Looking at the fitting business from a hourly rate standpoint:
Capital equipment cost is usually offset by controlling two parameters:
- Average hourly rate charged
- Chargeable hours
Most businesses increase revenue by
a) Offering better value per hour to the customer
b) Convincing the customer that a) is the case (Advertising, information sheets and mailers explaining the superior value of your service)
c) Charging a higher hourly rate in keeping with your superior value to the customer
d) Getting more chargeable hours due to word-of-mouth referrals, advertising, etc.
Charging a fixed amount for the whole process is in my opinion a poor fit for the customer and the professional as well.
[Start of Rant to fitters and manufacturers]
It is interesting however that things as obviously important as REM, Speech Mapping, AudiogramDirect, in-situ audiometry, etc. are far below the radar of almost all hearing patients. Thatâs not the patientsâ fault. Thatâs the industryâs fault. Thatâs the practitionersâ fault.
Itâs clear that even in this forum, many are hearing about these critical services for the first time. Thatâs a failure by instrument suppliers and also a failure of the service (fitting) sector.
To be specific, itâs part of service sectorâs business to educate the customer (and potential customers) as to what will be valuable (even critical) to him. If you donât you are failing the customer and (if you do indeed supply a premium quality fitting) you are failing to adequately educate the target customer base so that the premium value of your service can be understood.
We (customers) shouldnât have to probe for this critical information.
[End of Rant to fitters and manufacturers]
All that being said we (HI users like me) do recognize and appreciate the time and effort the professionals on this forum spend each week to offset this problem and expect that in the long run, both groups (professionals and customers) will gain by it.