Offering advice and support for our medical retail partners

Efficient transactions, excellent advice and tailor-made solutions for providing medical products – high-quality patient care requires the close cooperation of the manufacturer and medical retailers. Diana Habel and Silke Helbig in the service team offer expert support for Bauerfeind measurement technology.

For us, our customers and their questions always come first,” says Diana Habel from the Measurement Technology Service Hotline. She has been concerned with taking body measurements since 2003 and was previously employed in the Phlebology Back-Office Sales Department at Bauerfeind since 1999. She knows all too well that medical aids can only be 100 per cent effective if they fit perfectly. This requires the measuring of the relevant body dimensions. Diana Habel and her colleague Silke Helbig are familiar with the difficulties and questions that can arise on site at the medical retail store. “That’s why our motto is: never expect, never assume, always ask. No matter how simple a topic may seem, a clarifying question or a brief confirmation often does the trick,” confirms Silke Helbig, who has been in the Measurement Technology department since 2006 and previously also worked in Phlebology Back-Office Sales since 2003. Diana Habel adds: “We have a number of customers who call in regularly for support. I think that’s a good thing, because it shows that they are using their measurement systems and aiming for high-quality results for their customers.”

The two colleagues are in charge of the Measurement Technology Service Hotline – from Mondays to Fridays, between 8 am and 5 pm. It is also possible to send electronic requests. These are promptly followed up with a corresponding response. Diana Habel and Silke Helbig get downstream support from one service manager and two tech­nicians, who – if necessary – take care of technical details by phone, via remote maintenance or also during on-site visits.

From preparing quotes to shipping replacement parts

The two colleagues are in charge not only of the support service, but also of all administrative tasks related to measurement technology. This includes the creation of quotes as well as lease and purchase agreements for measurement systems, feedback documentation, shipping out systems as well as material bookings or returns processing. Yet their responsibilities also include assessing images for processing complaints and shipping replacement parts and equipment for leasing systems. Silke Helbig confirms: “We take care of the entire process: from the inquiry to scheduling the product briefing.” In doing so, it is important for the two women to always stay up-to-date themselves. This is because the innovation of technology requires continuous training to ensure we can convey state-of-the-art expertise. “We took a major development step when switching from Image 3D to the Bodytronic measurement systems. In addition, the large number of variants increases the amount of knowledge required,” states Silke Helbig. Diana Habel explains: “Over the years, the automation of equipment and workflows has steadily increased. The transmission of measurement data is now also directly linked to the online shop. Technical progress has also enabled us to provide support via remote maintenance. In the past, the many details of an issue had to be inquired over the phone, but now we can easily troubleshoot most problems by connecting to the computer on site.”

Particularly during the pandemic, non-contact measurement became much more relevant for medical supply stores. Accordingly, the number of devices on the market increased, as did the measurements made and thus the number of inquiries from users. But the two service employees are not only committed to providing quick help. It is also important to connect on a personal level. “Personal relations matter as well”, says Diana Habel. Customers appreciate this approach, which also strengthens customer loyalty, Silke Helbig reports: “Recently, a medical supply store employee contacted me to say goodbye because she was retiring. She thanked us for our support. Of course, that made me very happy.”

Tricks of the trade

Some supposed errors can be easily avoided. For this, Diana Habel and Silke Helbig have a few tips up their sleeves. “Our large Bodytronic 600 and 610 body scanners are designed to detect movement during the measurement process to avoid imprecise dimensions,” explains Diana Habel. “Many users don’t know that this motion detection also issues a warning when patients wear clothes that are too loose.” Instead of a fluttering skirt or a disturbing scarf, only tight-fitting, light-colored underwear should be worn during the measuring process, if possible, “and mesh pants should be put on over boxer shorts. These are included in the initial scope of delivery,” says Diana Habel.

Another common phenomenon is saving duplicate patients in the system. “When entering patient data, an excess space is enough to create the patient twice. And when you synchronize with the online store, you get an error message,” says Silke Helbig. You can save the measurement, but the order cannot be submitted. “A simple way to avoid this is using a card reader. Already included with Bodytronic 610, it can also be purchased separately for Bodytronic 600 and Bodytronic 410 via the online store. Simply scan the health card every time you take a measurement, and the data is automatically correct.” The service team’s toolbox also includes other advice for daily practice. “If you need mesh pants or adhesive markers, you can add them to the next stocking order in the online store to minimize shipping costs,” recommends Diana Habel. And Silke Helbig points out that there is the option of specifying virtual measuring points when recording the data. “Especially for pantyhose or for very large thigh circumferences, this feature allows you to place three points for the crotch and center of the knee on the computer to increase the accuracy of the product fit. And if you have any questions about the quick start guide, we will be happy to answer them on the service hotline. Just give us a call.”

Measurement Technology Customer Service

The German-speaking service is available from Monday to Friday, between 8 am and 5 pm, at

Phone: +49(0)36628-662900

Bilder: Bauerfeind/Andreas Wetzel