Successful simulation programs need to understand the resources they have around them and how to best use them. Avkin, a Wilmington-based healthcare simulation company, wants to maximize education and product integration, by ensuring that customers understand how to correctly use their wearable simulators. Avkin’s leadership team understands the importance of standing out when it comes to customer success, educators’ time should be spent focusing on their students, not sitting on a phone waiting on hold. Avkin has hired multiple CHSE-certified educators to ensure simulationists’ needs are met from an integration standpoint as well as tech support.
When a customer buys a product from Avkin, The customer success team will set up an integration call with the customer so they can talk through the best ways to integrate the wearable simulator into the institution’s curriculum. Integration calls to protect the investment of the institution and maximize the use of the new wearable product. Industry-standard expects customers to pay for these additional resources but Avkin wants to change these low standards and elevate the customer service aspect when it comes to healthcare simulation. Many have claimed that the simulation industry is moving into a “post plastic era” and emphasizes the need to move away from clunky plastic manikins. Simulationists are investing in the new era of simulation and starting standardized patient programs and purchasing Avkin wearables to better meet the needs of their students. Avkin’s customer success team is ready to help make that transition as smooth as possible.
In 2016 Amy Cowperthwait, a simulationist from the University of Delaware founded Avkin. She was frustrated by what was currently on the market and knew that there had to be a better way to educate students. Amy trailblazed the industry and one of her first orders of business was to establish the customer success team to flip the simulation industry on its head. She knew the struggles of sitting on hold with a broken manikin and the frustration of products sitting on a shelf not being used. No more! “With the investment, simulationists are making, they should not be nickel and dimed to get it integrated into their simulation program.” -Amy Cowperthwait.
The customer success team at Avkin is led by Kim Anderson, who is CHSE-certified and has been with the company for 3 years.
Kim says, at Avkin:
“We have worked in simulation and can understand the struggles our customers see on a regular basis. As a team, we continually seek ways to improve our customers’ success. This department is under continuous quality improvement so that we can help simulationists maximize their time and investment.
Working under Kim is Lauren Gaddis who holds a master’s degree in medical simulation and is working towards her CHSE certification. Lauren, a new member of the Avkin customer success team, is motivated to help customers develop a successful simulation using Avkin products. When talking to Lauren about these motivations, she said “I enjoy conversations on how to better achieve that fidelity they are looking for with our devices and offer my best advice on providing a greater learning experience for their students”- Gaddis says..”
The customer success team works hard to meet individually with all of Avkin’s customers to assist in making sure that the wearables are fully integrated into their programs.
Customers describe their old manikin-based experience as frustrating and overwhelming. Avkin customers are thrilled with the personalized attention they receive from their peers on the integration calls. They have described it as a breath of fresh air to be talking to someone who understands the daily struggles and reality of working in simulation. Appreciating the extra attention Avkin puts into making sure they reach success with this new modality of simulation.
“Avkin is an innovative company full of heart and creativity that has been really positive for us. The story of how they began, and the culture of the company is a testimony to the quality and return that we have seen working with Avkin and their products.”
– Sami Rahman, MEd, MSN, RN
Director of Simulation
Blinn College
We are eager to see the growth that comes from this company in the future. With such a high customer focus we expect to see simulationists flocking to this new technology in the next few years and with assistance from their customer success team we are eager to see programs continue to integrate simulated participants and wearable simulators. If you are interested in learning more about Avkin and their wearable simulators click this link to learn more.