A Changed Landscape For Retail Audiology

All of the predictions are coming to pass and retail audiology faces a changed landscape moving forward. The introduction of a new changed DTC model by Sonova, and the purchase of Lively Hearing by GN represents the beginning of a completely changed provision model for the US market. I hate to say I told you so, but I told you so. ?

You can bet that every traditional hearing aid manufacturer is looking at how they can play in that changed provision model. I can hear some people out there say “the US, but HelloGo is only Australia!”. My answer is that we would have to be stupid to think that HelloGo or something like it is not going to enter the US market as soon as it possibly can. ??

You would also have to be stupid to believe that your favourite manufacturer is not going to enter that provision channel. They simply can’t ignore it and stay relevant. ?

A Blended Model?

While HelloGo and Lively Hearing are superficially different, one offers a self-fit product, the other, traditional hearing aids. They are both aiming to offer a similar provision model, a blended model approach. To quote a friend, a click and mortar approach. They offer the simplicity of e-commerce, with the peace of mind of in-person, local support. ?

Have a problem or want to get those babies professionally customised? Well then go to your local retail store. That support will cost extra, but that’s okay, because you might not need it. The key thing though, is that the support is there. ?

When I saw the HelloGo strategy, I felt that Sonova had learned a hard lesson from their Shift Hearing experiment, that people wanted to buy online, but they also wanted the option of local support. The titbit from the Lively announcement that two thirds of the enquiries to Lively were interested in online and offline support validated that idea. ??

Many within the industry have spoken about the advent of a blended model as the ideal provision model. It made a lot of sense to me and the introduction of remote support or telehealth paved the way for the model. It is probably one of the most palatable ways to move forward for those who are concerned for both the consumer and the profession. Let me explain why.??

The future is full of augmented audio devices, we are on the cusp of an explosion of augmented audio. Devices that can be customised to a personal sense of sound. Devices like headphones, audio systems for phones, TVs and much more.

Outside the traditional industry, we will see huge growth of devices that offer augment audio while focused on something else. You can't call a mobile phone running a self fitted speech clarity algorithm for calls and streaming audio a hearing aid, can you? The explosion of augmented devices will act in two ways, it will slow the adoption of what we recognise as traditional hearing aids but encourage it in the long term.

We are also on the cusp of an explosion of ear level devices offering hearing assistance as a function. Those devices will never be confused for hearing aids, but they will deliver situational assistance for people with hearing loss. Exciting collaborations by companies such as:

1. Jacoti / Qualcomm
2. ReSound/Jabra
3. Mimi / CEVA
4. Nuheara / Sonova
5. Sennheiser / Sonova
6. SteelSeries / GN
7. Noopl / Chatable
8. Chatable/Knowles
9. Lucid / Knowles

All of these companies are focused on delivering solutions for people with hearing loss. Solutions that will be purchasable with less pain and effort than traditional hearing aids up to now. Some of those solutions may well deliver everything that a modern hearing aid can. However, they may well just be situational solutions, not meant for long term wear.

Consumers driving change?

Consumers are driving the changes we see, they are better informed, have an increased awareness of hearing and their problems with noise. Some have situational problems, and they are looking for situational solutions. I have said before, they will opt for those situational augmented audio solutions or will be introduced to the concept with new purchases.?They are people with 300 dollar problems, not three grand problems.

This awareness though will help them to recognise earlier that they have a problem and will encourage them to move to more permanent solutions when they need them. They already live their lives digitally and many already access healthcare virtually. Convenience is king and they will expect assessment, treatment and solutions online.

The first step of their journey with traditional hearing aids may be with Lively, HelloGo or something like them. The concept offers them a low cost route to proper hearing aids on their terms, but one with a safety net.

As they move through their journey, they may realise that an in-person experience is important for them. For those who have more complex hearing losses it will make perfect sense for them to look for a more customised level of care and high technology hearing aids. They will need both and come to understand that.

What will happen next??

I think that the traditional hearing aid manufacturers will begin to build their brand within the opening market. They will have to for two strategic reasons, the first is that it will be quite a large market that may even begin to erode the existing hearing aid market. The second will be that if consumers start with Phonak OTCs, or Starkey OTCs, or Signia OTCs, they will be more likely to consider that brand when they wish to upgrade.

Most if not all will move forward with the blended model. It makes sense for them, after all, they all have captured retail they need to consider. On top of that, the blended model is not exactly something that the likes of Bose, Lexie Hearing, or even Apple can readily offer. So it is a unique value proposition. Sonova and GN have started the game ahead, not because they are the first, but because they both bought into businesses with legacy experience in the online world.

Online provision and support is similar but different from anything the industry has experienced so far. It will be a learning curve for everyone else.

What About Retail Audiology?

Retail audiology can decide to incorporate the coming technology, offer more virtual services, look at augmented audio devices and the delivery of different services that assist people with hearing loss in a holistic manner. By that I mean the training of coping mechanisms, the provision of hearing therapy.

On top of that, we can also look at how we fit within the concept of a blended model. The alternative is that through inaction, retail audiology stagnates, it becomes clinically focused offering diagnostic, tinnitus management and balance services combined with providing hearing aids to the odd complex case and the consumers who don't understand technology. To do that is to contract as a profession.

I believe that one way or the other, the provision of hearing aids as part of our business will contract in the future one way or the other. Advances in AI will mean that there is less need for fine-tuning and even fitting services moving forward. I believe the AI of the future will both optimise and validate the fitting in real-time.?I think that for the bulk of people who need audio augmentation, because that is what we do, we will no longer be involved in the provision of devices in the way we are now.

I said before, I think that will lead to more services that fall within, are aligned with, or make sense to our scope of practice. We are already widening our services with earwax removal, balance testing and even cognitive testing. The devices of the future will also offer new possibilities by their function. Starkey has pointed the way with their integrated health features.

Hearing care professionals can become a part of a wider integrated care model moving forward. Things like fall detection and bio readings can help with that. Currently, there is an explosion in monitored health for older people. Perhaps hearing care professionals in the future will be able to offer services that ensure older loved ones stay at home for longer in a safer way.??

We need to think of hearing care holistically and become professionals for, and centres of, augmented audio. For the moment, we have at our disposal everything from apps that help, through better situational solutions to hearing aids. In the blended model, access to hearing care professionals will still be important.?

Outside of that, the explosion of augmented audio devices will lead to a confusing marketplace. Hearing care professionals can help and guide consumers through it while offering services designed to keep consumers younger for longer. I think the key will be, can retail audiology undertake the changes and will consumers still be interested in their services??

I read elsewhere professionals complaining about recent events, one voicing the opinion that the strategy wouldn't be successful without the involvement of the profession. I avoided pointing out that while they were correct, all of the manufacturers had their own captured retail presence that would be only to happy to service the need.

Them, and the national and international businesses whose future needs to be secure. Independent professionals can decide to take their ball and go home, but I fear it will only make us irrelevant.