First time shopping for a hearing aid? Your reactions?

[Ship of Fools]

Originally Posted by DocAudio

AGX = Starkey.

My AGX aid is an Oticon.

I loved my audiologist associated with the Audigy group .... she was extremely helpful and knowledgable .... and even went so far as to say i may find i don't even need a hearing aid yet.

[iceman0486]

Originally Posted by Ship of Fools

My AGX aid is an Oticon.

I loved my audiologist associated with the Audigy group .... she was extremely helpful and knowledgable .... and even went so far as to say i may find i don't even need a hearing aid yet.

AGX is branding organized by Audigy group and can be a Starkey, Oticon, SonicInnovations or whoever else they make a deal with. It's the same tech as the name brand. The reason we went with them was that we could offer top of the line cheaper and with a longer warranty. The audi suggesting that the AGX brand was better tech than the name brand top of the line and therefore more expensive is someone you should leave behind and never visit again.

A note on people "looking to make the big sale." Yes, sometimes it can feel that way. However, I am usually recommending my highest technology because it WORKS so much better than the older, lower tech units. Surprise, surprise. One of the things you pay for with hearing aids is function. The more expensive aids usually work better than the cheaper ones. Yes, my sales are tracked and it looks better for me to turn in good numbers, but my suggestion of the top of the line is because it is a better device.

[grannyhears]

Originally Posted by saisson

I visited an audiologist for the first time and literally felt like I was shopping for a used car. It included deceptive sales practices, pressure to purchase that day and lack of sufficient information.

I'm curious what your experience has been.

I've worn aids for years. Need new ones. I agree with your analogy. One brand in particular is "pushed" the most. I anyone really interested in my individual hearing?

[iceman0486]

Originally Posted by grannyhears

I've worn aids for years. Need new ones. I agree with your analogy. One brand in particular is "pushed" the most. I anyone really interested in my individual hearing?

Yes. One brand often gets pushed for one of a few reasons:
1) Its the only option. That is my issue. I am an outlet for one factory. You know this going in.
2) That brand has the newest tech.
3) They know that brand best.

I have mentioned before that we tend to push the newest of a particular brand - that is usually because we have shown the best results out of it. For a while we were big Starkey people, then we shifted to Oticon, and so it goes.

[grannyhears]

Originally Posted by iceman0486

Yes. One brand often gets pushed for one of a few reasons:
1) Its the only option. That is my issue. I am an outlet for one factory. You know this going in.
2) That brand has the newest tech.
3) They know that brand best.

I have mentioned before that we tend to push the newest of a particular brand - that is usually because we have shown the best results out of it. For a while we were big Starkey people, then we shifted to Oticon, and so it goes.

All of the above is fine, if the consumer's quality of hearing & life is improved.

[m0t0rcade]

Originally Posted by unpaidbill

I 'shopped' 4 different providers before I settled on Costco...and I purchased as much for my feeling about the audiologist as anything else. One of the places I shopped called me later for a follow-up, and I was honest with them and said I had purchased at Costco. He immediately said he would beat the Costco price by $500. He said to bring in the receipt and he'd make the deal. I told him that if he could do that, that's the price he should have given me in the first place. I have been completely satisfied with my decision.

This.

I tell my patients when they are shopping around, go to the place where you feel most comfortable and more comfortable with your Audiologist or HIS.

It is nearly impossible for patients to shop around for hearing aids, that is why I say this. If I say, "I think this is the best set of hearing aids for you, they are $5,000 for the set." and you go somewhere else and they tell you they have nearly the same thing, but for $3,000 your BS meter should be going off.

I don't "deal" in my office. I tell you the options, which ones I think would be best for you, and the prices. I'm not going to ask for quotes from other places and then "beat them" by some amount of money. That is ridiculous, IMO.

However, I do pressure my patients into buying when I think they will benefit my patient. That is the only way I can help them hear better. I am not pressuring them into anything that isn't good for them. And if I am wrong, you always have the trial period to return. And I only have about 3% to 4% returned, so I am not wrong very often.

[m0t0rcade]

Originally Posted by grannyhears

All of the above is fine, if the consumer's quality of hearing & life is improved.

Do you not have a trial period available to find if that is the case?

[lydia.c]

My first experience buying hearing aids, the audiologist was truly trying to be helpful and trying to do the job the best she could, but she just wasn't that good at her job. Perhaps because she hadn't had much experience up to that point, maybe she's better now. But I still got saddled with something that I have later come to learn is not adequate for my loss.

I will admit, it was half my fault. I had just experienced a sudden hearing loss, it took a month to get to see my ENT followed by another month of being irritable because of steroids. I had no energy left from the whole ordeal physically or mentally to care to research anything like I should have (and I LOVE researching).

I figured that this person is a professional in her field and between the hearing tests and questionnaire to narrow down my listening situations that I should be in good hands.

Well now I've been stuck with these harsh sounding Starkey S Series 5 RICs for nearly 3 years and lately have been visiting various audiologists to see who actually knows what they're doing and to make sure I don't get stuck with a particular 'brand' pusher. Meanwhile I've been trying my best to do my own research, which is fun considering I have no background in this type of information whatsoever. The company websites for many of the hearing aid manufacturers are terribly lacking in any real information. I don't buy a computer without knowing what kind of hardware it's packing so why should hearing aids be any different?

[IMBack]

most AD just don't have the size or buying power to carry more then a couple of brands. if you go to a Ford dealer they aren't going to push a Chevy or Honda. the major brands boil down to 4 or 5 so get a current audio-gram, do your research. Then make a few visits. Since you say you have no background and the web sites are of little help how are you making your decision as to whether or not various audiologist know what they are doing?

[prodigyplace]

Originally Posted by lydia.c

My first experience buying hearing aids, the audiologist was truly trying to be helpful and trying to do the job the best she could, but she just wasn't that good at her job. Perhaps because she hadn't had much experience up to that point, maybe she's better now. But I still got saddled with something that I have later come to learn is not adequate for my loss.

I will admit, it was half my fault. I had just experienced a sudden hearing loss, it took a month to get to see my ENT followed by another month of being irritable because of steroids. I had no energy left from the whole ordeal physically or mentally to care to research anything like I should have (and I LOVE researching).

I figured that this person is a professional in her field and between the hearing tests and questionnaire to narrow down my listening situations that I should be in good hands.

Well now I've been stuck with these harsh sounding Starkey S Series 5 RICs for nearly 3 years and lately have been visiting various audiologists to see who actually knows what they're doing and to make sure I don't get stuck with a particular 'brand' pusher. Meanwhile I've been trying my best to do my own research, which is fun considering I have no background in this type of information whatsoever. The company websites for many of the hearing aid manufacturers are terribly lacking in any real information. I don't buy a computer without knowing what kind of hardware it's packing so why should hearing aids be any different?

You can get more information on several brands by looking at their professionals sites. Try http://www.starkeypro.com , for instance.