“Colors are door-openers”

Most of Bauerfeind’s circular and flat knit VenoTrain medical compression stockings are now available based on a consistent color system. A visit to REHA aktiv 2000 GmbH in Jena, Germany, showed that this step is in line with the requirements of medical supply retailers.

So simple: circular knit VenoTrain medical compression stockings for mild to advanced vein problems – that is VenoTrain look, micro, soft , business and impuls – as well as the flat knit product VenoTrain curaflow, are now all available in the colors caramel , navy, anthracite and black. The VenoTrain micro and VenoTrain soft can now also be selected in three additional hues: the pale skin tone cream, the darker skin tone amaretto, and the warm brown tone espresso. These two stocking models also come in two annually changing Fashion Colors..
“We really appreciate that the color range has been standardized,” says Susanne Wagner, expert adviser at the REHA aktiv 2000 store in Jena’s Postcarré mall. On the one hand, it is no longer necessary to memorize which stocking is available in which color, or to even look this up in the catalogue. On the other hand, the concept helps to optimize treatment – and this is a crucial advantage. “Take for example a customer with relatively soft connective tissue. I would recommend a VenoTrain soft to this customer, rather than a VenoTrain micro. However, the soft model didn’t come in so many colors in the past. Maybe the customer saw a sample of the VenoTrain micro in a particular color in the window or above the counter, and then she wants this exact color. This customer is bound to be disappointed if I have to tell her ‘This is not the right stocking for your legs, and the one you need is not available in this color’. This may even have an impact on the patient’s adherence to their treatment. Thanks to the standardized color concept , there are no more restrictions like this. I think that’s fantastic!”
It has also become easier for wearers of compression stockings who are switching to another stocking material to stick with their favorite color. Patients from a nearby phlebology practice who are suffering from thrombosis often frequent the Postcarré mall. “In these cases we make sure that the initially provided stocking has a higher working pressure. Once the thrombosis is gone, many customers choose to continue wearing a compression stocking – to be on the safe side, or because they have felt that it makes them feel better. In this case they tend to switch to a model with lower working pressure.” In the store’s day-to-day business it is also not uncommon for customers to switch to a firmer stocking. A consistent color range, standardized top bands and a shared sizing system for standard products make it considerably simpler for customers to choose a stocking.

Popular standard colors

Susanne Wagner has observed that the majority of compression stockings supplied can be easily covered with the four standard colors. “80 percent of stockings provided to our customers are in black or caramel ,” the 42-year-old points out. Navy and anthracite are also popular, especially among men. Her customers are usually prescribed two sets per calendar year. “The time of year actually plays a role when it comes to the colors selected,” explains the expert adviser that has been working at REHA aktiv 2000 for 13 years. “Lighter colors, such as cream or caramel , tend to be more popular in spring and summer, while customers are more likely to opt for darker colors in fall and winter.” When they are prescribed two pairs, some customers like to choose one pair in a striking color and the other one in a more neutral tone. “Fashion-minded ladies sometimes like to wear black with a pattern, and trendy hues are also important , of course,” the expert adviser adds. “Many new customers still think of medical compression stockings as having sort of a ‘granny’ image, and they associate them with illness. However, once the customers realize how smart and trendy these stockings can look, and that they are also available in attractive colors and patterns, many of them change their mind.”

Eye-catching Fashion Colors

This is why the entire sales team at REHA aktiv 2000 eagerly awaits the two additional Fashion Colors for VenoTrain micro and soft every year. “We usually put them right into the window – they are real eye-catchers,” says Susanne Wagner. All 24 stores are provided with sample stockings for the display legs and with color sample rings for the consultation room and the field sales force. “Customers often ask about the new colors themselves.” However, only five percent actually opt for a Fashion Color in the end. “This may seem like a small share, but the Fashion Colors still have a great psychological effect. They help to give compression stockings a completely different image. We really do think of colors as door-openers.”
Susanne Wagner herself wears compression stockings at work almost every day. “It’s good for my legs, but most of all it helps during consultations.” It makes customers more likely to truly believe the benefits of compression therapy and makes it easier to dispel any reservations. “What’s more, I’m also able to quickly show, for example, how easy it is to grip the stocking material while wearing gloves.”
And which colors does she wear? “I used to wear navy, because it is a good match for our corporate colors. Nowadays I sometimes opt for a nice red, as well. I also really like the latest Fashion Color, the teal tone called ocean,” she says enthusiastically. Colors are simply a lot of fun. 

Images: Frank Steinhorst