Interview with John R. Luna Chief Operating Officer and President of Bernafon LLC (USA)
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Topic: Bernafon Update: Symbio XT, Neo and Bernafon's business model
Beck: Hi John. Good to speak with you again.
Luna: Hey Doug, nice to meet with you too.
Beck: John, if you don't mind, can we start with your professional history?
Luna: Sure, Doug. My degree was from the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB) in Speech and Hearing Sciences. I earned my degree back in 1992. After finishing my degree, I worked in an audiology practice dispensing hearing aids clinically for a year, and that's when I realized I loved working with technology advancements, marketing, customer service, sales management and the corporate side of the profession. I started as a manufacturer's sales representative, over 11 years ago. During the past 12 years, I've held management positions with a variety of manufacturers, which prepared me to take on the leadership role of Bernafon in the U.S. market.
Beck: And that was a little over two years ago?
Luna: Right. I joined Bernafon just over two years ago, January of 2003. As incoming President and Chief Operating Officer, I was tasked to relocate and restructure the organization from Minnesota to New Jersey.
Beck: I recall Bernafon has actually been around for quite a while before joining the WDH group, is that right?
Luna: Yes. Bernafon has an 80 year history of technology and industry innovation, which I'm proud to represent. Founded in Bern, Switzerland in 1924, Bernafon's worldwide corporate headquarters remain there today.
Beck: And based on my understanding of the WDH group, they maintain Bernafon as a totally separate entity. In other words, Bernafon R & D, Bernafon Audiology and Bernafon software groups are unique.
Luna: Yes, Bernafon is a separate brand and hearing aid company within WDH. Bernafon worldwide has its own identity through separate Research and Development (R&D) and Sales, Marketing and distribution teams. That model really helps us to establish our own company brand and product lines, and frankly, allows us to expand our strengths while working to increase market share.
Beck: How does Bernafon distinguish itself in the marketplace?
Luna: Our aim is to build mutually beneficial partnerships with individuals or business entities interested in growing their business on a commercially sound basis. Bernafon offers mainstream product lines of quality hearing aids. We offer products in the various technology and price categories to cover the targeted end user segments in all dispensing offices.
Bernafon has developed a totally new way of processing sound. As we mentioned a moment ago, our Audiology group, our R&D teams, our engineers and our algorithms -- are uniquely ours. They're not available through any other hearing aid manufacturers. We developed the first "ChannelFree™" digital hearing aid in the world, "Symbio XT" that is revolutionary approach to signal processing .
Symbio XT is an automatic feature, premium hearing aid. It has unique time and frequency domain analysis and delivers an amazingly natural sound quality. It processes without bands and channels which in turn avoids spectral-temporal smearing.
Beck: John, I love the term "ChannelFree™." Importantly, when you use that term, you don't mean a one channel device?
Luna: No, Symbio XT is definitely not a one channel device -- it can't be defined by channels and bands. I think of ChannelFree™ as a "next generation" digital innovation from Bernafon. It took over 9 years to perfect the sound processing ability and chipset for Symbio XT. Symbio XT's ChannelFree™ technology is revolutionary technology, invented by Bernafon, which is fundamentally different from traditional digital amplification methods. ChannelFree processing analyzes the entire incoming speech signal, preserving its natural structure without the potential of sound quality distortion attributed to channel processing. Symbio XT uses frequency, intensity, and time domain signal processing to provide clear, natural sound quality. ChannelFree is extremely fast and phonemically precise, with 16,000 gain adjustments per second, so even the shortest speech elements are analyzed and amplified, bringing conversation to life. ChannelFree™ is a new category of innovative hearing systems originated by Bernafon.
Bernafon has a long history of innovations and "firsts" in the industry. Did you know that Bernafon introduced the first programmable hearing system to the hearing aid industry?
Beck: I remember that one...wasn't it the Bernafon Foxx? I remember the little programming box and the cables. Not only was the programmability of the unit amazing for the time, but the box was quite durable...I dropped mine at least 50 times and it kept right on ticking. I'll bet that was about 20 years ago?
Luna: Yes, the industry changed with the introduction of the Foxx from Bernafon many years ago.
Beck: John, what are the other products in the Bernafon line?
Luna: The newest addition to our line is Neo, with high-end features at an affordable price point. Neo features OpenFit™, like the Symbio XT™, for occlusion free fitting, 5 Channels for maximum flexibility using a new Bernafon software innovation, the TriQualizer™, Adaptive Noise Reduction in 8 frequency bands, Adaptive Feedback Canceller™, Directional Microphones, Multiple Listening Programs using Push Button Controls from the BTE to CIC, Soft Noise Management™, FM Compatibility, a digital volume control and a telecoil with a 6 dB overall gain boost. Needless to say, Neo is high-end , feature packed and affordably priced. Additionally, we have two other digital product lines, Flair and Smile Plus.
Beck: Wow, that's quite impressive. And you have a new product coming out in the first quarter 2005?
Luna: Yes, there are other new products which will be released at the AAA conference in Washington D.C., but I'll have to hold off on discussing those until the AAA.
Beck: I should point out that all the products we've discussed have PDF (downloadable) pamphlets available at the end of this interview too. John, regarding adaptive noise reduction, is the goal to have the instrument constantly evaluating the acoustic environment to deliver the maximal signal-to-noise ratio in each band?
Luna: Yes. The Adaptive Noise Reduction system looks at the signal level and the degree of modulation in each of the 8 bands. Above a certain input level, if the modulation is low, the signal is most likely noise and, therefore, the gain in those bands is reduced. For example, of the eight bands, if three of them detect noise, such as a 70 dB low modulation multi-frequency noise, like road noise, or whatever, those three bands would be attenuated, while the other 5 bands with maximal speech weighted algorithms are maintained, or amplified.
Beck: That really is fantastic, John. Can we look forward to some outcomes measures on the Neo and the other products?
Luna: Absolutely Doug. We have recently completed the data collection on the Symbio XT, and we hope to have the same information available on the Neo in the future.
Beck: John, regarding business model for Bernafon, which you mentioned in passing at the very beginning of our discussion, I know you've taken a highly visible stand, and I was very impressed with your position. Can you review that for me?
Luna: Yes, I would be happy to do that. It's really pretty straightforward. In essence, I believe that to be a leader in this industry, and for our people and associates to be leaders in the professions, we at Bernafon, need the best products, people and service, and -- we need to lead by example. We have decided to focus on these core elements instead of offering a wide variety of other services and programs.. When I took over as president, I made the decision to focus.
Bernafon offers a straight forward business-to-business transaction allowing companies to provide innovative hearing solutions to patients at a great value, without 'added' costs for programs. Our customers value the service and products they receive and by eliminating additional services, Bernafon is to be able be very competitive in it's pricing..
A very important issue for all of us is that many hearing impaired people cannot afford premium hearing aids, and clearly, one way to reduce retail costs is to be able to offer very price-value solutions to the hearing care professionals. At Bernafon, we accomplished this by focusing on the core services, to provide more value to our customers. If we want more people to be able to afford hearing aids, as we are still essentially a private pay industry, we must increase patient satisfaction and reduce acquisition costs. Bernafon products offer this at every technology level.
So I think it just makes good sense...Offer the best products and the best service at the best price, and you've got a value added proposition that is a win-win. So that's pretty much the whole thing in a nutshell.
Beck: Thanks John. I appreciate your time, and I am very impressed with the company, the products and the stance you've taken.
Luna: Thanks Doug. It's been fun for me too, and I appreciate the opportunity to speak with you.
-----------------------
For more information on the Neo and Symbio XT, visit the Bernafon website, or telephone Bernafon at 1-888-941-4203.
Luna: Hey Doug, nice to meet with you too.
Beck: John, if you don't mind, can we start with your professional history?
Luna: Sure, Doug. My degree was from the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB) in Speech and Hearing Sciences. I earned my degree back in 1992. After finishing my degree, I worked in an audiology practice dispensing hearing aids clinically for a year, and that's when I realized I loved working with technology advancements, marketing, customer service, sales management and the corporate side of the profession. I started as a manufacturer's sales representative, over 11 years ago. During the past 12 years, I've held management positions with a variety of manufacturers, which prepared me to take on the leadership role of Bernafon in the U.S. market.
Beck: And that was a little over two years ago?
Luna: Right. I joined Bernafon just over two years ago, January of 2003. As incoming President and Chief Operating Officer, I was tasked to relocate and restructure the organization from Minnesota to New Jersey.
Beck: I recall Bernafon has actually been around for quite a while before joining the WDH group, is that right?
Luna: Yes. Bernafon has an 80 year history of technology and industry innovation, which I'm proud to represent. Founded in Bern, Switzerland in 1924, Bernafon's worldwide corporate headquarters remain there today.
Beck: And based on my understanding of the WDH group, they maintain Bernafon as a totally separate entity. In other words, Bernafon R & D, Bernafon Audiology and Bernafon software groups are unique.
Luna: Yes, Bernafon is a separate brand and hearing aid company within WDH. Bernafon worldwide has its own identity through separate Research and Development (R&D) and Sales, Marketing and distribution teams. That model really helps us to establish our own company brand and product lines, and frankly, allows us to expand our strengths while working to increase market share.
Beck: How does Bernafon distinguish itself in the marketplace?
Luna: Our aim is to build mutually beneficial partnerships with individuals or business entities interested in growing their business on a commercially sound basis. Bernafon offers mainstream product lines of quality hearing aids. We offer products in the various technology and price categories to cover the targeted end user segments in all dispensing offices.
Bernafon has developed a totally new way of processing sound. As we mentioned a moment ago, our Audiology group, our R&D teams, our engineers and our algorithms -- are uniquely ours. They're not available through any other hearing aid manufacturers. We developed the first "ChannelFree™" digital hearing aid in the world, "Symbio XT" that is revolutionary approach to signal processing .
Symbio XT is an automatic feature, premium hearing aid. It has unique time and frequency domain analysis and delivers an amazingly natural sound quality. It processes without bands and channels which in turn avoids spectral-temporal smearing.
Beck: John, I love the term "ChannelFree™." Importantly, when you use that term, you don't mean a one channel device?
Luna: No, Symbio XT is definitely not a one channel device -- it can't be defined by channels and bands. I think of ChannelFree™ as a "next generation" digital innovation from Bernafon. It took over 9 years to perfect the sound processing ability and chipset for Symbio XT. Symbio XT's ChannelFree™ technology is revolutionary technology, invented by Bernafon, which is fundamentally different from traditional digital amplification methods. ChannelFree processing analyzes the entire incoming speech signal, preserving its natural structure without the potential of sound quality distortion attributed to channel processing. Symbio XT uses frequency, intensity, and time domain signal processing to provide clear, natural sound quality. ChannelFree is extremely fast and phonemically precise, with 16,000 gain adjustments per second, so even the shortest speech elements are analyzed and amplified, bringing conversation to life. ChannelFree™ is a new category of innovative hearing systems originated by Bernafon.
Bernafon has a long history of innovations and "firsts" in the industry. Did you know that Bernafon introduced the first programmable hearing system to the hearing aid industry?
Beck: I remember that one...wasn't it the Bernafon Foxx? I remember the little programming box and the cables. Not only was the programmability of the unit amazing for the time, but the box was quite durable...I dropped mine at least 50 times and it kept right on ticking. I'll bet that was about 20 years ago?
Luna: Yes, the industry changed with the introduction of the Foxx from Bernafon many years ago.
Beck: John, what are the other products in the Bernafon line?
Luna: The newest addition to our line is Neo, with high-end features at an affordable price point. Neo features OpenFit™, like the Symbio XT™, for occlusion free fitting, 5 Channels for maximum flexibility using a new Bernafon software innovation, the TriQualizer™, Adaptive Noise Reduction in 8 frequency bands, Adaptive Feedback Canceller™, Directional Microphones, Multiple Listening Programs using Push Button Controls from the BTE to CIC, Soft Noise Management™, FM Compatibility, a digital volume control and a telecoil with a 6 dB overall gain boost. Needless to say, Neo is high-end , feature packed and affordably priced. Additionally, we have two other digital product lines, Flair and Smile Plus.
Beck: Wow, that's quite impressive. And you have a new product coming out in the first quarter 2005?
Luna: Yes, there are other new products which will be released at the AAA conference in Washington D.C., but I'll have to hold off on discussing those until the AAA.
Beck: I should point out that all the products we've discussed have PDF (downloadable) pamphlets available at the end of this interview too. John, regarding adaptive noise reduction, is the goal to have the instrument constantly evaluating the acoustic environment to deliver the maximal signal-to-noise ratio in each band?
Luna: Yes. The Adaptive Noise Reduction system looks at the signal level and the degree of modulation in each of the 8 bands. Above a certain input level, if the modulation is low, the signal is most likely noise and, therefore, the gain in those bands is reduced. For example, of the eight bands, if three of them detect noise, such as a 70 dB low modulation multi-frequency noise, like road noise, or whatever, those three bands would be attenuated, while the other 5 bands with maximal speech weighted algorithms are maintained, or amplified.
Beck: That really is fantastic, John. Can we look forward to some outcomes measures on the Neo and the other products?
Luna: Absolutely Doug. We have recently completed the data collection on the Symbio XT, and we hope to have the same information available on the Neo in the future.
Beck: John, regarding business model for Bernafon, which you mentioned in passing at the very beginning of our discussion, I know you've taken a highly visible stand, and I was very impressed with your position. Can you review that for me?
Luna: Yes, I would be happy to do that. It's really pretty straightforward. In essence, I believe that to be a leader in this industry, and for our people and associates to be leaders in the professions, we at Bernafon, need the best products, people and service, and -- we need to lead by example. We have decided to focus on these core elements instead of offering a wide variety of other services and programs.. When I took over as president, I made the decision to focus.
Bernafon offers a straight forward business-to-business transaction allowing companies to provide innovative hearing solutions to patients at a great value, without 'added' costs for programs. Our customers value the service and products they receive and by eliminating additional services, Bernafon is to be able be very competitive in it's pricing..
A very important issue for all of us is that many hearing impaired people cannot afford premium hearing aids, and clearly, one way to reduce retail costs is to be able to offer very price-value solutions to the hearing care professionals. At Bernafon, we accomplished this by focusing on the core services, to provide more value to our customers. If we want more people to be able to afford hearing aids, as we are still essentially a private pay industry, we must increase patient satisfaction and reduce acquisition costs. Bernafon products offer this at every technology level.
So I think it just makes good sense...Offer the best products and the best service at the best price, and you've got a value added proposition that is a win-win. So that's pretty much the whole thing in a nutshell.
Beck: Thanks John. I appreciate your time, and I am very impressed with the company, the products and the stance you've taken.
Luna: Thanks Doug. It's been fun for me too, and I appreciate the opportunity to speak with you.
-----------------------
For more information on the Neo and Symbio XT, visit the Bernafon website, or telephone Bernafon at 1-888-941-4203.
