What Warning Signs To Avoid Upon Purchase Of Audiology Practice

By Rosella Campbell


It is only natural for people to consider buying a business. Buying a Long Island audiology practice is the easiest way of having a company of your own. It is not as difficult to push through as when you are starting from scratch. As long as you have enough money for that, you should be able to go ahead with the business start up.

However, you should not really view this option as extremely easy. The said option is not always a bed full of roses. You have to be meticulous and come prepared for any negotiations when you are making this particular purchase. Otherwise, you might get swept up in the flow of the intimidating sales process.

When you are buying, there are some tips that you should be able to take advantage of. You have to be aware of what it is you really are buying. Of course, you also have to pay attention to where you are certainly buying them, the area of the business, the purchase deed, and many other important records for your business.

You will also have to pay attention to the warning signs that are evident in bad businesses. These warning signs, when present, will tell you that a certain business is not the best option for you. Here are some warning signs which will tell you whether the business is your best choice or if you better search for another option.

First, a business that actually shows you an inconsistent financial statement is not the best place for you to start up in. In order for you to eliminate the worry of an inconsistent financial statement, your seller should provide you with income statements, balance sheets, and tax returns that covers three years prior leading up to the sale. Compare these statements properly.

All of the fluctuations that you can see in the sales should be explained. Even though the fluctuations happen yearly because of changes in the economy or because of third-party payers, they should still be explainable. If there are lots of fluctuations in the sales that can be considered abnormal, then better back out of the said negotiations.

Hyper-growth is as worrisome as when there is a declining sales. A rapid spike in its sales is actually not a good thing, especially when it has something to do with heavy discounting without any corresponding increase in profitability as well as acquisitions. You can view this as the future growth not coming from organic means.

If there is reliance in third parties, you can say that it is as worrisome as any other warning signs. In the hearing aid industry, you have to stay away from those companies on sale that have high concentration of patients coming from third-party sources. Understand what reimbursement structure is so that you can determine this.

KPI is very important. KPI basically stands for key performance indicator. You have to watch out for the KPI of a business because you have to make sure that it does not generate poor KPI. When it comes to the KPI, this covers binaural rate, average selling price, hearing aid return rate, and even cost of goods sold as sales percentage.




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