The clock is ticking...

**pedseye** · 05-08-2001, 03:52 PM

Well, I gave my official notice yesterday! Yikes. My last day here is Friday the 18th. The new office opens June 11th.
I am still welcoming any input you guys have on do's and don'ts and any marketing strategies you might have. The Doc has 8 years of patients and his appointments through December, which most will schedule at his new office. We're shooting for 80%. You guys have been a big help!! Keep those ideas coming.

:) I almost forgot....what is your professional opinion on whether to start out non-finishing (local lab does complete jobs) or do finishing and why. We are going to sart out with the majority being kids, because of transferred scheduling, which will be single poly at about a low average of 8 rx's a day to start.

**hcjilson** · 05-08-2001, 04:21 PM

When I opened this place, after a thirty year career owning or managing many optical shops,(All with their own labs eventually) I chose not to do it in this one.I have/had grown to hate the sound of an edger, and our propensity for making large tray piles out of small tray piles and vice versa.I was tired of the stress of lab work, regardless of how much more it cost me to have the jobs done out.You have to weigh that for yourself.A proper (state of the art) lab today will cost 30-50 K depending on how state of the art you want to get:) Bill Galindo (formerly with Briot) made a case for their patternless edger being cost effective at 5 jobs a day! Of course he was selling them too!With 8 jobs a day I don't know how fast you would be able to retire the debt service on a new lab.Also give some weight to the stress factor, and the amount of time you will be off the selling floor.I wouldn't do it but on the other hand you really haven't lived until you've had a shop full of people wanting to buy glasses, and some guy yelling at you because his rush job wasn't ready on time!

:( Good luck with your decision

**Bob Rihl** · 05-08-2001, 04:51 PM

Eight jobs a day? I'd go lab-less. On twice that many, you might consider it. But then again, if you're using all polycarb, and mainly stock single vision, as it sounds like you will be, you have an excellent inventory position should you decide to do finishing. You can keep that inventory pretty simple. But those paternless edgers are expensive for a small operation. I think a lot would depend on whether you find yourself losing many sales because you can't do it "in about an hour." I don't think you will, given the specialized nature of your operation. You'll probably have enough to worry about initially without the added hassle of setting up a lab.
Bob

**Di822** · 05-08-2001, 06:56 PM

Congratulations! I really envy you! I don't remember if you said....do you have any ownership in this shop? Or will you be setting it up for the Dr? You have a lot of work ahead. Hope all goes well. I wouldn't even think about a lab at this time. Like Bob said....make it easy on yourself! Di

**Specs** · 05-08-2001, 06:58 PM

If I were you I'd at least invest in a pattern edger and pattern maker. The cost will be a lot less. You can even find some pretty decent used equipment. Without those pieces of equipment, you will be turning away some clients (I perefer the term client over patient or customer). As an owner myself, I know that on the occasion that someone really needs it tomorrow, you can do it. Order that uncut out today and edge it in house tomorrow. What about that client who will not buy a new frame and can't let you have the frame for a couple of days but, needs new Varilux Panamic Transitions. Do you really want to send that client down the street to your competition who has an edger. You don't have to edge all the time, just do it when you really need to. While it may not pay off the few thousand right away. It will pay for itself.
I just had someone come in the other day that had fairly new Varilux Panamics with A/R (bought elsewhere). He was informed by friends that his frame was a bit large(56 Carlos)and he needed to modernize his look. He was in my town on business for that day only. He picked out a nice $210. frame, I charged an extra $20 for the work and responsibility of working on his lenses. He walked over to the sandwich shop in out strip center while I knocked out the job. I sure would have hated to say "no, we're not fully equipped to handle all your needs here, you need to go to someone who is."

**Homer** · 05-08-2001, 10:52 PM

As one who has always done finishing in-house, I can't think of doing things another way for lots of reasons besides a little bit of extra profit - like service and quality control.

However, I you are going to do a minimum of 8 Rx's per day you will not have time for edging. So unless you are going to have a lab tech or share the duties with another dispensing optician or work the second shift, stay out of the finishing business.

If I were so sure of 8 Rx's per day I would put in a complete finishing lab, train good staff and impress those little guys and their moms with some same-day service.

Lens stock is another issue.

I have been patternless for over 8 years. I'd go work in a car wash before I'd go back to patterns - Even if they gave me the edger. :hammer:

Good Luck :cheers:

**PAkev** · 05-09-2001, 11:00 AM

pedseye,

On the flip side of things, I see many geriatrics and probably echo your expectations of 8 jobs a day. We have been open almost a year now and I put in a finishig lab out of the gate since our place was being remodeled and I didn't want to worry about plumbing, electirical work, lights, etc. IFIF we eventually decided on a lab. Most of our folks are in no big hurry and don't mind the day or two it takes me to get my uncuts from a wholesale lab. The lab has provided an opportunity to capitalize on single vision work from a stock lens supply. The lab has also developed an opportunity for greater patient confidence in meeting their needs since I can explain to patients that I am the one that does their fitting, I am the one that makes their lenses, and I am the one that dispenses their completed eyewear.

I usually apply time management skills by doing my lab work every other day rather than every day so that I don't get elbow deep in job trays and then have to leave to service patients between each job or each lens which increases the chance of making mistakes. The days I do edging, I usually come in an hour early before I start seeing patients and can keep focused on my lab work.

We purchased our equipment so we don't have any monthly lease payments to soak up profitability and am happy with our decision.

Best wishes in your new endeavor and hope you keep us posted on your success.

Kevin

**Texas Ranger** · 05-14-2001, 05:10 PM

pedseye, congrats on the move. 25 yrs ago, we started out with a finish lab, never have regretted it. don't bother with patterns, or anything water cooled, and don't do glass in-house. call national optronics an get a quiet, dry cut edger designed specifically for polycarbonate. they collect waste in a shop vac, and the shop vac is the only noise, and it can be sound insulated. I have their new 6e, that even grooves rimless in one cycle. they are expensive, but they are marvelously accurate, virtually eliminate breakage, and save you lots of time. one thing, if you're not real good at finish work, send it all out, and be really good at what you are good at. a finish lab is a true service to your clientele though, if you can match the same quality as your lab. Al.

**harry888** · 05-14-2001, 09:17 PM

I would probably lose two jobs per week if I didn't have my finishing lab (I also average about 8 jobs per day).

So, that's 8 jobs per month, probably more than enough to pay the edger lease.

If my office was more geriatric, the number of rush jobs would be lower as the elderly seem to always have a back-up set of specs.
The younger people seem to be the ones in more of a rush.

**sam hamadani** · 05-14-2001, 11:31 PM

Originally posted by pedseye
[which will be single poly at about a low average of 8 rx's a day to start. [/B]

pedseye, congrats

Eight jobs a day? I'd go lab-less. On twice that many, you might consider it…….Bob Rihl
We started out with a finish lab, never have regretted it. …….Al
Optical Office without an edger = Restaurant without a stove…….Sam Hamadani
With a mindset of eight jobs you will probably eight jobs.
Without an edger you will get six, but if you have an edger you will have 12 and you will pay it off in less than 12 months. …….Sam Hamadani

**pedseye** · 05-19-2001, 10:38 PM

Great replies ! As I mentioned, the Doc was just short start up cost for a $30,000 edger, so we agreed to re-evaluate things in about 6 months to see if my predictions were right. If they are, he will purchase a patternless edger then. I found a Briot Accura with only a thousand miles on it for $20,000 and the Doc said no dice for start up. I can only hope a deal like that comes through in six months. Keep your eyes open for me, you know what I am looking for.

Anyone of you use Compulink? That's the software and we will be totally paperless. Yes, electronic medical records. It will be a first for me. Have any of you used this system???:hammer: