for years. Everything from dot matrix printers to MFM hard drives, booting from dual floppy drives. Back when Bill Gates said "No one will ever need more than 128K of memory!!!.

KB:  What products and services do you currently sell? What are your biggest revenue streams?

AC:  Currently AltaPoint EMR is our biggest revenue stream. We usually "bundle" a complete solution which includes Server and workstation Hardware and software, Printers, Scanners, Internet Access, Electronic Billing services, Training and support.  We find that some clients like that. We will also do any part of those services. If a potential client already has a "hardware guy" that they like then we will work with that person to make sure the hardware meets our suggested minimum specifications.

KB:  OK, so take me through your core business philosophies? What is your biggest motivation with your business?

AC:  If I could distill it into a couple of phrases that my Father taught me they would be - "make a difference everyday" and "an honest days work for an honest days pay." My motivation is seeing the difference that the correct application of technology can make to the daily work flow within the office. A simple example is the MedicScan Card scanner. A small scanner that can be used to scan insurance cards and keep the images within AltaPoint's PM software. It is NOT software specific and can be used by anyone who has a computer even if they don't use a PM software package. The Front desk person then has no need to:

1. Get up from the desk
2. Go to the copy machine, copy one side of the card
3. Then figure out which way to put the paper back in the copy machine
4. Turn the card and copy the back.
5 . Take the paper and put it in the chart
6. Hand the cards back to the Patient

With the card scanner all the have to do is:
1. Feed the card into the MedicScan
2. Turn the card over feed it through again
3. Paste the image into the PM software or print it out
4. Hand the card back to the Patient

The impact this makes to the Front desk persons job on a daily job is huge. I love seeing the smiles on the faces of the office staff when technology makes their daily lives easier.

KB:  So what are some of your goals for the next two years?

AC:  I have some plans to grow in the next two years, I believe that partnering with strong and knowledgeable people is the only way to grow and move forward. In the next 6 months a new organization will appear that will be capable of many more services, covering the whole nation.

KB:  How many clients do you have? Do you have any interesting or funny client stories that you could share?

AC:  Right now I believe we have over 150 active clients from construction companies to home users. The variety of needs and levels of technology experience is great. We have very knowledgeable users and some that CHOOSE to know very little. I try to teach people what they NEED to know to get their daily jobs done then introduce them to new technologies that I believe can help them in their daily lives.  One of my funniest stories involved a Lawyer , who will remain nameless. This gentleman was about 60 years old and had always had someone else to produce and deal with all his correspondence. his firm decided to upgrade and start using email and Internet access for improved communication. I installed his hardware and was due to return to do some training with him.  I got a call from him about 3 hours after installing the hardware saying, "This mouse you just installed wont work." I just happened to be at another client about 3 blocks away so I told him I would stop by as soon as I could.  I got to the door of his office and he had his back to me facing the computer. As I watched him he lifted the mouse from the desk and held it against the screen and tried to click the buttons!!!! Once I showed him how the mouse was supposed to be used he was fine and continued to be a great client.

KB:  What are some of the things that you have focused on in order to be successful? What are some of the things you have found to be ineffective in growing your business?

AC:  My main focus is building relationships with clients. You have to look at the "lifetime value" of the client not the fact that you are selling them software but the fact that they ALWAYS have technology needs and YOU need to be the FIRST person they think of when they have that need. Remember that $1 spent with YOU is better than $1 spent with your competitor. We recently started supplying Toner and Ink for printers to our client base. I found a good source where I can purchase the supplies at a competitive price, matching and sometimes beating the large Office supply stores. EVERY TIME we deliver the supplies we are asked to do something else in the office. "while you are here could you look at this?" so we generate revenue from just being in contact with the office. Keeping in contact with your clients is a sure way to produce revenue.  A reference list is INVALUABLE, if you build relationships then clients will have NO problem becoming a great reference for you, your company and your services. Turn your clients into "evangelists" or your product AND your services and you WILL succeed.  Action Selling from Duane Sparks says "You should always have a reason to call a client, "I think building and maintaining a relationship is a good reason to call, even just to say 'Hi how are you today?' Remember, civility costs nothing."  We have found that direct mail is about the most ineffective tool we have used for growing our business. We find more and more that it is being replaced by Fax and email communication.