THE CHALLENGE
A complex sales process with more audiences than most
MED-EL manufactures hearing implant devices — products that require a surgeon to deliver, which adds layers of complexity to both the sales process and the materials needed to support it.
“By their nature, implants can’t be sold over the counter. You always need a surgeon for that, which adds a lot of moving variables and target audiences into our sales process,” says Tim Heinz, Senior Marketing Manager at MED-EL.
Marketing materials need to be highly diverse — adapted not just by language and culture across 135 countries, but also tailored to the specific audience a rep is speaking with at any given moment. Without a centralized platform, keeping that level of flexibility while maintaining consistency was a growing challenge.
THE SOLUTION
Content tailored to every audience, every conversation
Showpad gave MED-EL’s reps the ability to tailor content to each target audience in real time. Whether meeting with a surgeon, an audiologist, or another stakeholder, sellers can pull up materials that speak directly to that person’s specific needs.
“Whenever a sales rep meets with a surgeon, an audiologist, or a different target audience, they can always tailor the content to meet the specific needs of the customer,” says Heinz.
“Showpad is the missing link between sales, marketing, and headquarters,” he adds. “It helps us see what works with customers, what is valuable to them, and what isn’t.”
“Showpad is the missing link between sales, marketing, and headquarters.”
Tim Heinz
Senior Marketing Manager at MED-EL
THE IMPACT
Stronger alignment and faster feedback from the market
With Showpad connecting sales, marketing, and HQ, MED-EL now creates content that’s informed by real customer engagement — not assumptions. The team can see which materials resonate with different audiences and use those insights to develop pieces that matter to both sellers and buyers.
“This way, we can create pieces that matter both to our sales team and, ultimately, to our customers,” says Heinz.
The platform has also accelerated how quickly the company receives market feedback — a critical advantage in a competitive medical device landscape.
“Showpad will help us to achieve our digital goals by giving us the opportunity to get faster feedback from the market,” says Heinz.