An Orthopedic Salesperson’s Guide to Cross-Collaboration

In the high-stakes world of orthopedic device sales, where new technology could mean the difference between a life-changing innovation and another failed experiment, one ingredient is surprisingly often missing: collaboration.

Imagine a world where marketing and sales teams operate on separate planets, their messages colliding like comets in the vastness of an unshared customer management system. Picture the chaos of R&D churning out revolutionary technology while the sales department remains blissfully unaware, peddling outdated products based on last year’s buzzwords.

The consequences of this isolation can be dire. Sales teams struggle to sell technology they don’t fully understand, marketing campaigns fall flat due to a lack of input from sales and valuable innovations languish in R&D labs.

Unfortunately, this is the siloed reality that many orthopedic companies face. A reality where the latest treatment for a novel periprosthetic infection might be buried under an avalanche of miscommunication.

A new year means new resolutions. To be a top salesperson in your organization, commit today to dismantling walls, learning the language of your colleagues and emerging as a champion of cross-collaboration. Let’s break down the silos, one shared spreadsheet at a time, and unlock the true potential that sales professionals can achieve when operating within cross-functional teams.

Here are nine ways to become a stronger cross-collaborative partner and knowledgeable sales rep.

1. Appreciate the Collective Operation

Each department within an orthopedic device company acts as a vital organ. From the rhythmic heartbeats of the sales team to the analytical brainpower of R&D, every organ must harmonize for the organizational body to function at its peak.

2. Understand Your Role

Sales reps are the heartbeat of the operation, pumping lifeblood (revenue) throughout the company. Without sales, the organizational body would be lifeless, like an ER waiting room on a slow Tuesday.

3. Use Effective Communication

Think of practical communication tools as a scalpel and team meetings as a stethoscope. It’s not about wielding a power saw (reply all emails) or a Kazoo (ineffective meetings).

Precision is key.

Use the scalpel (emails) sparingly and precisely. Be cautious of potential infections (misinterpretations). Use the stethoscope (meetings) for regular check-ups. But remember, too many can make your team flatline from boredom.

While cross-collaboration requires bringing teams together in person, it’s important to ensure the time is spent wisely. Amazon’s Two Pizza Rule is a good guideline for meetings. If you need more than two pizzas to feed the team around the table, your meeting might be too large and less effective.

4. Overcome Language Barriers

Sales, R&D and marketing often speak different dialects, like a Texan trying to understand a Scotsman. Bridging this gap requires a Rosetta Stone and a translator fluent in both Marketese and Sciencish.

I once worked for a company that was bringing a distal radius plate to the U.S. from Europe. Copyright issues required us to develop a new name for the plate for the U.S. market. The European marketing team suggested the “Cluster Fixation” plate. They said we could shorten it to the “Cluster F” plate. In a hastily arranged collaboration meeting, the sales team offered a few other less offensive options.

5. Build Teams

Team building requires more than trust falls. It’s about forging bonds that can withstand the pressure of a malfunctioning prototype or a missed quarterly budget. When a new product launch is delayed at the last minute, having a team mentality can be key in dealing with the fallout.

6. Break Down Silos

Silos are for storing grain, not information. Departments need to communicate freely, like neighboring farmers swapping crop-growing secrets over the fence. Otherwise, you end up with isolated crops and confused scarecrows.

7. Employ Empathy

Empathy is the secret to understanding different departments. Sales reps need to don the metaphorical scrubs of R&D or the heels of marketing. It’s like method acting but for the corporate stage.

8. Knowledge is Power

The more everyone knows about each other’s roles and responsibilities, the better. Implement cross-training programs that allow sales reps to spend time with marketing and R&D teams and vice versa. This helps everyone develop a better understanding of the different functions within the company and fosters a sense of empathy and appreciation for each other’s work.

9. Celebrate Successes

Different departments should recognize that they are all on the same team, and a success for one is a success for all. Sales reps should know and acknowledge what success in marketing means and feel vested in achieving results and celebrating wins.

Common Vision

Orthopedic companies can unlock their true potential and grow revenue by breaking down silos and fostering cross-collaboration.

Imagine a world where sales teams are armed with the latest product information and compelling messaging, marketing campaigns are driven by customer insights and R&D innovations are brought to market rapidly. If this is not your current reality, it must be your future to achieve repeatable success. Every department must work together toward one shared goal at a time.

In the grand choreography of an orthopedic company, where each department plays a vital role, cross-collaboration emerges as the dance that keeps the organization moving. From the heartbeat of sales to the analytical brainpower of R&D, each department must synchronize for a harmonious performance.

As we wrap up this exploration of organizational dynamics, let’s turn theory into practice.

Motivated sales reps must take that initial step and volunteer to collaborate. Challenge yourself and be genuinely interested in other departments, and you will see a reciprocal interest in your own work.