Fixation on Histology

The Role of the Field Application Specialist – Your Partner in the Lab!

  
The Role of the Field Application Specialist – Your Partner in the Lab!You may have been advised in the past to contact your field applications specialist or sales rep when it comes to questions or troubleshooting in the lab, but what is the role of this person and how can they help you?

The duties of the field application specialist are twofold. Field applications specialists act as sales representatives and provide customer support in that they train customers on the technical specifications, installation, and use of the equipment. A field application specialist can also offer support for a wide range of manual and automated instrumentation, consumables, and reagents.


Field applications specialists manage product evaluations at the customer site to meet business objectives, support sales personnel, provide feedback from customers, and act as the customer advocate. Part of their duties also includes troubleshooting issues with the product and supporting sales personnel to achieve team objectives.

How can your field applications specialist assist you?

If you have purchased a new piece of equipment and your staff requires training. Or perhaps your staff would like refresher training. Field applications specialists can assist you with training employees on the proper use and maintenance of products and/or equipment.

If you would like to introduce a new product, instrument or test to your facility, your field applications specialist will provide support so you can make an informed decision. At times your field applications specialist will assist in optimizing the use of products, setup of products/equipment and troubleshooting.

Troubleshooting can be a large part of a field applications specialist’s day. So how can you and your field applications specialist work optimally together? DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT. There is no such thing as too much documenting you can do. How can you document when you see an issue arise? Take pictures or save examples when the issue occurs. Document the duration and frequency in which this issue has been occurring. Has there been any change in processes within your facility? Any new personnel? Have realistic expectations…sometimes the cause(s) of issues require investigative skills and time to uncover.

The one thing to remember is your field applications specialist is there to support you and help you provide the best patient care possible.

Have you thought about a career as a field applications specialist?

To become a field applications specialist, a background in sales and customer service can be helpful but not always necessary. What is most helpful is the technical knowledge related to the specific products or services your company provide. For example, a field applications specialist who works for a biotech firm may need to have a foundation in biology, life sciences, and engineering, in addition to knowledge of how to prepare or maintain medical equipment. Other important qualifications for the profession include strong verbal and interpersonal communication skills, strong organizational skills, time management, knowledge of sales strategies, and the willingness to travel for work.

Written by Jennifer Robinson 
#2022
#Blog
#GeneralAnatomicPathology
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