Who Bought my lab?

[mrba]

Is your lab better, the same, or worse, since it has been bought by a corparation?

Think about thoughtful customer service, quality, turn around, lab rep, and anthing else that matters in a lab.

[mrba]

And please excuse the fact that I can't spell corporate!!!

[For-Life]

My lab has been better since it was purchased by Essilor. It was a great lab before the buy out, and now they are more flexible with deals and prices. I think the main thing, and I think it was a very smart thing on Essilor's side, was that they did not mess with the management or control. When I deal with this lab I still deal with the same people and the same way they used to do things. They gave empowerment to this lab, so my lab manager still runs the lab like a small business. I don't know how it is like for other Essilor purchased labs, but I think they are running this one very well.

[mrba]

What kind of deals do they do for you?

[Johns]

My Lab is Terrible (w/ a capital "T"). It is an Essilor lab, the majority of their employees(all customer svc reps & the sales rep, & the mgr) quit w/in the last 6 mos.

Now I'm ready to quit.

Last Friday, I was told that the higher ups were so concerned that someone was going to call and see what they could do to help. I got a call saying that she (the higher up) had to go to a meeting, but would call back when she had more time. Well, it's Wednesday now, and she must be pretty busy because I never got a call back...

[mrba]

Johns,

Sounds like you had a rouph time.

I want to make a point not to have any name calling on this thread, for the sake of those that are terribly sensitive to it on the optiboard.

I suppose saying that you use such and such and you are not happy is fine, just keep it professional out there. I am really interested in feedback on this topic, so lets get to it.

Say they are just a bad lab, or they are just an excellent lab...

Then again I understand what its like when they just don't care!

[Jim Stone]

Labs are no longer left to the children.

[Pete Hanlin]

Johns,

I'm not all that "higher up" or anything- I'm just sorta "medium up..." ;)

However, I work right down the hall from some really "high up" folks who I know would be genuinely interested in your concerns, because I've seen them respond positively to previous concerns I've brought to their attention (some from OptiBoard).

I'm not all that sensitive to anything anyone has to say about Essilor or our labs right here in the open, but if you'd like to keep your own contact info private, I would encourage you to email me using the link in my signature.

Just give me your contact info and what lab you are using, and I'll do my best to get some answers for you. Having managed labs (and OD offices), I know turnover can be a systemic hindrance to providing good customer service. Let's find out what the deal is, and see if there are some good alternatives.

Thanks,
Pete

[Billy Brock]

A B S O L U T E L Y W O R S E ! !

EVERY SINGLE TIME with the exception of the Hoya corp taking over my local varilux lab.

My first choice has always been an independent lab....... one word can sum it up : P E R S O N A L I Z E D !



B

[DiLa]

"Having more fun than a human should be allowed to have." It sound corny, but I couldn't be happier. One of the women at the hair salon next door to us asked me the other day if we were "smoking something funny" in our office because everyone seems "so damned happy". I told he that when it stops being fun, we're closing up the store

Johns.........the above is a quote from you in Feb. Isn't it amazing how quickly things can change in this business...........

Now what are you going to do about it?

Can you say, this too shall pass? Sorry you are going thru this. I read your posts and you sound like a really great optician.

Good luck!

[Texas Ranger]

When Crizal was introduced about 6 years ago, I was forced to change labs, since the lab I was using didn't do Crizal and the process we were using was a nightmare...I can say that all Essilor labs are NOT run the same, even though I think they have a similar theme...there are differences in customer service departments...etc. one thing for sure the industry has been going through some dynamic changes the last couple years, especially with the upsurge of rimless fittings, and those are incredibly labor intensive and time consuming jobs...I think that if you don't have the skills to do the rimless work in-house, you need to be patient with whomever is doing them, especially like with the kind of wonderful custom work with folks like Billy Brock...if you want to hop up and down and scream about every one of your orders, you need counselling....you should feel that your lab is an ally, not an adversary. you should be glad for their profitability, so they'll be there when you need them tomorrow...if you have serious problems, talk with the powers that be, let them know your concerns, ask them to check it out and see what they can do to correct the problem, if they can't satisfy your needs, there are more labs out there. And understand that, like with your customers, the lowest price isn't always the best deal...

[mrba]

Jim Stone said:
Labs are no longer left to the children.

Do you think Family run labs are better?

[mrba]

Texas Ranger said:
When Crizal was introduced about 6 years ago, I was forced to change labs,

Are you of the perception that if a lab does AR in house they are faster at it?

[Occulus Sinister]

Tried Essilor and Hoya. The two week SV jobs were really encouraging. And the customer service girl who told me minimal X (by silhouette) didn't exist was like the twilight zone.

I have compassion for lab people, even when they are good they are resented. But for sure independants will get my business as long as they care more.

[Johns]

DiLa:

Who said I'm not having fun ? Lab screw ups are just a minor inconvenience in my life ! I left work @ noon, went home and played baseball w/ my six year old, then went fishing until the mosquitos came out. Life is great, work is still a ton of fun, and I still deal with labs that make me upset occasionally. Dealing with labs is such a small part of the big picture, it doesn't even have a minor impact on how my day goes.

I deal with 4 different labs. The question was "Is your lab better since it was bought by a corporation" Well, the lab I was refering to is going through growing pains, and if they hadn't been such a good lab up until recently, I would have left them rather than waited while they solve their problems.

Pete,

One of the guys down the hall from you did call me today, and I told him the same thing that I just mentioned above (not the fishing part, the lab part:D ) Essilor has given me the best service of the 4 labs I deal with, that's why it was so dissapointing when they didn't deliver recently. If there is a change being made, then they will continue to have my business. If not, no lab would expect me to stay with them.

I must note: We are not a powerhouse account. We are probably ranked as a small account. Having said this, I appreciate the fact that someone in management would call to follow up on a satisfaction issue.

[Johns]

Mrba:

What about my post was unprofessional ? The "T" word ?

You asked for specifics. I gave them.

Name calling ?

[mrba]

Johns said:
Mrba:
What about my post was unprofessional ? The "T" word ?
You asked for specifics. I gave them.
Name calling ?

Sorry. The opti gods shut down another interesting thread because one person of many said something off key. I didn't want this thread to go there. When you expressed your dissatisfaction at your lab, I sensed the potential for you or others to invoke the wrath of Opti God with thier words, just because sometimes a lab can really **** you off if you know what I mean!

No offense intended. There are just some really sensitive people in the heavens...(or maybe they just think they are in heaven!:hammer: )

[hcjilson]

by blocking out three letters considered in poor taste.The meaning will be clear to the reader.Nothing else has been changed.

[karen]

I am thinking I might start a poll for those of us who work our used to work for a lab that was purchased...I too am most curious about how people feel about this-keep the responses coming. I agree with Texas Ranger about the lowest price not always being the best deal. In fact, I am pretty sure that in the long run it is never the best deal!

[Texas Ranger]

mrba, In the case of Crizal, if the Crizal facility is through a double door, and not across town or in anotrher city, yes the perception and reality is that the AR job can be done faster. I could order the Crizal from a lab without a Crizal facility, but then they have to sub-contract the job out to the lab with the Crizal facility, and that does cause a delay...

[karen]

Texas Ranger said:
mrba, In the case of Crizal, if the Crizal facility is through a double door, and not across town or in anotrher city, yes the perception and reality is that the AR job can be done faster. I could order the Crizal from a lab without a Crizal facility, but then they have to sub-contract the job out to the lab with the Crizal facility, and that does cause a delay...

As an authorized distributor without Crizal on site-we submit the entire order electronically to them (they surface the lens as well in most cases) and then they send to us to edge and mount. It adds a day at the most. Our Crizal turn time is actually very good. If you are already using a facility with it on site and are happy I could see why you wouldn't want to change but if you are not happy with the lab, don't let worries about that stop you from considering using another source

[mrba]

Texas,

The only reason I ask, is we process jobs similar to how Karen described for Crizal. Often if the lens isn't availabe as a stock lens, in which case there would be no turn around difference, then we have it surfaced and coated in the same place. We then make up for it by getting it through our bench faster, more accureatly, and with no breakage, to make up for the minimal time lost.

Just wanted to point out that more goes into lens making than the coating, and that coat is not the only factor in turn around.

[For-Life]

mrba said:
What kind of deals do they do for you?

Well a lot of it is privledged information that I do not want to go into, but I will say that it made it easier for my lab manager to give us certain area of movement. Again, before Essilor purchased his lab we dealt with him, after the purchase we still deal with him.

[Pete Hanlin]

As an authorized distributor without Crizal on site-we submit the entire order electronically to them (they surface the lens as well in most cases) and then they send to us to edge and mount. It adds a day at the most. Our Crizal turn time is actually very good.
Just to back up karen's point, there are 4 main EPCs (Essilor Processing Centers) that handle Crizal orders. These centers are adjacent to surfacing laboratories which provide the lenses to the coating center. The turnaround time for Crizal from an independent laboratory should be quite similar to the turnaround time from the laboratory that adjoins the EPC, because work is processed on a "FIFO" basis. The only additional time would be shipping, and since product is next-day air, this adds one day.

Of course, there are situations (everyone has the occasional redo) where delivery time may be further delayed, but the average Crizal job should have a delivery time that is pretty much the same regardless of where the product is ordered.

Thus far, this has been an interesting poll. More than anything, I think it has highlighted the fact that people make or break a lab- not equipment, location, or even ownership. Find a corporate-owned lab with good people, and you have a good lab. Find a privately owned lab with good people and you have a good lab.

At the end of the day, all labs- all businesses- exist to make money. You can make more money with better service and quality, so it is in the best interest of any lab- corporate or private- to produce high quality work with good service. The trick is finding the right people for the job, and giving them the training and tools to do the job right!

[mrba]

I agree with Pete. I think, however, that a corparate buyout, could in some instances change the way a lab is run, and have heard mixed reviews on that topic. Keep posting, we would like to hear more.