AACC Review – Companies like Abbott, Beckman, Roche, Thermo, and Ortho Clinical were there….

AACC was in Chicago this year….I always like Chicago as a trade show location.  The AACC usually draws 20k + visitors, but I thought there were fewer attendees than ordinary.

I agree with Robert at the Dark Report – the mood was somber.  I saw unemployed candidates looking for jobs who said that they weren’t seeing the positions they would have expected.  And I spoke with employees of these clinical diagnostic companies and even if they are dissatisfied with where they are, they aren’t moving (it’s a case of “the devil you know vs. the devil you don’t”).

As for business and sales, they said that the hospitals had very little capital available for purchases.  The capital they do have they are reluctant to spend because they are concerned something will break and they won’t have the funds to replace it….which means career opportunities selling capital equipment are more difficult than ever.  And miniature startups whose business models are based on capital sales are in deep trouble.

The major guys of the AACC sell the pharmaceutical systems for testing urine, blood, tissue and stool samples.  Typically, tests that the physician orders are sent to the clinical laboratory (sometimes in the basement of the hospital).  The pharmaceutical technologists, histotechs, cytotechs, etc are the unsung heroes of the medical arena.  Companies differentiate testing systems through these benefits:

• Ease of use
• Training
• Service
• Space required
• Labor required
• Cost of product

The biggest booths were Abbott, Beckman, Roche, Thermo and Ortho Clinical. 

Usually, I am “wowed” by at least one exhibitor who has come up with a nice idea.  Not so much this year.  The Siemens booth was marvelous modern and white, Abbot had the cheesy “tear down the walls”, OCD (Ortho Medical) had a new blonde chick giving their little “speeches” about their products…(I always wanna ask them questions, but they are just models.  Why can’t they use a real expert instead of the bobbing head?  And did the blonde lady that had done this for the last 10 years just get too old?  There was one manufacturing booth in the back that had a racing theme – guess what?  Only men were interested…I wonder what percentage of the decision-makers are women?  Are these calculated marketing decisions or just inexperienced?)

Anyway, I saw a lot of friends, chatted with customers and have to know new candidates, so it was worthwhile.

Call me if you need a great laboratory sales rep – I know Them.

Peggy

Article courtesy of  Peggy McKee - Owner / Senior Recruiter at the nationally
recognized pharma and pathology revenue recruiting team of PHC Consulting.
© Copyright 2008 PHC Consulting | All rights reserved

AACC Review – Companies like Abbott, Beckman, Roche, Thermo, and Ortho Clinical were there….