At Perfect Seal, life revolves around earmolds: the traditional, the unique, and even the out-of-the-ordinary.
Michael Martinez: [I founded] Perfect Seal in November 1999.
HPR: Where are the company’s headquarters? Who are the major decision-makers at Perfect Seal?
Martinez: We are located in Wichita, Kan. All major decisions are made by me.
HPR: How many employees does the company retain?
Martinez: Right now, there are three of us: myself, Edward Smith, and Nathan Teague, the newest member of the [Perfect Seal] family.
HPR: Your company offers an impressive comprehensive selection of earmolds and hearing protection devices. Can you describe your inventory?
Martinez: We do all sorts of custom earmolds from traditional to very unique styles. Chances are, if you have the need for an “out of the ordinary” earmold, we can accommodate your request. Our “Air Mold” is one such earmold that has gained much popularity. It has allowed so many people who have problems with the stock tips to wear their mini BTEs comfortably. It can be used with all the slim tube BTEs on the market.
HPR: What was the inspiration for Perfect Seal to become involved in hearing protection?
Martinez: It has always been about helping people. Whether it’s to hear better or to help protect someone’s hearing. We strive to offer hearing protection devices that people want to wear; after all, they don’t do any good sitting in a drawer, do they?
HPR: What are some of the company’s specific target purchasing groups?
Martinez: We mainly deal with audiologists and hearing aid dispensers.
HPR: What are the preferred marketing outreach/techniques for targeting the company’s key audience?
Martinez: It seems that “word of mouth’’ has been our best outreach. Not only is it effective, it’s inexpensive, and that helps us keep prices down. We deal with some wonderful people who love to share with others what has worked for them.
HPR: What trends are you seeing in the marketplace?
Martinez: I see BTEs coming back around, mini BTEs really surprised me. I knew they were going to do well, but “WOW.”
HPR: Is your customer base primarily hearing professionals or consumers? What is your typical customer profile—eg, demographic, geographic, and office size?
Martinez: We mainly deal with hearing professionals. I’d say we are more popular among private practice and ENTs as opposed to large chains.
Martinez: Well, Bermuda is about as international as we get. You never know, maybe in the future we will venture out more, but for now [we operate exclusively in the United States].
HPR: Are there any future plans for a Web presence? Why (or why not)?
Martinez: They say the Web is the future. Yes, there will be a Web site soon, so keep your eyes open for www.perfect_seal.com.
HPR: Does Perfect Seal provide products and services for special needs outside the hearing health care market? If so, what are these?
Martinez: There is so much more to be done within the hearing health care market that I couldn’t even imagine getting involved in anything else. We keep all our energy where it is needed.
HPR: How can your products be ordered?
Martinez: The first step is getting a Perfect Seal catalog and shipping supplies. From there, it’s getting the impressions in to us. It’s really that simple.
HPR: Are we overlooking anything unique about your company/model that you’d like to share with our readership?
Martinez: Yes. Another thing that really sets us apart [from our competitors] is personal service. We try to get to know [our customers]. It won’t take long before I’ll be able to identify you over the phone by your voice.
HPR: What are the professional plans for Perfect Seal in the near future? Where do you see the company a decade from now?
Martinez: In the future both near and far, I see us exactly the same, doing whatever we can to keep both our customer and their client happy. Maybe there will be different molds or ways of producing them, but our customers will stay our main focus.
