The True Meaning of Customer Support
Inside Dental Technology delivers updates on digital workflows, materials, lab techniques, and innovation in dental technology through expert articles and videos.
August 1, 2018
Volume 9, Issue 8, August 2018
Page(s): p. 28
When John Vitale took over as President of Kulzer this year, he saw a company with premium technology, brand recognition, and an unprecedented line of materials. His vision was to create a paradigm shift in digital dental solutions, increasing customers' efficiency, profitability, and patient satisfaction for all segments—economy, traditional, and implant-supported prostheses and appliances.
"We are accomplishing that by truly listening to our customers," says Vitale, who has 22 years of experience in dentistry with companies such as Nobel Biocare, Procter & Gamble, and GLO Science. "Coupling our extensive dental capabilities with exceptional service and support, we can go above and beyond what anyone else in this market can provide."
Vitale is confident in his company's ability to listen to customers and provide that high-level service and support because of the strength of the team. Kulzer has representatives for both the clinical and laboratory markets, including two certified dental technicians and two dental hygienists.
"It is different at Kulzer because customer service is one of our core values," Product Manager Tom Hollett says. "We are a dental company that manufactures dental products that are used exclusively in the dental industry, and most of our competitors cannot make that claim. And because we have service team members with more than 75 years of combined dental experience, our level of service goes well beyond answering phone calls. When a customer contacts our service team, our team members understand the problem and will take whatever steps necessary to resolve it."
One of those experienced team members is Andy Johnston, CDT, who has been a technician since 1996. Having owned his own laboratory, Johnston says he does not want to waste anyone's time by simply trying to complete a sales transaction.
"We are a business partner for our clients," Johnston says. "We are working to help them succeed. We want to be part of their success."
Hollett says he knows of service team members who have worked late at night and on weekends to assist customers. Field service technicians even fly around the country helping different laboratories.
"It is fascinating to me how much everybody in this building and in this company will go above and beyond to help customers," Hollett says. "We do not charge for customer service. These are services we offer our customers so they can have the best possible experience with Kulzer, because we want them to be partners for life and to succeed."
Part of any laboratory's success is its relationships with dentists, and Kulzer is uniquely positioned to help in that regard because of its heavy involvement in both the clinical and laboratory markets.
"We have managers who support both our clinical and laboratory representatives in conjunction with each other," Johnston says. "We encourage conversations between those teams. We sell products that touch everything from the moment the patient walks in until the restoration or appliance is delivered. When a customer calls with a question about a night guard, for example, we can look at STL files and ask about impression materials, stone, model, etc, and really dive deeper to help them on a different level than a traditional printer sales company could."
Similarly, Kulzer's extensive scope of products—including the cara Print 4.0 3D printer, the cara Scan 4.0i impression scanner, and Pala Digital Dentures—provides significant benefits. Kulzer's parent company, Mitsui Chemicals, Inc., provides extensive resources for research and development, so Kulzer is able to provide proprietary printing materials.
"Digital dentures entail more than just printing," Vitale says. "We provide a fully encompassing system. A printing company without a dental background likely will not look at that entire process, which can create inefficiencies and potentially inaccuracies on both the laboratory and clinical sides."
As strong as Kulzer's team already was, Vitale says it has gotten even better. As the company has developed increasingly disruptive technology, its customer service team has placed even more emphasis on being the best partner possible.
"We want our customers to sense a change in Kulzer," Vitale says. "This is a different company than ever before. Digital technology is really helping Kulzer evolve. As a customer, you will feel an unprecedented level of service. If you were a customer but left, it is time to come back and see us."
Sales Representatives: More than 70 in the US and Canada, serving both laboratories and dental practices
Customer Service Representatives: Nine with more than 75 years of combined dental experience
Contact Kulzer:
kulzerus.com
800-343-5336
customerservice.na@kulzer-dental.com
