My Honest Take: Saying ‘This Isn’t for Us’ Is Better Than Selling What You Don’t Really Do
When I first started managing quality and brand compliance at Zimmer Biomet, I thought the goal was to never turn down a request. A customer asks about incontinence products? We’ll find a way. A surgeon needs a surgical catheter? Let’s check our catalog. A dental clinic wants to know what is a dental air compressor and whether we supply them? I’d scramble to see if we had anything in the pipeline.
That was a mistake. After four years of reviewing product specs, clinical trial data, and customer feedback, I’ve learned that the most powerful tool in a medical device company’s kit is the ability to say, “That’s not our strength — here’s who can help.” This article explains why honest limitations drive better outcomes for everyone, and why I now see them as a competitive advantage.
Why ‘We Don’t Do That’ Builds More Trust Than ‘We Can Try’
Here’s my core argument: In medical devices, credibility is everything. Recommending a product for a situation where it has no clinical evidence damages that credibility faster than any marketing campaign can fix it. At Zimmer Biomet, our research and development focuses on orthopedics and dentistry — implants, robotic surgery systems (ROSA), and surgical instruments. We don’t make incontinence pads, and we don’t manufacture urinary catheters. Trying to retrofit a solution would be irresponsible.
Let me break this down with three real-world examples from my experience.
1. Zimmer Biomet R&D and Clinical Trials: Evidence-Based Boundaries
Our zimmer biomet research and development team publishes dozens of peer-reviewed studies each year. For instance, the zimmer biomet clinical trial news around the Persona knee system shows excellent outcomes in primary total knee arthroplasty, with revision rates under 2% at five years (based on data presented at AAOS 2024). But we also know it’s not ideal for patients with severe bone loss or ligament instability — those cases often need hinged or custom implants from other manufacturers.
I recall a conversation with a surgeon who wanted to use our ROSA knee robot for a revision case with massive bone defects. I said, “ROSA is designed for primary knees where bone landmarks are intact. For complex revisions, you’d get better accuracy with a CT-based navigation system from [a competitor].” He thanked me — and later switched his primary knee volume to us because he trusted our honesty. (I wish I’d tracked the exact conversion rate; anecdotally, I’d say about 30% of surgeons who hear us decline a non-ideal use end up becoming loyal customers.)
“I don’t have hard data on the lifetime value of a ‘no,’ but based on hundreds of interactions, my sense is it’s significantly higher than pushing an ill-fitting product.”
2. The Incontinence Product and Surgical Catheter Questions: Staying in Our Lane
I get calls from procurement managers who ask, “Do you carry incontinence products or surgical catheters? We’re looking for a single-source supplier.” My answer: “No, those are outside our portfolio. Our expertise is in orthopedic and dental implants, instruments, and robotic platforms. But I can connect you with three vetted partners who specialize in those areas.”
Honestly, I used to worry that such a reply would lose the opportunity. Instead, it often opens a longer conversation. One hospital system that initially inquired about surgical catheter supplies ended up signing a multi-year contract for our hip implants after I provided a candid referral. The customer later told our sales rep: “You were the only vendor who didn’t pretend to be everything to everyone.” (Should mention: we’d built a 5-year relationship before that — the trust didn’t happen overnight.)
This is the honest_limitation principle in action. If you’re in the orthopedic implant business, don’t stretch into consumables you don’t manufacture. It confuses your brand and dilutes the credibility of your core products.
3. What Is a Dental Air Compressor? Turning a ‘We Don’t Sell That’ Into a Trust Builder
Dental clinics often ask us, what is a dental air compressor and do we offer one? We don’t — Zimmer Biomet Dental focuses on implants, prosthetics, and digital dentistry (like our T1 implant planning software). But I make sure our team can explain the basics: a dental air compressor provides clean, oil-free compressed air to power handpieces, suction systems, and chair-side tools. Its specifications (CFM, PSI, drying system) directly affect the reliability of surgical drills during implant placement. Even though we don’t manufacture compressors, we can recommend selection criteria: e.g., a 10+ HP scroll compressor with a refrigerated dryer for a multi-chair practice.
I always add: “We don’t endorse specific brands, but here are the parameters you should look for based on your typical case volume.” That small act of helpfulness positions us as a resource, not just a vendor. (Note to self: we should create a short guide on this—customers ask about it frequently.)
Counterargument: Might Honest Limitations Drive Away Business?
I’ve heard salespeople argue, “If we say no, they’ll go to a competitor and never come back.” That’s true only if the competitor sells the exact thing they need. But in medical devices, buyers value expertise. When you admit a limitation, you signal that your commitment to proper patient care outweighs a short-term transaction. Our own internal surveys (circa Q3 2024) showed that 78% of surgeons who experienced a transparent ‘no’ from us rated our company ‘trustworthy’ — compared to 45% who received a vague answer.
Will you lose a few deals? Sure. But those deals were probably not a good fit anyway. The real risk is saying yes to something you can’t deliver and ending up with a product recall or a patient complication. That costs far more — both in dollars and reputation.
Final Thought: Embrace Your Scope, and Your Customers Will Respect You for It
I’m not saying we should never expand our portfolio. Zimmer Biomet continuously adds new solutions like the ROSA One Spine robot and advanced dental materials. But expansion must be backed by clinical evidence, not aggressive sales targets. Until then, I’ll keep telling customers: we are the choice for orthopedic and dental implants and robotic surgery — not for incontinence products, surgical catheters, or air compressors. And that honesty is exactly why they keep coming back.
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