The ultrasound dealers and technical experts gather to dream the next big step in ultrasound industry at a conference

“Experience ultrasound business” was a fitting slogan when a cross-section of ultrasound dealers and technical experts in India gathered in the home of the country’s most reputed firm of ultrasound sales and service--Indiaultrasound -- to discuss and dissects the swings of the business. The three-day Indiaultrasound conference – first of its kind in the country – started on November 19 at Kozhikode, Kerala, was meant to cement the rapport between dealers and technicians, who are handling the 25,000-strong ultrasound customer base in the world’s largest democracy, besides exploring the latest trends and nuances of the business.
Niranjan Kumar, the chief executive officer of Indiaultrasound and the custodian of the conference, reiterated the importance of keeping the customer database in taking the business to the next level. “With e-business and direct sale getting more and more applauds, Multinational companies will start erasing direct franchisees and will look to the firms with accountable customer database in the near future,“ he said, while presenting a seminar on the Ultrasound Business in India. “The estimated 500-crore business has well spread across the country out of which Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala handles 26 percent. Here is where the database and communication between the dealers are taking the driving seat,” he added.
“Dealing directly with all customers in each and every parts of India – geographically the world’s seventh largest country– is merely impossible for one entity sitting in one part or the other. But sharing database among the dealers will make it real. Healthy communication among the dealers and firms will eventually make available the best equipment round the clock for the customers, irrespective of geographical boundaries. And this will end up in creating a brand for each player,” Niranjan reminded a group of 35 delegates from all parts of the country in the three-hour long session.
In the next intriguing session on the Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (PNDT) act and rules, Joshy Joseph -- General Manager Sales and Service, NUI Pvt. Ltd.-- has introduced an innovative server-based model to track and verify the illegal activities involved in the pre-natal diagnostics in the country. “Though the rules make it mandatory for all the scanning centres, dealers and manufactures to submit the documents of diagnostic to the district medical officer in the interval of three months, it has not been implemented properly due to the difficulties of verifying vast number of reports. The documentations are not very easy as well. Here, instead of submitting documents, a server-based system, which will automatically send the scanning reports to the related office, is the sole solution,” he said. Meanwhile, he warned the co-business men to be aware of coming days, which will dawn with more stringent PNDT rules and proper implementations.
Refurbishment and the sale of used machines are the backbone of the ultrasound business in India, where 4000 machines are sold annually. Indiaultrasound -- the sole exporter of brand new & refurbished Scanning Machines from India – Service General Manager, Manikandan briefed different stages of refurbishment with special attention to Membrane Replacement Technology (MRT) – a government of India approved refurbishing method developed by the R&T wing of Indiaultrasound.
Jithesh Kumar, sales manager NUI Pvt. Ltd, has explained different aspects that should be taken care of when purchasing used machines, which will later undergo refurbishment. “The clarity of images has to be checked thoroughly before buying any machine, which is meant for resale. And don’t ever hesitate to check it in running mode, before finalising the deal,” he said.
The 10-hour-long first day ended with the pre-launch of India ultrasound magazine – nation’s first exclusive ultrasound monthly magazine to be launched in January 2011. “The absence of a professional magazine in an industry worth 500 crore is surprising,” Niranjan Kumar, the publisher of the magazine, has said while describing the role of a magazine spreading the technical awareness as well as proper industry guidance.
The second day of the conference was dedicated for service training and all the participants made use of the time to sharpen the technical knowledge. The conference came to a fruitful end on November 21st with a sight-seeing trip to Wyanad, the tourists’ paradise in God’s own country, Kerala.
“It was the right time to sit together and discuss the future of ultrasound business in the country,” said Arun Sharma of the Network Solutions, New Delhi, one of the participants of conference, who appreciated all the speakers in the conference. Like many others, Rajeev Joshy of Omya Medical Solutions, Bangalore, had all praise about the conference and he suggested that the synopsis of all the lectures should have been sent to the delegates for the future reference.
While leaving the city, everybody repeated the same words, “see you again at the next indiaultrasound conference”.