What they said: Every vendor I talked to said it was a good show. They saw lots of people and they are looking forward to a great 2016. RSNA’s website says there were 28,000+ professional attendees and another 28,000+ total exhibitors.

Here’s my experience: The show seemed to shrink again this year and I didn’t see 56,000 people crowding me out from getting my work done. In fact, I had scheduled two and a half days to get everything done I needed to do and because of the light traffic I was finished in only one and a half days.

I also didn’t see anything really new other than more Chinese DR panel companies. Can a $10,000 panel be far off?

Consolidations continue. With Viztek being bought by Konica there goes another 1,000 square feet of exhibitor space. Rumor is that Carestream will consolidate their divisions as well. RSNA has also changed the rules on space selection and some of the small companies that have been exhibiting for decades told me that they are being moved to the back or sides of the exhibit hall. With that happening some of them told me that they just won’t be back. We are not going to one hall next year, but perhaps another 5-10% shrinkage.

All of this is just another sign that times are changing and so are the opportunities.

I’m glad to report that several of my long time equipment clients have picked up on my suggestion to ask their customers “what other medical equipment do you need, doctor” after they finish installing that DR panel upgrade. They can take those orders and get the equipment they need because “they know a guy who knows a guy” and that first guy is me.

Exam tables, autoclaves, scales and even lab equipment have been nice add-ons for several clients. As one said, “It’s a lot more than gas money, for sure!”

Those of us who have made our life’s work in the x-ray industry have seen these periods of limited innovation. Perhaps next year will bring some great new direction. However, there is no getting around the lack of consumables and the move to mostly a software driven future. Sure, there will still be sales of new x-ray equipment and there will be need to install, service and move this equipment. There may actually even be some independent x-ray manufacturing companies that remain, but some of these big guys may continue to reduce the categories of their products and customers that they will allow the independent x-ray dealer to handle.

It’s going to get tougher for the independent, solely x-ray dealer to make a living, at least in the near future. But it is possible! Never pass up an opportunity. Make that call on the customer even though he or she has not returned your last three calls. Invent an excuse to open a sales door.

Here are five ideas:

1. Send out a monthly email to all of your clients and prospects with one new idea.

2. How about a service to digitize all of their remaining films at $1.37 a scan?

3. How about converting your last film accounts with a special deal using preowned CR units? Get them to love digital and in a few years you will be ready to upgrade them to DR.

4. My favorite, of course, is ask the larger questions (“x-ray omitted), “What other medical equipment do you need, doctor?” and then find out where to get it.

5. Join other following my “3 on the 1st” program. Send me three used equipment items you want me to sell for you (that’s the “3”). Make a plan to send me this list on the first of each month (that’s the “1st”).

The future is exciting…just different from the present.

I’d like your comments and will publish them with first names only, if that meets with your approval.