Author - wphungerford

When Starbuck’s announced the early introduction of their ever popular “Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL)” I wanted to leave it, but as a fan of the coveted PSL I was excited. Love pumpkin spice or hate pumpkin spice, for the next few months everything will have a “Pumpkin Spice” flavor option. For those that love pumpkin spice, this is your season. If you have a disdain for all things pumpkin spice, you will shudder at the amount of marketing being tossed at a flavor! Love it or leave it?

How about when you work with an inefficient workflow process that is a pain in the neck? It is inefficient. It wastes time but is critical. For example: manually tracking temperatures in vaccination or blood refrigerators. Taking the time to manually log and check at regular intervals to insure the refrigerator temperatures stay consistent is very time consuming. Let’s not even talk about power failures! What if that task was automated? Love it and leave the manual tracking behind!

What about having multiple carts bedside to simply undertake a procedure? All the equipment is necessary for the process, but what if it was all on one cart? Imagine doing bedside sedation and have one tech integrated unit! Love it and leave all the no longer necessary carts outside.

Tracking infants and insuring they are safe is a huge undertaking. What kind of security system is in place? Simple lock down unit? How effective is a system when infants are not tagged? We all have a responsibility to protect those that can’t protect themselves. Having an infant security system that is simple to use, easy to identify, and is highly effective in protecting the most vulnerable is the best protocol for the OB. How can you not love it? Leave the lock down unit behind!!!

Having a wiggly wheel on your computer cart is maddening! How about the financial loss when the cart investment does not hold up more than two years? Having a defective computer cart has been known to cause the most easy-going clinicians to turn into raving lunatics. With a Preventative Maintenance agreement on your carts, you can always insure they are operating in tip-top shape, saving money in the long run because you increase the lifetime of the cart. Love it or leave it and talk to Convergint about a preventative maintenance agreement.

Convergint is a different kind of company in the way we do business. We are a team of dedicated knowledgeable associates who work hard to help make your job easier. We make it all work together and take the burden off your shoulders from installation of an enterprise complex system to setting up a preventative maintenance schedule for your cart fleet. Convergint is a company you will LOVE doing business with.

We do it differently and after 19 years of service, upgrades and questions answered we still have our first infant security customer to prove it. Love that this customer chooses Convergint’s competence and confidence and continues to work to us. Love us too and leave it to our competent team!

Medical Equipment & Healthcare Solutions

Connect with Convergint at (800) 968-3135 to learn more about our commitment to delivering exceptional results to our customers through unparalleled customer service.

When was the last time you received great customer service? Did someone go out of the way? Did they listen when you were upset? I cannot remember the last time I received service that made me want to shout their praises. Before talking about customer service being a lost art, we need to define what customer service is.

According to dictionary.com, ”Customer service is the assistance and advice provided by a company to those people who buy or use its products or services.” With this broad of a definition, it is easy to see why customer service is not as prevalent as is should be. At Convergint, we take customer service very seriously and understand that having your business is why we are still in business, 30 years later.

When associates were asked what we do to provide customer service, here is their response along with some other Convergint perspectives:

1. To us customer service is first and foremost listening to your needs - Laura Turley, Marketing
2. We pride ourselves on having a real person answer the phone during business hours Why is that important? Have you got caught in an automated system, pushing numbers only to get disconnected when you finally connect with a real person? We do not want that experience when you call Convergint
3. We are proud of the way our Service Technicians complete a job, always making it better than when they found it. Have you seen their wire bundle in the computer closet? Impressive! - previous blog post
4. Our team does what they say they will do - Mike Norkus, Service Manager
5. We always stay in contact with our customer, readily available in case of a need - Julie Vander Loo, Customer Support Services
6. We provide fast and responsive service, with unique solutions tailored to our customers specific workflow or need - Elaine Van Dyke, Product Specialist, EMR
7. We go the extra mile to ensure customer satisfaction - Marlene Feistamel, Materials Management Coordinator

Medical Equipment & Healthcare Solutions

Connect with Convergint at (800) 968-3135 to learn more about our commitment to delivering exceptional results to our customers through unparalleled customer service.

What happens after you send in a PO for an order to Convergint? Our precise process and detailed attention comes into play. The PO takes a journey of checks and double checks:

• When the PO is received the individual that quoted the product will review and make sure everything is correct.
• The PO then transitions into an order and is entered into our ordering system.
• The order is reviewed once again to make sure it matches our conversation with the customer on their design and clinical needs.
• We verify shipping information including address and dock information.
• Now the order is finally ready to be sent to the manufacturer to get on their production schedule.
• Once they receive the order, we will receive a detailed order confirmation and an estimated ship date.
• Product details are double checked on the confirmation to ensure it matches the PO and the ship date is verified to insure it meets the customer’s needs for shipping.

Our goal is always customer focused and we strive to make sure your product arrives within an acceptable time frame. At this point, we will continue to monitor the manufacturer’s production schedule to make sure everything stays on schedule and nothing needs to be changed. Once your product is shipped, the process isn’t over.

We continue our communication about the product – did it arrive in good condition? Does it need any extra instruction for set up? Months later we will check in to make sure the product is still meeting your original needs. We even follow up years later to make sure the quality has stood the test of time.

One of the Convergint team members, Marlene Feistamel, makes sure the wheels turn smoothly for Convergint when placing your order. She has worked for Convergint for 14 years and brings a lot of joy to our organization! Her commitment to our customers to make sure we deliver what we say is unparalleled.

About Marlene's Precision

What is your Job title and how has your job changed or evolved since working here?

Materials Management Coordinator - I have seen many changes over the years. One big change is how a shipment is processed. Common carriers have gone from handwriting shipping documents to web-based entry. Convergint utilizes a program that automatically enters the shipping information from our sales order, records tracking number and puts the freight charge direct onto our invoice as a line item.

In addition, we used to hand write all serial numbers on items that were being received and shipped, then we manually typed the numbers into our system. Today all shipping and receiving is scanned into the system eliminating entry errors.

What is the most challenging part of your job?

Time management. Everything I do is a result of something else going on in the company. Therefore, setting my own schedule never happens.

What is special about Convergint? Or what do we offer our customers that other companies don’t?

Convergint has true team work and accountability. We are caring individuals, who work together for the common goal of customer satisfaction.

What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?

I enjoy spending time with my family, serving the community with my church, mentoring college aged girls, and card making.

Medical Equipment & Healthcare Solutions

Connect with Convergint at (800) 968-3135 to learn more about our commitment to delivering exceptional results to our customers through unparalleled customer service.

A recent call to a company resulted in getting disconnected after a couple transfers to find the right department. This happened after being on hold for 20 minutes. To say it was frustrating was an understatement! I am sure you can probably recall a customer service horror story. Was it with an ineffective website, a poor phone system, or was it a personal interaction? When one gets poor customer service, it is frustrating. Why has the art of customer service taken a back seat at so many companies?

Good customer service is not only about giving the customer what they want, but also about understanding your customer, listening, being empathetic and knowledgeable on how you can help them.

At Convergint, we pride ourselves with a level of Customer Service that we would want to receive and this is what we offer to customers and prospective customers. It is important that we exceed expectations with every opportunity. We realize you have a choice of who you do business with and we do not take this for granted.

What should one expect from Convergint Customer Service:

1. Attention to details: We ask questions, so we understand exactly what you need and the best way to assist you.
2. Integrity: When we provide project quotes to our customers it is not simply to sell something. We will evaluate your need and recommend the right solution for you. We take your trust in us very seriously and want to make sure we are addressing your needs.
3. Personal connection: We have live operators that answer the phone during normal business hours so we don’t send you through a complicated phone tree.
4. Technical Support staff available, 24/7/365: We understand your emergency does not always happen 8 AM-5 PM, Mon-Fri, but when you call Convergint this is what customers can expect.
   1. We have technicians in the office Monday – Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM.
   2. When customers call, they are greeted by someone in Customer Service, who will ask them what hospital they are from and then they are transferred to Technical Support.
   3. When the call is transferred to Technical Support, we are aware of what hospital the caller is from which allows us to pull up information and be ready to help.
   4. If customers call Convergint outside of normal business hours, they will get an announcement that our office is closed, but if their call is an emergency that requires immediate attention, they will be given instructions to leave a voicemail that will be immediately transferred to a technician. When leaving a message after hours, we ask that the following information be given:
      • Make sure to talk slow and clear so that we can get all your information accurately
      • Leave your full name
      • Tell us what hospital you are with - since we provide support to many hospitals we ask you to be specific and not just say “Hi, I’m nurse Smith from St Joe” as we have many hospitals that share that same name.
      • A brief description of the problem
      • A call back number that includes the area code. This is very important as we provide support for 14 different states and need to know where the customer is located. By having this information, we can look up the system information and be much better prepared to help.
   5. Information on the website: If you cannot find what you are looking for on our website, please let us know. We are often adding new solutions and services and are always looking for ways to improve and want to make sure it is relevant.
   6. Training materials and Patient Security demo software can be found on the Convergint website 24/7.

It’s our pleasure to serve you. However, don’t take our word for it, we have a host of satisfied customers who have taken the time to share their experiences with Convergint and we invite you to take a look at what they have to say. We look forward to the opportunity to work with you.

Medical Equipment & Healthcare Solutions

Connect with Convergint at (800) 968-3135 to learn more about our commitment to delivering exceptional results to our customers through unparalleled customer service.

In 1988, Innovative Medical Systems (now Convergint) opened their doors for business. To celebrate this milestone anniversary, we created 30 Ways of Giving, a program that expands our reach within the communities we love with charities that are important to our staff.

Throughout the year, Convergint employees are giving and donating their time, talents and money to 30 different charities they selected. Convergint has been blessed as a company with a leadership team that believes in the importance of stewardship. They created the foundation we build upon. It is our privilege to give back and have fun too.

Charitable giving already completed:

• Chili Cook-Off to Support the ASPCA
• Cooking Dinner for the families at Ronald McDonald House
• Collecting much needed supplies for Bethany Christian Services and Mel Trotter
• Collecting money for Jefferson County Rescue Mission to buy much need groceries

Why are we sharing this information? To toot our own horn? Sure, as the Marketing Specialist, I want to shout from the rooftops how great Convergint is. But the important part I want to relay is who we are when you choose to do business with Convergint.

A knowledgeable company that not only cares about doing business with honesty and integrity, but a company that also gives back and cares about the communities they work within. It is the DNA of who we are as a company. We walk the walk and talk the talk. We also do not take your business for granted and appreciate the trust you put in us to earn your business. We pride ourselves on doing business differently.

Medical Equipment & Healthcare Solutions

Connect with Convergint at (800) 968-3135 to learn more about our commitment to delivering exceptional results to our customers through unparalleled customer service.

When asked about a typical day in the life of an Convergint Service Technician, my first response is, “It depends on the day and the task at hand.” An Convergint Service Technician’s schedule is one week on the road, one week in the office. This allows them to be home at least every other week with their families so as to promote a work/life balance. Let’s begin by talking about a typical office week for an Convergint Service Technician.

Since Convergint supports almost 350 different customers with a variety of systems and products that include Patient Security Systems, Real Time Locating Systems, and Mobile Cart Workstations 24/7, there may be an open service order/ticket that came in the night before that needs additional work and needs to be addressed first thing in the morning. Or there are some more complicated tickets that will take a bit more troubleshooting, these are often how a tech begins their day.

When they receive a call from a Customer asking for Support, they document what the reported problem is and what was done to resolve the issue. We track our calls in our business system on what we call Service Orders, which is very similar to a “ticket system” used by hospital IT departments. There are times when a reported problem cannot be corrected right away and may require additional follow up or maybe we need to monitor the system after adjustments to verify we made improvements. We open Service Orders if we identify problems during our monthly system checks and continue to follow up until we feel we have optimized the system. Once we are satisfied that the problem or reported issue has been resolved we will then finish the Service Order.

When a technician returns from an installation project or scheduled maintenance trip, it will usually take a day or two to update all our documentation. This level of detail and documentation is one aspect that sets our Service Team apart from other companies. We are often told that the level of detail we apply to our projects is incredible. The entire Service Department depends on having the latest information about each site so maintaining accurate records about each system is vital.

All service technicians share the responsibility of taking support calls from customers documenting each call with what was done to resolve the reported problem and laying out the next steps. In addition to taking support calls, they also constantly monitor each system that is under warranty or on an Convergint Support Agreement to look for any problems based off the business intelligence insight we get from each system on a monthly schedule.

For example, with patient security systems, if we see an increase in alarms we investigate what the cause might be and take steps to correct the problem. Sometimes the fix is simply training a new staff member.

The level of detail we put into a project makes Convergint a great choice for manufacturers we represent to test and troubleshoot new software releases and products. These manufacturers often rely on Convergint for unbiased feedback and suggestions on how to make the product better.

When they are not in the office, they are traveling to sites for system installations, scheduled maintenance, and system modifications. When on the road, they log many working hours to ensure everything is working properly.

Medical Equipment & Healthcare Solutions

Connect with Convergint at (800) 968-3135 to learn more about our commitment to delivering exceptional results to our customers through unparalleled customer service.

It is hard for me to believe but just this week Innovative Medical Systems (IMS) is celebrating its thirty year anniversary, as we officially opened the doors in February of 1988. Boy, have a lot of things happened in those thirty years. My three children, who were all under 8 years old at the time are now grown and we have been blessed with three grandchildren and another on the way.

In that time IMS has grown from 3 to 51 employees. IMS started by marketing in the State of Michigan and today are doing business to one level or another in about half of the 50 United States. Five years ago we moved into our fifth location and the first purpose built building. Over those 30 years, IMS has been blessed with good times and we have weathered some bad times but overall we’ve seen 30 years of success and growth, more than I ever dreamed.

In 1987, it became clear to Dan De Jong (me), Ray Cebulski, and Jack VandenBroek (pictured above) that there was need for a company that was focused on supplying equipment and technology solutions to the medical marketplace. So after much planning, thought and prayer the decision was made for the three of us to leave our former employer in January of 1988 and form IMS.

Our goal then was to create a different type of medical equipment distribution company. A company that first of all was faith based and then one whose purpose was to integrate quality technical medical products into systems, trains the user and support (service) them after the sale. All the while creating a workplace where employees would be treated fairly, with respect for the abilities that they brought to the company and provide them with a standard of living that they would be proud to look back on. That is still who IMS is today!

The initial company charter of IMS was to integrate sensors, monitors, central stations and computer systems to provide data in real time to clinicians so they could make better and quicker decisions for patient care in an ever increasingly cost conscious medical environment. Basically, working toward what we now know today as the Electronic Medical Record. In the thirty years since, many things have happened that have changed the mix of products that IMS distributes and the geographical territory in which those are distributed. However, even with all of the changes, the initial charter to provide the integration and support of equipment and software is still there. One of the product distribution changes that occurred in the late 1990’s was almost catastrophic to IMS and certainly tested our faith in the direction that God had for the company. We trusted, and through that experience IMS came out much stronger and better prepared for the future.

IMS has also been blessed with a group of dedicated employees that are truly a family. Our employees, both past and present, have had a big part in bringing IMS to what it is today. Any company is only as good as the employees that faithfully carry the vision forward and IMS is no exception. Our success these past 30 years is a testament to each and every one who carry out the vision of IMS every day.

To share in celebrating our 30th Anniversary, we invite you into our company by sharing exclusive blogs about our staff, videos, timelines and more. Watch our website for updates and we will share here as well.

Medical Equipment & Healthcare Solutions

Connect with Convergint at (800) 968-3135 to learn more about our commitment to delivering exceptional results to our customers through unparalleled customer service.

I was recently prompted by my computer to change my password because a new password is required in five days. . . four days . . . three days etc. In other words, I need to get ahead of things, make the necessary change now instead of waiting until the last minute and risk potential computer lockout.

One of my bosses, known for wise and dramatic statements says, “Healthcare is going to have to adopt the methods of Mr. Henry Ford if it is to survive.” His point is not that healthcare needs to become mechanized and dehumanized. The point is that medicine and human services need to become highly organized and efficient. Where is the doctor? Where is the nurse? Where is the patient? Is the room clean? Is the equipment available? Are the necessary tools and supplies nearby?

Locating technology, Real Time Location Systems (RTLS), has the power to change the efficiency of the healthcare ecosystem. The good news is, in many cases hospitals have already invested in products that include Real Time Location features. The bad news is, most hospitals have only begun to realize the potential of such powerful tools.

These systems are vastly under-utilized because, often, the owners of the systems are faced with the technical challenges of implementation and integration into the daily routines of patient care and hospital management. The most expensive products purchased by many hospitals today are the ones they do not use! The product has been purchased and people are frozen with fear trying to understand it and use it effectively.

At Convergint we are already involved on the front lines of these complex system integrations. We are integrators of “ugly” systems that will change, for the better, the way things work in healthcare. Consulting on the integration of existing systems and explaining their potential for maximum impact is what we do best.

Give us a call to talk about what you already have installed. Serving people is what we do! Our company byline is, “In the hospital we make it all work together.”I echo the prompt of my computer, “Consider changing . . .now.

Medical Equipment & Healthcare Solutions

Connect with Convergint at (800) 968-3135 to learn more about our commitment to delivering exceptional results to our customers through unparalleled customer service.