Interview with Bruce Gefvert Director of Sales and Marketing, SeboTek
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AO/Beck: Good Morning Bruce. It's a pleasure to speak with you again. I think many readers will be familiar with you, but why don't we start with a brief sketch of your education and professional history?
Gefvert: Terrific Doug. I started out intending to major in business administration but changed directions a few times and discovered that by specializing in advertising, I could combine my attraction to growing new businesses with my developing communication interests. So I ended up graduating from the University of Minnesota's School of Journalism with an undergraduate degree in advertising. I was fortunate to be selected for an internship at 3M during my junior year. The program lasted more than a year and ultimately led to a 25-year sales and marketing career at 3M. My 3M years were divided between their retail business (recognized for products like Scotch tape, Post-It notes, Scotchgard and Scotch-Brite ) and the huge medical business that skyrocketed in the 70s and 80s.
AO/Beck: I recall that 3M was involved with early digital hearing aids, and they were also involved with cochlear implants.
Gefvert: Yes, that's correct. In the 70s and 80s, 3M was aggressively expanding into every area of the medical field imaginable. Optical, orthopedic, radiation therapy, patient care, sterile processing, and of course, surgical. Their products ranged from surgical tapes (naturally) and dressings to EKG electrodes, heart lung machines, ventilators, implants, stethoscopes and more, way more. 3M was involved in some of the very early, digital hearing aid research. Although 3M never introduced its own digital hearing aid, the company held several patents related to digital processing. One of the most important innovations 3M contributed to the hearing aid market was the introduction of multi-memory technology. And of course, 3M was the first major U.S. corporation to be involved with cochlear implants. When they sold the implant business about 1989, the 3M Hearing Health program had the two channel, eight memory, programmable BTE hearing aid that was just being introduced. My background in retail and medical was regarded as a benefit to this up and coming business. So along comes some PhD chemist who sells me on the idea that together, we can revolutionize the market, establish 3M as a hearing aid market leader and bring a whole new quality of life to millions of hearing-impaired Americans. I joined the team in 1990. My involvement really came at the end of the 3M implant era and the very beginning of their hearing aid days. When I got into the hearing aid business at 3M, we were doing about 20 hearing aids a month, a laughable number when you think about it. But in a relatively short time, probably four or five years, we grew the business to nearly $20 million annually. And all but a handful of those sales occurred in the U.S.
AO/Beck: Wow, that's amazing!
Gefvert: Yes, it really was! One thing that was fascinating, Doug, was that at that time, we were on a very short list of technology leaders. There were basically two companies that were leading the technology wave, ourselves and Resound. I think both companies were very professional, very progressive, and I contend that both companies helped one another achieve the market growth that each of us obtained. I am a strong believer that competition makes any technology and any company stronger. That certainly was the case with 3M. ReSound manufactured an excellent product and provided formidable competition. We knew we had to get to the dispensing offices before ReSound did or before the dispenser got too enamored with the ReSound product, because any delays would make our job selling 3M more challenging.
AO/Beck: So 3M was in the hearing aid business from when to when, Bruce?
Gefvert: From about 1989 until about 1996.
AO/Beck: And then what happened in '96? Did they just decide to exit or were they purchased?
Gefvert: 3M Hearing Health was purchased by ReSound.
AO/Beck: That's what I thought, but it seems like a hundred years ago. Did you stay with the company at that point?
Gefvert: As part of their purchase agreement with 3M, ReSound was allowed to select people they wanted to retain. I turned out to be one of the people ReSound kept. An entirely new company called Sonar Hearing Health was created from the 3M business. It became a subsidiary of ReSound and was headquartered in Minneapolis, a big reason, I believe, why ReSound is located in Minnesota today. I remained with that business just shy of a year, when I was picked by Siemens to run their Rexton business.
AO/Beck: What year did you start at Rexton?
Gefvert: I came in as president in 1997. The previous president moved to A&M Hearing in England. I came into Rexton while it was more of a traditional hearing aid company. They really didn't have the advanced technologies that the industry leaders, including Siemens, offered. When I arrived, about 10% of Rexton's business was digitally programmable. In the four years I was there, we nearly doubled our business and increased the percentage of digitally-programmable and digital sales to nearly 80%. So, in essence, we converted many traditional conventional linear hearing aids to digitally programmable units, and that was significant.
AO/Beck: Very good. When and how did you start with SeboTek?
Gefvert: It's an interesting story. I met Jim and Mike Feeley, the founders of SeboTek, during my days at 3M. They became customers when I was at Rexton, and now I'm working for them! I've been involved with them on this project over the past three years. As their business came closer to being market ready, my involvement intensified. I have been full time with them since January of this year.
AO/Beck: What are your responsibilities with SeboTek?
Gefvert: You know how it is at a small company, Doug! If it needs to be done, you just do it and don't question whose responsibility it is! Basically, I'm orchestrating the sales and marketing efforts and leading the drive to establish PAC in the marketplace much the same way that we got 3M established ten years ago. Mike and Jim are very strong when it comes to product planning and they have incredible vision for this industry. Their organizational skills are also solid. So internally, they have created a strong foundation on which to grow SeboTek. I see my job as strengthening our industry and dispenser relationships, which I've been doing for the last 15 years. So I'm using my contacts and market experience and applying those to help establish the SeboTek presence and position in the marketplace.
AO/Beck: What are the biggest hurdles you've had to overcome in accomplishing that goal?
Gefvert: Getting started is always a challenge. Bringing together a team of people who haven't worked together previously, in a new environment with a new product makes it challenging. It can get mighty tense at times. However, it really makes for an exciting workplace, a great experience and wonderful memories. The biggest hurdle is channeling the trade interest in the PAC into successful dispenser trials. I obviously have a real passion for this product. It can't solve every problem that traditional hearing aids have, but it sure does successfully address many of them. The interest in the PAC from hearing professionals has been amazing. I've seen much more interest in the PAC than any product I've ever been associated with in this field. And I strongly believe the interest is warranted. I've communicated with so many people who tried traditional hearing aids, rejected them, and then were persuaded to try the PAC and loved them. For many users, their lives were revitalized by their decision to purchase and wear the PAC. The impact on their quality of life has been very rewarding. I believe the PAC is an extraordinary tool that can help impress and successfully manage a much larger portion of the hearing aid candidates than we impact currently. I know PAC will not replace all the excellent instruments available through other, high quality manufacturers. But PAC certainly provides another opportunity for success, particularly with patients who previously left our offices empty-handed, for any of a variety of reasons.
AO/Beck: So a lot of this is really changing thought patterns and well established protocols?
Gefvert: Thought patterns yes, and business practices too! People tend to put the SeboTek PAC into the category of instant fit products, and it really doesn't belong in that segment.
AO/Beck: I agree. It is quite a bit different. How would you explain the PAC to a professional that has not seen it?
Gefvert: That's a great question. I see the PAC as another vehicle to assist the audiologist and dispenser in satisfying the patient. It's not a BTE and it's not a custom aid. It's a totally different style of hearing aid altogether. It's a style that has significant appeal to non-hearing aid wearers, particularly with regards to cosmetics. The appeal to current hearing aid wearers is definitely present but for different reasons. Those reasons include less potential for feedback, PAC's ability to drastically reduce or eliminate the occlusion effect, same day service and superior wearing comfort. PAC is a great choice for those with mild to severe hearing loss, and who insist on getting the smallest hearing aid they can possibly wear. Because the PAC speaker is separated from the instrument's electronics, the module containing the speaker is extremely small and fits deeply inside the ear canal. The processing module, on the other hand, is equipped with features that deliver the highest customer satisfaction levels - directional microphones, multi-memories, programmable telecoil, 100% digital processing. The result is the PAC provides an acoustic benefit that is quickly realized by many of those who take the opportunity to try it. Ten or so years ago when we were introducing the multiple memory concept, in-office demonstrations were tremendously effective in helping both dispensers and patients experience the value of this important feature. Ironically, ten years later, it is obvious that the PAC, with it's in-office fit capability, is also ideally suited for in-office demonstrations. Wearing the PAC, even for 10 or 15 minutes allows the wearer an appreciation of the acoustic benefit available, starts getting them to realize how amplification can potentially improve their lives and demonstrates how non-threatening hearing aids might actually be. Heck, the patient may elect to purchase something other than PAC. But we at SeboTek can take satisfaction in knowing our instrument provided the platform for the desired action to occur. In the long run, though, we're confident that the patient will select the PAC more often than not.
AO/Beck: What do the dispensers and audiologists say to you when they actually try it?
Gefvert: The trade reaction is interesting and complimentary. Initial comments relate to the excellent, high fidelity sound quality, followed by comments on how remarkably comfortable the product is. Of course, everyone reacts to the practically non-existent occlusion effect. Once their reactions have been verbalized, the professional usually begins to run through a mental checklist of patients they consider to be the most suitable candidates. PAC is really a fun product to demonstrate because it's so different and the benefits are so quickly realized. Some embrace it immediately. Not surprisingly, we've seen some very strong success stories. Others are a bit more hesitant and would prefer to stay on the sidelines until their counterparts become successful with PAC. That's how it typically goes. Early and late adopters. However, as long we impress them one-by-one, we'll continue to be successful.
AO/Beck: Is there anything you tell the late adopters to try to get them to try the PAC?
Gefvert: Yes, but if they're true late adopters....it probably won't change the way they do things! But seriously, I think people should consider that the product has been in routine use for three years and it's now being dispensed by a significant number of professionals. I believe there are many hearing aid candidates that would undoubtedly be motivated to wear hearing aids -- if they knew about PAC.
AO/Beck: Thanks Bruce. For professionals who'd like to learn more, what's the best way to get in touch with SeboTek?
Gefvert: The toll-free number is 800-388-9041, and the website is www.sebotek.com.
AO/Beck: As always, it's a pleasure working with you.
Gefvert: Thanks Doug. I appreciate your time too.
Click here to visit the Sebotek website.
Gefvert: Terrific Doug. I started out intending to major in business administration but changed directions a few times and discovered that by specializing in advertising, I could combine my attraction to growing new businesses with my developing communication interests. So I ended up graduating from the University of Minnesota's School of Journalism with an undergraduate degree in advertising. I was fortunate to be selected for an internship at 3M during my junior year. The program lasted more than a year and ultimately led to a 25-year sales and marketing career at 3M. My 3M years were divided between their retail business (recognized for products like Scotch tape, Post-It notes, Scotchgard and Scotch-Brite ) and the huge medical business that skyrocketed in the 70s and 80s.
AO/Beck: I recall that 3M was involved with early digital hearing aids, and they were also involved with cochlear implants.
Gefvert: Yes, that's correct. In the 70s and 80s, 3M was aggressively expanding into every area of the medical field imaginable. Optical, orthopedic, radiation therapy, patient care, sterile processing, and of course, surgical. Their products ranged from surgical tapes (naturally) and dressings to EKG electrodes, heart lung machines, ventilators, implants, stethoscopes and more, way more. 3M was involved in some of the very early, digital hearing aid research. Although 3M never introduced its own digital hearing aid, the company held several patents related to digital processing. One of the most important innovations 3M contributed to the hearing aid market was the introduction of multi-memory technology. And of course, 3M was the first major U.S. corporation to be involved with cochlear implants. When they sold the implant business about 1989, the 3M Hearing Health program had the two channel, eight memory, programmable BTE hearing aid that was just being introduced. My background in retail and medical was regarded as a benefit to this up and coming business. So along comes some PhD chemist who sells me on the idea that together, we can revolutionize the market, establish 3M as a hearing aid market leader and bring a whole new quality of life to millions of hearing-impaired Americans. I joined the team in 1990. My involvement really came at the end of the 3M implant era and the very beginning of their hearing aid days. When I got into the hearing aid business at 3M, we were doing about 20 hearing aids a month, a laughable number when you think about it. But in a relatively short time, probably four or five years, we grew the business to nearly $20 million annually. And all but a handful of those sales occurred in the U.S.
AO/Beck: Wow, that's amazing!
Gefvert: Yes, it really was! One thing that was fascinating, Doug, was that at that time, we were on a very short list of technology leaders. There were basically two companies that were leading the technology wave, ourselves and Resound. I think both companies were very professional, very progressive, and I contend that both companies helped one another achieve the market growth that each of us obtained. I am a strong believer that competition makes any technology and any company stronger. That certainly was the case with 3M. ReSound manufactured an excellent product and provided formidable competition. We knew we had to get to the dispensing offices before ReSound did or before the dispenser got too enamored with the ReSound product, because any delays would make our job selling 3M more challenging.
AO/Beck: So 3M was in the hearing aid business from when to when, Bruce?
Gefvert: From about 1989 until about 1996.
AO/Beck: And then what happened in '96? Did they just decide to exit or were they purchased?
Gefvert: 3M Hearing Health was purchased by ReSound.
AO/Beck: That's what I thought, but it seems like a hundred years ago. Did you stay with the company at that point?
Gefvert: As part of their purchase agreement with 3M, ReSound was allowed to select people they wanted to retain. I turned out to be one of the people ReSound kept. An entirely new company called Sonar Hearing Health was created from the 3M business. It became a subsidiary of ReSound and was headquartered in Minneapolis, a big reason, I believe, why ReSound is located in Minnesota today. I remained with that business just shy of a year, when I was picked by Siemens to run their Rexton business.
AO/Beck: What year did you start at Rexton?
Gefvert: I came in as president in 1997. The previous president moved to A&M Hearing in England. I came into Rexton while it was more of a traditional hearing aid company. They really didn't have the advanced technologies that the industry leaders, including Siemens, offered. When I arrived, about 10% of Rexton's business was digitally programmable. In the four years I was there, we nearly doubled our business and increased the percentage of digitally-programmable and digital sales to nearly 80%. So, in essence, we converted many traditional conventional linear hearing aids to digitally programmable units, and that was significant.
AO/Beck: Very good. When and how did you start with SeboTek?
Gefvert: It's an interesting story. I met Jim and Mike Feeley, the founders of SeboTek, during my days at 3M. They became customers when I was at Rexton, and now I'm working for them! I've been involved with them on this project over the past three years. As their business came closer to being market ready, my involvement intensified. I have been full time with them since January of this year.
AO/Beck: What are your responsibilities with SeboTek?
Gefvert: You know how it is at a small company, Doug! If it needs to be done, you just do it and don't question whose responsibility it is! Basically, I'm orchestrating the sales and marketing efforts and leading the drive to establish PAC in the marketplace much the same way that we got 3M established ten years ago. Mike and Jim are very strong when it comes to product planning and they have incredible vision for this industry. Their organizational skills are also solid. So internally, they have created a strong foundation on which to grow SeboTek. I see my job as strengthening our industry and dispenser relationships, which I've been doing for the last 15 years. So I'm using my contacts and market experience and applying those to help establish the SeboTek presence and position in the marketplace.
AO/Beck: What are the biggest hurdles you've had to overcome in accomplishing that goal?
Gefvert: Getting started is always a challenge. Bringing together a team of people who haven't worked together previously, in a new environment with a new product makes it challenging. It can get mighty tense at times. However, it really makes for an exciting workplace, a great experience and wonderful memories. The biggest hurdle is channeling the trade interest in the PAC into successful dispenser trials. I obviously have a real passion for this product. It can't solve every problem that traditional hearing aids have, but it sure does successfully address many of them. The interest in the PAC from hearing professionals has been amazing. I've seen much more interest in the PAC than any product I've ever been associated with in this field. And I strongly believe the interest is warranted. I've communicated with so many people who tried traditional hearing aids, rejected them, and then were persuaded to try the PAC and loved them. For many users, their lives were revitalized by their decision to purchase and wear the PAC. The impact on their quality of life has been very rewarding. I believe the PAC is an extraordinary tool that can help impress and successfully manage a much larger portion of the hearing aid candidates than we impact currently. I know PAC will not replace all the excellent instruments available through other, high quality manufacturers. But PAC certainly provides another opportunity for success, particularly with patients who previously left our offices empty-handed, for any of a variety of reasons.
AO/Beck: So a lot of this is really changing thought patterns and well established protocols?
Gefvert: Thought patterns yes, and business practices too! People tend to put the SeboTek PAC into the category of instant fit products, and it really doesn't belong in that segment.
AO/Beck: I agree. It is quite a bit different. How would you explain the PAC to a professional that has not seen it?
Gefvert: That's a great question. I see the PAC as another vehicle to assist the audiologist and dispenser in satisfying the patient. It's not a BTE and it's not a custom aid. It's a totally different style of hearing aid altogether. It's a style that has significant appeal to non-hearing aid wearers, particularly with regards to cosmetics. The appeal to current hearing aid wearers is definitely present but for different reasons. Those reasons include less potential for feedback, PAC's ability to drastically reduce or eliminate the occlusion effect, same day service and superior wearing comfort. PAC is a great choice for those with mild to severe hearing loss, and who insist on getting the smallest hearing aid they can possibly wear. Because the PAC speaker is separated from the instrument's electronics, the module containing the speaker is extremely small and fits deeply inside the ear canal. The processing module, on the other hand, is equipped with features that deliver the highest customer satisfaction levels - directional microphones, multi-memories, programmable telecoil, 100% digital processing. The result is the PAC provides an acoustic benefit that is quickly realized by many of those who take the opportunity to try it. Ten or so years ago when we were introducing the multiple memory concept, in-office demonstrations were tremendously effective in helping both dispensers and patients experience the value of this important feature. Ironically, ten years later, it is obvious that the PAC, with it's in-office fit capability, is also ideally suited for in-office demonstrations. Wearing the PAC, even for 10 or 15 minutes allows the wearer an appreciation of the acoustic benefit available, starts getting them to realize how amplification can potentially improve their lives and demonstrates how non-threatening hearing aids might actually be. Heck, the patient may elect to purchase something other than PAC. But we at SeboTek can take satisfaction in knowing our instrument provided the platform for the desired action to occur. In the long run, though, we're confident that the patient will select the PAC more often than not.
AO/Beck: What do the dispensers and audiologists say to you when they actually try it?
Gefvert: The trade reaction is interesting and complimentary. Initial comments relate to the excellent, high fidelity sound quality, followed by comments on how remarkably comfortable the product is. Of course, everyone reacts to the practically non-existent occlusion effect. Once their reactions have been verbalized, the professional usually begins to run through a mental checklist of patients they consider to be the most suitable candidates. PAC is really a fun product to demonstrate because it's so different and the benefits are so quickly realized. Some embrace it immediately. Not surprisingly, we've seen some very strong success stories. Others are a bit more hesitant and would prefer to stay on the sidelines until their counterparts become successful with PAC. That's how it typically goes. Early and late adopters. However, as long we impress them one-by-one, we'll continue to be successful.
AO/Beck: Is there anything you tell the late adopters to try to get them to try the PAC?
Gefvert: Yes, but if they're true late adopters....it probably won't change the way they do things! But seriously, I think people should consider that the product has been in routine use for three years and it's now being dispensed by a significant number of professionals. I believe there are many hearing aid candidates that would undoubtedly be motivated to wear hearing aids -- if they knew about PAC.
AO/Beck: Thanks Bruce. For professionals who'd like to learn more, what's the best way to get in touch with SeboTek?
Gefvert: The toll-free number is 800-388-9041, and the website is www.sebotek.com.
AO/Beck: As always, it's a pleasure working with you.
Gefvert: Thanks Doug. I appreciate your time too.
Click here to visit the Sebotek website.
