Enthusiasm

I receive close to 200 e-mails daily and an equal number come in as SPAM. It appears the whole world has forgotten how to use other means of communication. It is clear to see that even when we go out to eat just look at how many people are looking into their hand held telephones.  Well, that’s the new way.

A couple of weeks back, I received a most pleasant surprise while opening my e-mails. It was in a communication from the HME Industry News Summary, which is put out by Rick Worstell and the HMG Group, called “ENTHUSIASM”. The author of it may be unknown, but the message is pertinent. “Enthusiasm is the greatest business asset in the world.”

"Enthusiasm is the greatest business asset in the world. It beats money and power and influence. Single handed, enthusiasm convinces and dominates where a small army of workers would hardly raise a tremor of interest. Enthusiasm is faith in action; and faith and initiative rightly combined remove mountainous barriers and achieve the unheard of and miraculous. Set the germ of enthusiasm in your business; carry it in your attitude and manner; it spreads like contagion and influences every fiber of your industry; it begets and inspires effects you did not dream of; it means increase in production and decrease in costs; it means joy and pleasure and satisfaction to your workers; it means real life and virile; it means spontaneous bedrock results-the vital things that pay dividends."

-Author Unknown

I prefer to describe it differently. I say, “It is the difference between success and failure.”

Rather than quote from the article, I want to recall what I heard from DME/HME providers. In an article that I did for HomeCare Magazine, I quoted comments from attendees at the Fall Medtrade.

These comments were all filled with much “enthusiasm".  This feeling is typical of our industry!  The entrepreneurs bring their eagerness and interest with them. They share this with all their clientele and it is so appreciated, particularly by family caregivers.

As we approach a new year we must all bring all the eloquence possible to make the future brighter and more successful. Yes indeed, enthusiasm is the key for you!

Is there a market for DME/HME providers with Telemedicine?

Is there a market for DME/HME providers with Telemedicine? As CMS is seeking new means of reducing the cost of providing care, they are looking at telemedicine as a major break through. CMS envisions that it would reduce unnecessary hospitalization by allowing patients to be monitored regularly. It could possibly reduce trips to the ER or being admitted to an institution by 50%.

I prefer to call this service home tele-health!  It can also be referred to as Remote Home Patient Monitoring. I sent a blog in mid-summer and asked for some feedback. I only received a few answers and they were all acknowledged. I will ask once again, because it is an opportunity for your company to become the center of activity for good health care in your community.

Think about the role of the visiting nurse, a trip to an office, or any other technique used for checking a patient’s vital signs. As the middleman between the patient and the practitioner, your company can provide this service.

A brief description of home tele-health is the patient can sit down at home and send their vital signs instantly to their physician or nurse. You provide a BP Cuff, spirometer, scale, blood glucose monitor, oximeter, EKG and the other equipment required. The patient by themselves, or with the aid of a family caregiver, can affix the equipment and instantly forward their reports STAT via telephone or the web to have them monitored by their professional caregivers. The nurse or physician can then question anything that appears to be abnormal. The fees for these services are nominal, but they add up to many dollars in savings.

Are you interested in looking at this opportunity for your company?  Any changes you wish to make, whether for home tele-health or any other program always requires being investigated. Please send an e-mail (shelly.prial@att.net) or call me (321-255-3885). Do not allow this to go elsewhere. I am positive that bringing this service to your community will be a profitable one!

Through Shelly's Spectacles: Medtrade 2012 Consumer Advocacy

Since the very first exhibition held in Atlanta some 33 years ago, I have had the good fortune to watch and see how Medtrade has grown and expanded. There has never been a venue where DME/HME providers could attend and then return home filled with so many good ideas and opportunities.

I will share my thoughts for those who missed Medtrade and also add to what the attendees participated in the next blog or two. This year was a giant step forward for all of the participants as well as the industry: CONSUMER ADVOCACY!

Prior to cutting the ribbon for the opening of the exhibition there was a meeting of the “Power for Funding” committee, Congressman Tom Price (R-GA) spoke about the bill he has introduced for MPP (we must all work to get this through Congress) to replace the existing Competitive Bid legislation.

Show Director Kevin Gaffney then opened the hall and many of us headed directly to the Advocacy Pavilion. Every comment I heard about this was a “thank you” for setting aside the space and allowing this to be built. Yes, it was that impressive.

A bit about the pavilion. In the educational Learning Destination feature called "Homecare Works! The Path to Better Affordable Healthcare."  It was full-scale home display with four lovely docents walking groups of attendees though and explaining each of the displays.  In the home, each room included products from various manufacturers in the setting they would actually be used.  As a reward at the end of the tour, they were offered a “hot dog” with trimmings. The backside of this exhibit had very important Consumer Advocacy associations present, each there to explain their role.  To name a few: United Cerebral Palsy, Shepherd Center, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Muscular Dystrophy Association, COPD and others.

The major sponsor in building the Advocacy Pavilion was MK Battery. Philips Respironics and others joined Medtrade with them. When I saw how these companies and their staffs worked so closely together, I can state unequivocally that the future of our industry is superb. I must add my thank you for all that MK Battery has accomplished in the last few years. They made this Advocacy Day a success.

Wayne Merdinger, VP, MK Battery told me this is part of their effort to bring together more cooperation between providers and consumer advocacy associations. Keith Durni on behalf of Philips Healthcare echoed the same.

I recommend that every DME/HME provider offer “Consumer Advocacy Days” in their community. By building this, you will help make some great solutions locally. Your customers can join us in the efforts to bring the MPP legislation to Congress and get it passed. Yes, our industry has a lot at stake. We must be successful! Please follow the leaders, your state and national associations.

Working Holidays

Did you enjoy your Labor Day this week?  Sometimes it feels like you need a vacation from your vacation!

I have had the good fortune of working in many parts of the United States.  Since I have entered my 86^th year I realize how important a “holiday” can be.  I took ten days off with my wife Thelma to visit the Finger Lakes in New York, tasted the wines, enjoyed the great food and saw how beautiful is our country.

When I speak to dealers about taking a off a few days I invariably get the same answers. “We are too busy” or “I have too many things to do” or “there is no one to watch the company” and etcetera.  Excuses.

Have confidence in your ability! Appreciate the wonderful team you have developed. They reflect every thing you taught them. Then, when you take time for your holiday every thing will run just as smoothly as if you stayed in your office. Going away for a few days is always healthy and the old expression: “all work and no play make Jack a dull boy” is true.

Coming soon is a great opportunity to take a working holiday. Atlanta is a wonderful city to visit. Atlanta is where the Medtrade Exhibition is held. I have truly been lucky that I have been able to attend every Medtrade since its introduction. I have seen it develop into a real experience for dealers. Yes, I took the time to make it a working holiday each and every year and so can you!

Need a few more reasons to not miss out on this year's event?  HME News offers 5 good reasons for you:  Click Here to Read Their List!

Meet friends and peers, attend lectures and learn all about many new opportunities. Being away from your company by taking this time is both relaxing and profitable. That will happen to you at Medtrade.  I look forward to seeing many of you there taking a “working holiday.”

Medtrade's Early Bird Deadline is September 10th so don't miss out on the savings.  Visit www.medtrade.com to register.

Reputation is Everything!

The one thing which must be protected, no matter what may happen, is your good name. Your reputation within your community is why you are recognized. As the principal of a DME/HME company you must never allow anything to besmirch it.

We are known and recognized by success. This is earned by participation and accomplishment. When I travel, I enjoy visiting DME/HME providers. I always have been welcomed and made to feel like a special guest. Invariably the best ones have a sterling reputation in their community. Success and reputation go together like a hand in a glove.

These dealers may be active members of the Chamber of Commerce and belong to a civic club such as Rotary. They are stalwarts in their church, belong to the PTA (even though their children are adults) or sponsor a sports team (bowling, little league).

We met an old friend from California at a previous Medtrade Exhibition. He told me he writes a “good health” article for the Sunday edition of the local paper. All these are building blocks for your company.

Not maintaining your good name could be very risky. You can do ninety-nine things wonderfully and get loads of accolades but if you make one small mistake that is all everyone will remember.

There are many things one can do to build a good reputation, but the one caveat is be very careful not to make a misstep which will destroy all the good you do!

Odds & Ends

So many things are happening, and so quickly that I think today I will just ruminate.

There was a most interesting article in the WSJ a few days ago, about senior citizens. It appears that today Americans are living much longer. We are approaching the age of 82, not 65, as it was when the SS regs were published.

This being the case, may I suggest that every DME/HME provider try to reach to them more promptly. Belonging to clubs like Rotary or Kiwanis is very important. I visit many clubs and see that in my mid 80s I am not unique. Arrange to speak at a churchmen’s or ladies club meeting, visit the schools and other places where seniors gather.  Do not go as a salesman; go offering ideas and ways to maintain one’s life style. Today the seniors have more discretionary dollars in their pockets than previously, so cater to them!

I receive the e-mails from a large number of state DME associations, the ones they send to their members. They do a superb job of addressing all the legislation and other problems. It is so important to follow their leads and ideas. If you are not a member of your state and national associations, you should be. The information they send will help you remain solvent and continue to grow.

I see that so many state associations are holding their annual meetings in the next few months. Be sure you are there. The speakers and vendors who support them need to speak with you. So much is accomplished at these and you find true peers to work with there.

I am already making preparations to attend the Fall Medtrade Exhibition in Atlanta. This is the culmination of the efforts made on your behalf by an entire industry! No DME/HME provider should miss Medtrade this year. It is going to be the most important Medtrade ever! You will find many new ideas with which to build sales, increase profits, and to open new doors like home tele-health. I will be there, will you?

Make Your Cash Register Sing

I was chatting with a neighbor at the supermarket this morning. He pointed to the checkout stations and said, “Listen to the music”. The lines were long and the ringing up of the sales really played a beautiful melody. I recognized the tune, I am an old retailer.

One of the driving forces when I prepare these blogs is to help our readers build more cash sales. Yes, make your cash registers sing.

How? When you shop or visit any of the major marketers there are signs identifying every area. First-aid, incontinence, diabetics, wheel chairs, scooters and as many titles as products they offer. These departmentalizing signs do not have to be very large. I visited a local Walgreen Pharmacy and found every section clearly identified. You can do the same!

I was in a rather interesting location in Rochester, NY. This dealer went one step further. Every section had a sign mounted. However, he also developed two “rooms” displayed along one wall: a bathroom and a bedroom. These were brightly lit and every item on display had an attached price tag. He made the rooms look so realistic because he framed in each what appeared to be window with a view.

After preparing these displays he went a few steps further. He changed the items displayed on a rotating basis. Then, he arranged to have a sales person from one of the manufacturers whose items were featured every Saturday from 9:00 AM until noon.  Their job was to demonstrate, answer questions and provide literature. The entrepreneur was very pleased when he saw how many new sales were made.

To promote these demos, every Thursday an announcement was sent to the local radio stations and newspapers. He proudly posted this announcement in his showroom window.

You can develop similar music in your showroom by promoting these programs. At Medtrade you can discover a myriad of items suitable for this type of promotion. Become the bandleader and make music and new profits.

Doing What Comes Naturally

I have had the pleasure of meeting so many DME/HME providers in my 60 odd year career.  When we speak, I usually ask about the way they approach the market in their hometown. The answers I receive are all basically they same.  They are doing what comes naturally.

There are no secrets to becoming a good marketer! Although you may not think that you are a good marketer, the truth is that you really are good.

All markets must be approached as if they are unique. In a small town or village, the competition usually is not a major department store or supermarket. There, you are an integral part of the community. You belong to the local business club, church and went to the local school. You are doing what comes naturally, speaking, promoting and participating. All of this reflects as your business grows.

As the size of a market expands, the competition becomes more apparent, then one has to approach things differently. Everything you do is to keep you company name recognized. A DME/HME dealer in Maryland sponsored a baseball team and that was good enough to be invited to participate in a major Little League competition upstate N.Y. One entrepreneur belongs to a Rotary Club and his location became the source of tickets to their various fund-raising activities. Another organized a bowling tournament which has been active for almost 20 years.

A dealer in southern Illinois hires a big horse-drawn wagon to carry neighbors “apple knocking” every fall. These trips have sent loads of people picking apples and he said the cost is minimal for his company.  In California, way up in the mountains, that local DME/HME provider gives a “good health” chat on a local radio station and it has been expanded to local TV. 

By doing these things, they each have developed a large following and a nice ROI. All of the efforts I mentioned are providers “doing what comes naturally.” You, too, can do it!

Customer Service

This morning I received a call from an old friend, a DME provider in Vermont. One of his customers rented a hospital bed for their mother. He reviewed all the instructions with her, but he got the impression that she was not at ease. 

The next afternoon he picked up the phone just to see if every thing was satisfactory. They were on the phone for more than twenty minutes!

In the morning her husband stopped by the showroom to express his appreciation for that phone call. He said his wife was concerned she would not be capable of giving her mother the attention and care she needed. However, after that conversation with the owner, his wife relaxed and lost the trepidation she had. His “thank you” was worth a million dollars. This is customer service.

So what is customer service? It is something that you and all your employees have to comprehend. It is a smile, a cheerful hello and listening. Always allow your customer to take the lead when they come to shop. They will tell you what they came for so you can satisfy their need. The customer must ask and you must listen. In a previous blog I wrote about an aggressive salesperson and how a sale was lost. A soft approach is always effective.

I know several DME proprietors who ask at  their staff meetings ask one of their sales people to speak about an experience with a customer. His team learns from one another and his business continues to grow. Word of mouth from satisfied customers is the best advertising you can earn! This is what happens when your company staff understands customer service.

Cash Sales Promotion and Focus!

Medtrade October 15-18

The market is dramatically changing; DME/HME providers and dealers are seeking OTC cash sale opportunities. They can no longer depend on CMS, Medicare or Medicaid. So, the folks at Medtrade are guiding the exhibitors to make cash sale programs an important part of their displays.

This need for cash sales is so important that Medtrade is setting aside 4,500 square feet of the exhibition floor as a HOME & RETAIL DESIGN CENTER. Do you realize how big this space is? You can definitely expect to see many new ideas and products!  You can also read more here: Click Here

You must keep all your Medicare and Medicaid customers. Experience has taught us they all have family caregivers who are looking for comfort items to allow them to maintain their own domicile. We are very aware that most Medicare clients have disposable dollars in their pockets and are looking for the same products. I know this is true because at more than 85 years old, I attend many meetings and speak to all my cronies. Finding comfort items is always a topic.

A couple of weeks ago I received a call from a dealer in Ohio. I was told his company sponsored a discussion on “Caring for the Elderly, Mom and Pop.”  He invited two local physicians to speak. They each delivered a brief message. The rest of the allotted time was spent answering questions from the audience. I was told that the response to this was fantastic. He felt that scheduling it from 9:00 AM until noon was sufficient.  He plans to do it again. He also invited many of his vendors to set up small displays with samples and hand-outs. Did this pay off? Yes!

Let this be your guide to many new sales and additional profits. At Medtrade you can arrange with the manufacturers for their aid in doing a promotion along these lines. Plan to visit the Home and Retail Design center and be sure that many of your staff as possible will view the same. 

I recommend that you make the investment necessary to bring staff members to Medtrade. Experience has shown us that there is a very large ROI (return on investment) when you bring them with you. 

Americans with Disability Act

A.D.A.

There is a great deal of magic in these three letters, A- D- A. Magic that can open new doors of opportunities for DME/HME providers. They bring you stepping-stones into a large market filled with potential new sales.

I was reminded of this when I had lunch yesterday with an old friend who built a most successful DME location in his hometown. He accomplished this because he recognized that A.D.A. (Americans with Disability Act) opened a door to not only perform a service in his community, but to become a lucrative source of new sales and profits.

The revised standards in the Federal Register for A.D.A. took effect in March 2011. I can write pages on this topic. I refer to it as the key to new OTC cash sales. No paper work, just some meeting, speaking, explaining and solicitation by you and your team. 

Contact your senator or representative in Washington and ask to speak with the HLA (health legislative assistant). Tell the HLA who you are, how much you appreciate the legislators support, and then ask if they would please get you a copy of ADA requirements.  They will do so cheerfully.

Wherever people gather, whether in a stadium, movie house, hotel, restaurant, school or house of worship, you can supply the things necessary to conform to this act. They must maintain certain supplies for accidents or emergencies. That is the law!

What makes this so exciting is that your company can provide them with the required products. You and your sales team have to make the rounds.  Identify all of the opportunities.  Be a member of the Chamber of Commerce.

Your preferred vendors will give you handouts and other necessary material to develop these new sales. If you knock on doors, write to the newspapers, look for all the exposure possible, not only will you develop new cash sales (thank you ADA) but also solidify your reputation in the community. 

Seeking New Opportunities in New Markets

In order to keep pace with a rapidly changing market, DME/HME dealers and providers must always seek new opportunities. Reimbursements from Medicare or Medicaid, as well as contracts with HMOs, are all paid at a very low level. They should never be considered as a primary source of income. Keep what you have! But always look around for more profitable advantages.

In my discussions with many dealers I discovered one source you all have. It is your employees! They each have ideas, some may be off the wall and so many others have proven to be superb.

The idea to offer a “free wash and check your wheelchair” day come from a salesperson working for a dealer in upstate New York. I have written about this often and every time another dealer does it, I invariably receive a message telling me about their success.

The Americans with Disability Act is another tool to build new sales. Your outside salesmen should talk about this at every account. Call your Senator or Representative’s office in D.C, and ask the HLA (health legislative assistant) to please obtain a copy for you. Armed with that your company’s service will be truly appreciated (and earn a great big bunch of new sales).

One of the major benefits of Medtrade is the ability to walk the showroom and see how many new products and new sales ideas that will be a benefit to your bottom line. They are there waiting at the exhibition for you! I have always recommended that if at all possible to bring one or two of your salespeople. The cost of this will have a big ROI. I have been told this so many times! When your employees return home from Medtrade they are busting at the seams to bring these ideas to fruition. Let them do it!

Your task, as the both the entrepreneur and owner, is to polish and allow all the employees to be comfortable and share with you all they have learned, and when that happens, new ideas and new markets will be opened.

The Family Caregiver

I have been preaching for many years the one most important contact a DME/HME dealer has is the family caregiver. Most senior citizens want to stay in their homes and maintain privacy. They do not wish to move in with their children. They also look aghast at most “senior citizen” and long or short term facilities.

So who really is the “family caregiver”?  It is a daughter or son, a grandchild, and often, a niece or a nephew. There is almost always a family member who will monitor Mom or Dad! The family caregiver will work very hard to see to it that they can find all the necessary comforts that are available. They do not want to see their parents institutionalized, nor do they wish to bring them into their own home.  They too, have a way of life and which must be protected.

As a DME/HME provider you have to recognize the role of the “family caregiver". Develop a new marketing plan, which will appeal to them. At the last Medtrade in Atlanta we spoke to several dealers about family caregivers and how to effectively work with them. Here is what I learned at the last Medtrade: prepare a list, by speaking with your customers, to determine who should be contacted on their behalf.

From this list you can then send regular, short e-mails, with ideas and thoughts about caring for the elderly. One dealer told us his company held an open house the last Saturday of the month. He invited RNs, PTs, MDs and vendor sales reps whose companies manufactured specialty comfort products to make presentations or set up exhibits. He told us the number of attendees increased each month.

The goodwill and new sales developed in this fashion meant new profits. Many of the exhibitors at Medtrade will provide you with tools to use in these programs. You will be very pleasantly surprised at the amount of material you can gather in a short time at Medtrade to make this an Open House a success.  Never forget the family caregiver.

Planning & Implementing

Robert Burns is often quoted as saying: “the best laid plans of mice and men may often go astray.” He is correct!

Over the years many DME/HME dealers have shared with me their thoughts; what they are planning to do to build more sales and increase their profits. I have heard so many excellent ideas.

But there is a difference between planning and implementing and so I want to stir things up a bit. Implementing is to continue the planning. Take your excellent ideas and turn them into reality.

Appoint the members of your staff who are responsible to explain the program you planned. Be sure to give a copy of the plan to each of them. Then appoint specific functions to every employee and have them coalesce. In that way they will meld into a team. Monitor and work closely with your employees.

If any of your preferred vendors products are featured, do not hesitate to ask them for support. You will be surprised with what they can do to enhance your program, which will help implement it.

Planning is only the first step. Implementing is the next step to harvest the crop. It requires a great team effort to reach your goal. Every member of your staff from the voice on the telephone to the drivers of the delivery vehicles has to contribute to your “plan.”

Alexander Dumas said “Nothing succeeds like success” and I want to add that happens only when you implement your plans!

Feel free to call me on my WAT – 1-877-553-5127 or send me an e-mail. I will be delighted to help you with any thoughts you may have. If you are attending Medtrade Spring, please stop me and let us speak.

Are you really listening?

Sometimes we are so busy we often forget to listen. When I recently visited a DME/HME dealer, I was watching their salesperson showing a senior citizen and her husband how to correctly use the new wheel chair ordered by her physician.

He did an excellent job demonstrating all the features of the chair, but … and here is the problem he missed. He didn’t listen to the question that concerned the husband. He was asked about how HE, an 80+ old senior, would fold the chair?

The young man lifted the seat and the chair closed into itself. What he should have done is allow the customer do it by himself. Although somewhat frail he was capable. Other questions were asked, how to travel carrying her pocketbook, how to use the chair when shopping, and how to put it in the trunk of their vehicle.

Think about what your customer wants. When they come to you to make a purchase they are looking for explanations and demonstrations. They seek a comfort level. When they leave and have made the purchase, they are now ready to maximize the benefits. However, when they are not fully satisfied they usually will say “thank you” but they want to speak to their children. You may have lost that sale!

All I can say is please listen very carefully to what your customer asks and pay attention to their comments. Be very sure you address and answer any questions and resolve any doubts they may have.

At Medtrade in Las Vegas, try to arrange with your vendors to have sales training sessions for your staff. These invariably are “win-win”.

Visit http://www.medtrade.com for more information on the upcoming conference this April 2012!

How are you using E-mail Marketing?

E-mail, is it a blessing or not? Can a DME/HME dealer use e-mail effectively? This past weekend this topic was a discussion I had with a few cronies (peers). It appears that most senior citizens enjoy reading their e-mails and at the same time abhor the great number they receive. This morning when I opened my computer I found 87 new messages. I deleted all but a dozen, which I read carefully. There was much important information that arrived. Dave Parks sends his HomeCare Newsletter, which is filled with current events. Important? Yes! Then I opened the hmeNewswire, which Liz Beaulieu edits, and this is another good source of news. Since we are about a month away from Medtrade Spring, it is also important to study Medtrade Monday as we all prepare for tomorrow. All that is what a DME/HME provider normally does. How do your senior citizens look at their e-mails? With enthusiasm! They, too, wipe out the obvious commercials in which they have no interest. However, this still leaves a good number for them to review. I was with three other gentlemen my age and two of them both told me the same thing. They look forward to the weekly newsletter their pharmacy sends. There was always a good health idea and occasionally a sale on an ADL item. I have spoken with a number of dealers at the Medtrade meetings. They do the same and tell me sending a Weekly Newsletter, via email, does two things for them. It maintains the loyalty of the customer and increases sales when they offer a single item at a special price. All of the necessary material to successfully send an e-mail weekly newsletter is in your computer. If you have the address of the family caregiver, please include them. The answer to my opening comment is that e-mail can be a valuable tool for a DME/HME provider. If you're looking for an inexpensive way to market to your customers using e-mail, check out Constant Contact at www.constantcontact.com.

The Customer: Your Biggest Asset!

The goal of my blogs are directed to help DME/HME dealers build excellent operations. The changing markets, new regulations, frightening decreases in remuneration, are all hanging over every dealer’s head. Success in this hectic market will continue and the key to that is to maintain current customers and at the same time find new ones.

How does a customer view your company? No matter how much great service you may provide, the only instance that will always be remembered is the one where things went awry. No company is perfect! However with correct training and appearance you will always earn an excellent score from your clients.

Foremost, of course, is good customer service. A cheerful greeting on the phone when answered is a must. A friendly hello when anyone enters into your showroom is imperative. I hear jokes about Wal-Mart where every customer is greeted as they enter. Why joke about that? Each of your employees can easily give a friendly “hello” when people enter.

At your staff meetings always remind your employees they are all “goodwill ambassadors” for the company. Spend some time at each meeting to talk about addressing customers and building relations by superb service. You are in the health care business, so a simple “how do you feel today?” usually will suffice. Let your customer realize that you care!

Another key piece to customer service is appearance. Is your showroom brightly lit? Many older clients do not have strong vision so please accommodate them. Are all products on display clearly marked with the price? Don't assume that if someone is unsure of the price they'll ask. They might move on, and you might lose a sale!

I recall sitting in a seminar at Medtrade where the speaker’s opened words were “WHAT IS YOUR BEST ASSET?” Then before anyone could answer, he said “YOUR CUSTOMER!” Never forget that your customer is the one single asset that must be maintained.