EBME Forums Forums Management Medical Equipment Management Code of conduct for service agents

Hopefully this query is in the right forum, but I would like to know if there is any code of conduct or guidance from any national trade body or individual companies for best practice when making service or repair visits to clinical facilities. I know that the BIVDA (for In Vitro Device suppliers) has something for their sales reps but is there anything similar for service agents.
It's to cover the obvious things like introducing yourself to staff, telling them what you are intending to do especially if taking histories from equipment with patient identifiers, letting them know what you did when you are leaving and what you intend to do next if the issue isn't resolved.
I know this all sounds obvious and just good manners but is there anything actually written down or a standard we can refer to if we need to draft our own code for anyone visiting our facilities
Thanks

I do not know of one but perhaps the best people to ask are Association of British Healthcare Industries
Robert

thanks Robert

I suppose my follow up question should also have been does anyone here have any such guidance in their organisation, although anything I've seen so far seems to be geared towards sales reps?

cheers

eugene

Here's another slant on this:- it's all very well expecting service engineers (who are sometimes under a fair amount of pressure, anyway) to be "star quality", suited and booted, and all the rest - but surely what really matters is can they (did they) service (and/or repair) the kit in an efficient manner?

Just a thought.

In my experience, if there's any poor communication or rudeness (how about complete indifference?) going on, it's more likely to come from the side of the user(s) (and even the patients) than from the service engineer. It was not unusual to have enough of a problem just to find someone to sign your service report!

The "personal characteristics" being mentioned should be a normal part of any service engineer's approach, I would have thought. It has certainly been the case in most I have ever met, or worked with. To be honest, some techs don't shape up very well in that regard, and usually prefer to be back in the workshop away from any "customer facing" involvement. Horses for courses.

Not everyone is PC. But there again, not everyone is a technical genius, either.

Lastly, explaining what you're doing when you're not really sure yet yourself can be a tough call (and yes, I speak from experience on that one); unless of course, you want folk to "wing it" (waffle, "smoke and mirrors" etc.). There have always been those who try to bluff their way through. But how does the customer, with the "satisfaction list" (tick-box) in hand, distinguish the BS from the gems?

I take your point Geoff that it's better to have a scruffy shoe-staring oik who knows what he's doing rather than a slick know-nothing, especially as, at the like of stereotyping, tech staff may not always be "people" persons. And yes the last thing we want is to have companies sign up to yet another piece of paper.

However the reason for my query does arise from real issues we have had with certain staff at certain companies who will just walk in and start poking at equipment or worse still take it away without telling anyone. And if they don't know there and then what the issue is that's fine, but just tell the owner.

Ultimately it does come down to good manners but if there is an industry code of conduct, such as there are for sales reps and bribery hospitality, it would be nice to point to that

Ha, ha ... we've met, then!

In the situation you mention (yes; one that I've come across myself a few times over the years), I would take it up with the company concerned.

A clearly worded letter to the Managing Director ought to do the trick.

Here's something I wrote back in 1988:-

The key to efficient technical support in the field is the man on the ground - the importance of the service engineer should not be under estimated. Of course there must be sound administration, efficient technical backup and thorough planning, but all of these will be wasted and management policies mere wishful thinking unless the service engineer carries them through to the customer.

The service engineer bears the brunt of customers' problems and complaints; he invariably gets called in when things have gone wrong. He meets people who are rarely seen by salesmen and is the person who forms the identity of the company in the eyes of many. Also, and unlike the salesman, he is expected to do something there and then (ie, to perform)! He has an obligation to solve (or at least "action") the problem of the moment efficiently and with dispatch.

Obviously he needs to be technically competent and ideally be trained and experienced in dealing with the particular type of equipment in question. He should also be communicative and willing to explain what he is doing; able to operate the instrument and demonstrate its serviceability before leaving.

The service engineer is in constant face-to-face contact with the customer; not just the decision makers, but the people who actually use equipment. He is often in an ideal position to recommend to customers a course of action which generates business. Customers tend to listen to the service engineer as a technician, an engineer, an expert, not as a salesman who is bound to be biased in favour of what he is selling (be it spare parts, repairs, maintenance contracts, customer training or new equipment). It follows, therefore, that the service engineer must be well aware of his company's business model, the level of quality it is trying to achieve, and be properly motivated if he is to be commercially, as well as technically, effective.

thanks Geoff, effectively the service agent is the face of the company, and sometimes that can be a rather ugly mug

Something to be considered when:-

1) Companies are hiring service engineers
2) Customers are agreeing service contracts

The key for growth for any medical device manufacture is there ability to effect repairs and service it's products, failure to honour this obligation will result in poor sales.
This is were the service engineer role is paramount he needs more than the skills to repair he needs the art of diplomacy the skill of communication the patience of a saint and Geoff is right he has to handle all the abuse directed towards him as he represents the the good or bad of his company..
Good after sales is the key to success but unfortunately many companies don't see this they only see it as an extra cost and a reduction off bottom line profits.