Building a Solid Foundation
This forward-focused article, sponsored by the OLA, looks at ways you can build partnerships with labs, both today and in the future
By Alex Yoho, ABOM

Labs want to do more than provide product and fill prescriptions. Many tell Eyecare Business that they are champing at the bit to also provide your operation with the tools you need to be professional and profitable. To find out what kind of partner your lab should be, EB recently interviewed several laboratory executives: Henry Bode, general manager, Kansas City Ophthalmics; Susie Lesher, vice president of sales, Brondstater Optical America; Jeff Szymanski, sales manager, Toledo Optical Laboratory, Inc.; and Michael C. Vitale, ABOM, director of operations, Sutherlin Optical Laboratory.

Here, our roundtable participants share ways of improving your business by better understanding the labs with which you work.

What do laboratory professionals want ECPs to understand about the labs with which they interact?

Bode: The effort and expense we go through in order to provide the very best quality product and service we can.

Lesher: That we are keeping up with technologies, equipment, and procedures to produce the absolute best products at reasonable prices.

Szymanski: That laboratory partners can be the competitive advantage needed for success.

Vitale: That labs should be their first resource for
unbiased, expert advice on the best product for a particular situation.

What should an account expect of you when things go wrong?

Bode: Everything within our power!

Lesher: Immediate attention. And, to solve issues in a polite and attentive manner.

Szymanski: Courteous, prompt action—and in that order.

Vitale: Our accounts should expect prompt, immediate action to resolve the issue. They should expect us to show that we care and will do what it takes to rectify the situation

What are the two most important things accounts can do to get the best possible service?

Bode: First, fill out order forms completely. Second, send frames in a timely manner. We often find ourselves with the lenses done waiting on the frame to complete the job.

Lesher: Careful review prior to submitting can save us both time. And, the earlier in the day the job is ordered, the better the turnaround.

Szymanski: We ask only that our customers be open-minded to new ideas and suggestions. We have evolved to the point of being consultants and have the ability to suggest new methods of interacting with both the consumer and our laboratory. Also, we have strongly advocated that eyecare professionals and customers tour our laboratory. Tours have evolved from that of a "field trip" to an invaluable half day of training and education.

Vitale: I have a difficult time with this because I do not like "telling" our accounts what to do. However, we do make suggestions to use a standardized form and also to place orders via the Web to help eliminate errors.

What can your accounts do to promote a better working relationship with you?

Bode: Attend lab-sponsored events. It ALWAYS helps both sides of the relationship when you get to meet face to face.

Lesher: When in doubt about product availability, contact us first. Taking a few minutes up front can save days down the road.

Szymanski: Simply view us as a partner. Everything we do is done to ensure a prosperous future for our customers. Many practices still view a laboratory only as a place that processes Rx's. In today's environment, this could not be further from the truth.

Vitale: Talk to us. When we foster open communication with our customers, it instills trust and confidence. There is no greater feedback than when our customers feel comfortable in talking to us.

What do you want accounts to know about labs?

Bode: How very detailed the process is. One wrong move and you often have to start all over. In the case of an AR job, or a similar labor-intensive job, this means delays.

Lesher: In today's lab, it is often best to go with the manufacturer's base curve selection. Matching base curves may result in a dissatisfied patient.

Szymanski: We want customers to give us the opportunity to help provide the essential ingredients necessary to grow and enhance their practice in today's competitive environment.

Vitale: That all labs are not created equal. Sure, if everything is done properly, a single vision lens is a
single vision lens. However....

In what lab-related areas would you like to see eyecare practitioners better trained?

Bode: Basic optical knowledge. We often find ourselves spending a lot of time talking through fairly basic stuff.

Lesher: Proper use of new products. Dispensers need to be educated on when to utilize each material.

Szymanski: With the complexity and sophistication necessary to process today's elegant eyewear, few ECPs fully understand the manufacturing process behind a beautiful pair of eyewear. In the past, many opticians got their start on the laboratory side and had an understanding of the manufacturing process. Today's dispensers have taken a different path. In addition, there seems to be a higher percentage of untrained dispensing personnel. This does not need to be the case, as we have never before had so many vehicles by which we can elevate the professionalism of dispensers.

Vitale: One of the biggest concerns regarding the training of dispensers is the lack of a national standard for dispensing eyeglasses. There are two main areas where a lot of dispensers miss the boat. The first is that they prejudge the spending capabilities of the consumer/patient. The second is that they are not up-to-date on state-of the-art products.

What technologies should ECPs be using that would improve your service to them?

Lesher: Computer ordering and inquiries. The age of the computer has made a big impact in our profession. Remote ordering is quick, efficient, and results in fewer errors. The turnaround is usually faster, too.

Szymanski: Well-built and maintained "frame shape databases" allow eyecare practitioners to more effectively handle the ever-increasing number of lens-only Rx's. Also, comprehensive lens and material usage reports provided by laboratories are essential to achieving success.

Vitale: Having frames drop-shipped to the lab greatly improves turnaround time and helps to eliminate errors.

Are you ready to take the bull by the horns and give your laboratory a call to see how you might improve your business?

Hundreds of laboratories network together through the Optical Labora-tories Association, and together have developed some of the best tools you'll find in our industry.

Check out www.ola-labs.org, and look for the OLA emblem when you need a lab.

future focus on labs

We asked our roundtable participants what they think we will see from labs in the near future. Here are their answers.

Henry Bode: I see a lot of streamlining/simplifying of the online ordering. Also, more and more labs are going to in-house with AR, etc., to remain competitive on delivery times.

Susie Lesher: Improved service. Robotics will most likely make their way into the majority of labs in the near future. More advanced equipment is being produced to improve quality of surfaced lenses and production time. We are becoming less labor-intensive.

Jeff Szymanski: Labs will continue to go above and beyond in making available valuable tools, resources, and training. In addition, successful labs will continue to reinvest in machinery and processes.

Michael Vitale: We will continue to see increased electronic ordering and greatly improved remote trace and edge capabilities. With the onset of freeform technology, we will see labs being able to create custom progressives and then add a custom engraving—allowing a dispenser to have a truly unique product.

preparing for tomorrow

Here's how this month's roundtable participants responded when we asked, "What can the ECP do to prepare for future technologies?"

Henry Bode: Educate yourself on any new technology. Only through education on any particular technology can you really decide what may or may not work for you. Also, talk to your lab or lab rep, as they may have had experience with it themselves or through another account.

Susie Lesher: Be open and receptive to new procedures/technologies.

Jeff Szymanski: Certain ECPs look to save a buck by working with a "cheap" lab, not aware that they are sacrificing by not fully embracing the cornucopia of valuable tools and resources that can take their practice to levels of success not previously thought possible.

Michael Vitale: Upgrade Internet connections to high-speed access and computers to increased speeds. Also, educate themselves on the new technologies and work closely with their lab to understand how these new technologies can improve their business.