Interview with Margaret Bandkau and Tony Sulsona, Bernafon-US
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Topic: ICOS, Prio and Lifestyle Driven Technology
Dr. Paul Dybala: Hello everyone, this is Dr. Paul Dybala with Audiology Online, and I want to welcome you to our interview today with two key individuals from Bernafon-US. We actually have a "two-for-one" today; Margaret Bandkau and Tony Sulsona have joined us from Bernafon-US. First off, Margaret and Tony, thank you for spending the time to talk with us.
Margaret Bandkau: Thank you Paul, glad to be here.
Tony Sulsona: Thank you Paul.
Dybala: Well just to get started, Margaret, could you give us your background? Kind of who you are, and what you do for Bernafon?
Bandkau: Sure. I got into this industry over twenty years ago, after getting my masters in Audiology from Central Michigan University. I started out dispensing, and I have worked in both Canada and the United States as a dispensing Audiologist and manufacturer's sales representative, eventually moving into management. I eventually got a business degree, and have been staying more on the business side of the industry as I now complete my M.B.A. in Global Business. I joined Bernafon almost two years ago and am currently Vice-President of Business Operations for the U.S. division.
Dybala: Very good. Tony, could you give us a little background on who you are, and what you do for Bernafon?
Sulsona: Sure, thank you. I began my career in the industry seven years ago, as a regional sales manager for Songbird Medical, before being promoted to the US Sales Development & Training team. Two years later I was recruited by Symphonix to lead the Audiology and sales development of their prosthetic implant centers at audiology, otology, and hospital/surgical facilities.
Following an asset purchase agreement between Symphonix and MED-EL, I was recruited by Bernafon in early 2003. I've been on the corporate side of the industry as the Vice-President of Sales & Marketing for Bernafon-US for the last year and a half, where my previous sales, marketing, and management career experience has served me well in my executive leadership role.
Dybala: That's great. What's fun about this interview is that we've got two really great people to talk about Bernafon and its products, and that's why we wanted to bring both of you on today.
Tony, as you know there are lots of choices out there when selecting a hearing aid company. As a two part question, why do you work for Bernafon and why do professionals like to work with Bernafon.
Sulsona: I enjoy and excel at working with pioneering companies, such as Bernafon.
Moreover, I'm proud to lead the talented team of sales and marketing professionals at Bernafon who are equally proud to provide the highest levels of innovative product solutions, genuine customer service, and dedicated work ethics.
Bernafon, which last year celebrated sixty years of innovative hearing solutions, continues to grow market share in the US. The primary reason for that is that we continue to introduce a series of industry-first innovations, such as ChannelFree™ digital sound processing, which can be found in our Symbio and SwissEar product lines, as well as Personalized Audio Navigation™, which is a lifestyle-driven technology found in our ICOS and Prio families. Both of those technologies have positioned Bernafon as a leader in the hearing instrument industry.
Secondly, our customers are recognizing the reality of top-level customer service. They enjoy working with us and find our employees to be very productive and helpful in their ability to really help clients and move their business forward.
Dybala: That brings up a great point. When I have taught graduate courses in hearing aids, I try to teach the students that it's not enough to only have a company with great products and great technology. It's equally important to have a company that is able to support you and your customers. If they're able to support you in getting orders correct or getting repairs turned around, that's another level of service that you are able to offer the patient.
And, Tony, it sounds like that is what you have been working on at Bernafon.
Sulsona: Well, I'll even take it a step further. Most of the manufacturers in this industry can certainly provide technologies that will help customers address different levels of hearing loss.
But on a realistic day-to-day level, it comes down to who our customers want to work with because of customer service. And when I say customer service, I don't necessarily isolate that to just an internal department. At all levels, from an executive level, to a customer service technical support and field sales level, it is that dedication to work with our customers, with genuineness and accuracy, that really sets us apart. Margaret, do you have anything to add to that.
Bandkau: Yes, thanks. Paul, we often hear that people like the accessibility that we offer to our customers at Bernafon. It doesn't matter who they're trying to reach, whether it's Tony or myself, or customer service to place an order, or audiology/tech support for hearing aids programming assistance. They know that they can talk to anybody within Bernafon, and they can also be transferred along to their local sales representative if need be.
We pride ourselves on being responsive, because often when customers call in, they have a need right at that moment. We've really worked diligently this past year to bring together an additional team inside and outside, who have been trained and cross-trained, to be able to provide comprehensive information to our ever growing customer base.
Dybala: That sounds great. And Margaret, I'm glad that you jumped in there, because we wanted to talk a little bit about Bernafon's customer service with Tony, but we also wanted to talk with you about the products that you have worked on at Bernafon. I know there is a Lifestyle product line. Could you tell us Bernafon's philosophy on the Lifestyle products, and then tell us about the newest product Bernafon has released and its features?
Bandkau: I would be glad to. Going back to spring of 2006, Bernafon introduced the first lifestyle-based programmable hearing aids in the industry and the marketplace, called ICOS. With this particular product, you could have someone walk into your office, conduct an interview as many of us do in order to determine the patient's needs and daily lifestyle, and with that, develop the foundation for the lifestyle fitting. The information you glean from the patient in conversation actually becomes the building blocks for a personalized hearing aid fitting.
As of February of this year, Prio which came out to the market, offering an additional mid-priced, life-style based product line. Lifestyle based programming is where the emphasis needs to be in order for the end-user to truly have their listening needs met and experience satisfaction with their hearing instrument. The fitting emphasis needs renewed focus on the questions, "What brought that patient into my office?", "What is it that they're having difficulty hearing on a daily or weekly basis?" In the case of the Prio products specifically, the algorithms were designed for the chip to take into account what acoustic cues and characteristics are present in listening environments that the patient encounters daily.
This philosophy and approach is supported with Bernafon's Oasis plus software, so that when the professional programs the hearing aid, they actually can show their patients with lifestyle pictures.
For instance, just by talking through your structured or informal interview with your patient, in a just a few mouse clicks you can define the patient's individual lifestyle priorities, (thus the play on the word Prio!)
There are actually over 80 different lifestyle situations available, that are located under tabs in the software that are titled Home, Leisure, Work, and Travel.
So, as you're chatting with your patient, you can actually be clicking on those tabs and show them a visual on the screen. You can say, "I heard you say you were having trouble hearing your wife when you're in your home and the TV is on." Then you can bring up a picture of them in the living room watching TV. This way, it becomes very interactive with the end-user, because now they are participating and gaining some ownership of the fitting. They realize that you understand their needs and difficulties, which makes this a user-defined fitting, subsequently improving the chances that the hearing instruments will actually be utilized by the patient.
The functionality of the Prio provides performance in areas of speech, comfort, and responsiveness due to the adaptive abilities of the microphone. There is also a tracking ability, via data logging, built into the Prio & ICOS that will actively refine the programs that have been put into that patient's hearing aid. This is especially helpful when the patient comes back for their follow-up appointments so that the audiologist or dispenser can see how often the hearing aid is being used, when and how it's being used, and then take that information and tell the computer to make the appropriate adjustments to the programming.
Dybala: Interesting. It takes, on average, seven years before a person typically decides to pursue amplification. So, when they finally do, you want to be able to understand their listening difficulties and get at the root of the problem. It sounds like a really powerful tool that allows a lot of feedback to assist in better fittings.
Could you give a quick overview of what's under the hood of the hearing aid?
Bandkau: The Prio is a seven-channel unit that has directional microphones and, of course, comes in a standard behind-the-ear model in various colors, as well as in all of the custom models. Additionally, now that Bernafon has the first and the only universal open-fit kit: Spira Flex, (previously mentioned in the open-fit interview that's posted at Audiology Online. (Bandkau Interview). PRIO & ICOS can be fit as open-fit/ thin tube.
The Spira Flex open-fit kit is actually compatible with five Bernafon products, which, along with Prio include ICOS, SwissEar, SymbioXT, and NEO. And as I mentioned, the Prio is part and parcel of the Lifestyle fitting philosophy, being the affordable, price-competitive, high-feature product.
Dybala: Well, that sounds fabulous. I went ahead and provided links to a couple of documents that can help elaborate on the Prio hearing aid line, as well as the fitting guide for the Prio.
These are excellent resources that may help answer questions that we didn't have time for today.
On that note, I want to thank both of you for spending time with us today to talk about Bernafon and some of the exciting new products that you have available. For professionals who would like to contact Bernafon, what's the best way to get a hold of Bernafon and get more information about both of you?
Sulsona: Well, we have a couple of ways for sure. We can be reached toll-free at (888) 941-4203. We also have a central web address.
Bandkau: Yes, at www.bernafon-us.com, and queries can be made there. Those messages actually come directly through me, so a response is sent on a daily basis.
Sulsona: And from a sales avenue I'm certainly accessible to any of our current customers, or anyone who wants to be a customer of Bernafon. Those inquiries can be delivered to my e-mail address, which is ams@bernafon-us.com.
Dybala: Excellent. And I would be remiss if I didn't mention too that anyone can check out the Bernafon web channel at Audiology Online at www.audiologyonline.com/channels/bernafon.asp, where we not only have this interview, but Margaret's interview about the SPIRA flex open-fittings. There is also additional news and information, e-learning courses provided by Bernafon, as well as links to the Bernafon web site. So, again, Margaret and Tony, thanks again for your time!
Bandkau: Thank you!
Sulsona: Glad to do it, thank you, Paul.
The Bernafon Group operates with a worldwide network of 14 sales companies and independent distributors in over 40 countries, which allows us to offer our customers rapid service at all times. Find out more about our Research and Development and production facilities or contact your local Bernafon representative. More information is available at www.bernafon-us.com or at the Bernafon web channel on Audiology Online at www.audiologyonline.com/channels/bernafon.asp, .
Margaret Bandkau: Thank you Paul, glad to be here.
Tony Sulsona: Thank you Paul.
Dybala: Well just to get started, Margaret, could you give us your background? Kind of who you are, and what you do for Bernafon?
Bandkau: Sure. I got into this industry over twenty years ago, after getting my masters in Audiology from Central Michigan University. I started out dispensing, and I have worked in both Canada and the United States as a dispensing Audiologist and manufacturer's sales representative, eventually moving into management. I eventually got a business degree, and have been staying more on the business side of the industry as I now complete my M.B.A. in Global Business. I joined Bernafon almost two years ago and am currently Vice-President of Business Operations for the U.S. division.
Dybala: Very good. Tony, could you give us a little background on who you are, and what you do for Bernafon?
Sulsona: Sure, thank you. I began my career in the industry seven years ago, as a regional sales manager for Songbird Medical, before being promoted to the US Sales Development & Training team. Two years later I was recruited by Symphonix to lead the Audiology and sales development of their prosthetic implant centers at audiology, otology, and hospital/surgical facilities.
Following an asset purchase agreement between Symphonix and MED-EL, I was recruited by Bernafon in early 2003. I've been on the corporate side of the industry as the Vice-President of Sales & Marketing for Bernafon-US for the last year and a half, where my previous sales, marketing, and management career experience has served me well in my executive leadership role.
Dybala: That's great. What's fun about this interview is that we've got two really great people to talk about Bernafon and its products, and that's why we wanted to bring both of you on today.
Tony, as you know there are lots of choices out there when selecting a hearing aid company. As a two part question, why do you work for Bernafon and why do professionals like to work with Bernafon.
Sulsona: I enjoy and excel at working with pioneering companies, such as Bernafon.
Moreover, I'm proud to lead the talented team of sales and marketing professionals at Bernafon who are equally proud to provide the highest levels of innovative product solutions, genuine customer service, and dedicated work ethics.
Bernafon, which last year celebrated sixty years of innovative hearing solutions, continues to grow market share in the US. The primary reason for that is that we continue to introduce a series of industry-first innovations, such as ChannelFree™ digital sound processing, which can be found in our Symbio and SwissEar product lines, as well as Personalized Audio Navigation™, which is a lifestyle-driven technology found in our ICOS and Prio families. Both of those technologies have positioned Bernafon as a leader in the hearing instrument industry.
Secondly, our customers are recognizing the reality of top-level customer service. They enjoy working with us and find our employees to be very productive and helpful in their ability to really help clients and move their business forward.
Dybala: That brings up a great point. When I have taught graduate courses in hearing aids, I try to teach the students that it's not enough to only have a company with great products and great technology. It's equally important to have a company that is able to support you and your customers. If they're able to support you in getting orders correct or getting repairs turned around, that's another level of service that you are able to offer the patient.
And, Tony, it sounds like that is what you have been working on at Bernafon.
Sulsona: Well, I'll even take it a step further. Most of the manufacturers in this industry can certainly provide technologies that will help customers address different levels of hearing loss.
But on a realistic day-to-day level, it comes down to who our customers want to work with because of customer service. And when I say customer service, I don't necessarily isolate that to just an internal department. At all levels, from an executive level, to a customer service technical support and field sales level, it is that dedication to work with our customers, with genuineness and accuracy, that really sets us apart. Margaret, do you have anything to add to that.
Bandkau: Yes, thanks. Paul, we often hear that people like the accessibility that we offer to our customers at Bernafon. It doesn't matter who they're trying to reach, whether it's Tony or myself, or customer service to place an order, or audiology/tech support for hearing aids programming assistance. They know that they can talk to anybody within Bernafon, and they can also be transferred along to their local sales representative if need be.
We pride ourselves on being responsive, because often when customers call in, they have a need right at that moment. We've really worked diligently this past year to bring together an additional team inside and outside, who have been trained and cross-trained, to be able to provide comprehensive information to our ever growing customer base.
Dybala: That sounds great. And Margaret, I'm glad that you jumped in there, because we wanted to talk a little bit about Bernafon's customer service with Tony, but we also wanted to talk with you about the products that you have worked on at Bernafon. I know there is a Lifestyle product line. Could you tell us Bernafon's philosophy on the Lifestyle products, and then tell us about the newest product Bernafon has released and its features?
Bandkau: I would be glad to. Going back to spring of 2006, Bernafon introduced the first lifestyle-based programmable hearing aids in the industry and the marketplace, called ICOS. With this particular product, you could have someone walk into your office, conduct an interview as many of us do in order to determine the patient's needs and daily lifestyle, and with that, develop the foundation for the lifestyle fitting. The information you glean from the patient in conversation actually becomes the building blocks for a personalized hearing aid fitting.As of February of this year, Prio which came out to the market, offering an additional mid-priced, life-style based product line. Lifestyle based programming is where the emphasis needs to be in order for the end-user to truly have their listening needs met and experience satisfaction with their hearing instrument. The fitting emphasis needs renewed focus on the questions, "What brought that patient into my office?", "What is it that they're having difficulty hearing on a daily or weekly basis?" In the case of the Prio products specifically, the algorithms were designed for the chip to take into account what acoustic cues and characteristics are present in listening environments that the patient encounters daily.This philosophy and approach is supported with Bernafon's Oasis plus software, so that when the professional programs the hearing aid, they actually can show their patients with lifestyle pictures.
For instance, just by talking through your structured or informal interview with your patient, in a just a few mouse clicks you can define the patient's individual lifestyle priorities, (thus the play on the word Prio!)
There are actually over 80 different lifestyle situations available, that are located under tabs in the software that are titled Home, Leisure, Work, and Travel.
So, as you're chatting with your patient, you can actually be clicking on those tabs and show them a visual on the screen. You can say, "I heard you say you were having trouble hearing your wife when you're in your home and the TV is on." Then you can bring up a picture of them in the living room watching TV. This way, it becomes very interactive with the end-user, because now they are participating and gaining some ownership of the fitting. They realize that you understand their needs and difficulties, which makes this a user-defined fitting, subsequently improving the chances that the hearing instruments will actually be utilized by the patient.
The functionality of the Prio provides performance in areas of speech, comfort, and responsiveness due to the adaptive abilities of the microphone. There is also a tracking ability, via data logging, built into the Prio & ICOS that will actively refine the programs that have been put into that patient's hearing aid. This is especially helpful when the patient comes back for their follow-up appointments so that the audiologist or dispenser can see how often the hearing aid is being used, when and how it's being used, and then take that information and tell the computer to make the appropriate adjustments to the programming.
Dybala: Interesting. It takes, on average, seven years before a person typically decides to pursue amplification. So, when they finally do, you want to be able to understand their listening difficulties and get at the root of the problem. It sounds like a really powerful tool that allows a lot of feedback to assist in better fittings.
Could you give a quick overview of what's under the hood of the hearing aid?
Bandkau: The Prio is a seven-channel unit that has directional microphones and, of course, comes in a standard behind-the-ear model in various colors, as well as in all of the custom models. Additionally, now that Bernafon has the first and the only universal open-fit kit: Spira Flex, (previously mentioned in the open-fit interview that's posted at Audiology Online. (Bandkau Interview). PRIO & ICOS can be fit as open-fit/ thin tube.
The Spira Flex open-fit kit is actually compatible with five Bernafon products, which, along with Prio include ICOS, SwissEar, SymbioXT, and NEO. And as I mentioned, the Prio is part and parcel of the Lifestyle fitting philosophy, being the affordable, price-competitive, high-feature product.
Dybala: Well, that sounds fabulous. I went ahead and provided links to a couple of documents that can help elaborate on the Prio hearing aid line, as well as the fitting guide for the Prio.
These are excellent resources that may help answer questions that we didn't have time for today.
On that note, I want to thank both of you for spending time with us today to talk about Bernafon and some of the exciting new products that you have available. For professionals who would like to contact Bernafon, what's the best way to get a hold of Bernafon and get more information about both of you?
Sulsona: Well, we have a couple of ways for sure. We can be reached toll-free at (888) 941-4203. We also have a central web address.
Bandkau: Yes, at www.bernafon-us.com, and queries can be made there. Those messages actually come directly through me, so a response is sent on a daily basis.
Sulsona: And from a sales avenue I'm certainly accessible to any of our current customers, or anyone who wants to be a customer of Bernafon. Those inquiries can be delivered to my e-mail address, which is ams@bernafon-us.com.
Dybala: Excellent. And I would be remiss if I didn't mention too that anyone can check out the Bernafon web channel at Audiology Online at www.audiologyonline.com/channels/bernafon.asp, where we not only have this interview, but Margaret's interview about the SPIRA flex open-fittings. There is also additional news and information, e-learning courses provided by Bernafon, as well as links to the Bernafon web site. So, again, Margaret and Tony, thanks again for your time!
Bandkau: Thank you!
Sulsona: Glad to do it, thank you, Paul.
The Bernafon Group operates with a worldwide network of 14 sales companies and independent distributors in over 40 countries, which allows us to offer our customers rapid service at all times. Find out more about our Research and Development and production facilities or contact your local Bernafon representative. More information is available at www.bernafon-us.com or at the Bernafon web channel on Audiology Online at www.audiologyonline.com/channels/bernafon.asp, .
