Unity Buying. It is one of the core tenets of The Growth Cooperative and in many ways needs little explanation. The concept is simple and assumed to be occurring within all buying groups and alliances… but in fact, it is not.
Current alliances mirror the choices that doctors have in the market. Most alliances work with many vendors ensuring their members have choice. Makes sense. Or does it? Current alliances tout ‘choice’ as one of the key benefits of working with them, but doctors have choice simply by looking across the market. You cannot gain from a benefit your already have.
In fact, group purchasing, true group purchasing, is when a volume of product is purchased because many practices have decided to use that
specific product. There is much more to be gained when truly purchasing as a group – directing all purchases at a single, best-in-class vendor that yields significantly better pricing and service every day. A 5% discount from your current purchasing alliance? How about 15% off, 20% off or even more. In some cases, we get to say… FREE! Better yet, when you are a significant piece of a company’s business, the service is better, warranties are longer, new features can be directed and other ‘special’ requests are significantly more likely to be be accommodated.
This is the result of acting in concert; being a team. Yes, you have given up choice, but choice is overrated when the difference between products in the market is minor and the fact is that your patients would be well served by any of the quality products available.
If this sounds like something that fits your culture of business, then come join ours. You will find us heavy-handed, prescriptive, demanding and down-right dictatorial. And when you’re feeling bad about your lack of choice, look to your growing bottom line and decide what you are really missing with less choice. Teamwork certainly does have its drawbacks. We all don’t get to call the plays. As for me? I simply prefer to be on the winning team.