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Hello I'm kinda new at this. I'm looking for some insight in regards to Hoya as a lens provider and a company. I am considering changing labs and Hoya is the best likely candidate away from Essilor. We would be going into the beginning of our busy season while going through a lab change also....kind of a "gutsy" move but we have our reasons. I am not really interested in bashing labs but just want some of your personal insights.....ANY THOUGHTS???
Essilor or Hoya are both very big companies and even though their owned labs are still run by the original owners, unless you are a big big customer they will never miss you if you are not their customer. One big advantage to a smaller fully capable owner on site facility is they will more likely have a need to appreciate your account being with them.
Nothing against big or small just the facts of how business works.
So I would also consider other alternatives.
I can understand that completely I have never been treated as well as I have when I did business with a small privately owned lab. I guess one of the downsides I gues like you mentioned
One of the advantages of Hoya is they only sell product to ECPs. You won't find their product in Walmart, LensCrafters and places like that. I like that all of their trivex products come with a 2 year scratch coat (Clarity) stock. And that you can get stock trivex with Clarity & Hi Vision in a package at much better prices than grinders. Their Summit ECP & CD are good lenses.
We tried Dallas, but were not happy with the service. San Diego has been another story though. Alot of the customer service people have been there since the lab was Sierra. They are knowledgable and good problem solvers. We get excellelnt customer service from them. I understand that Seattle is another good branch, but we only need one.
Good luck to you!! I hope you're having fun and making money!!
Hope you have a well healed clientle. Hoya proud o dey stuff. Dey also takes a while.
I heard it wasn't going to be out for a few more weeks. Off their current price list I pay about the same for the ECP as I do for the Comfort. Trivex isn't even close. If its within stock range I pay half of what I get charged for trilogy with the warranted scratch kote. Even if I have to have it ground I'm still only paying about 75% of what I get charged for similar Younger product.
If you've got their new price list and they've gone up that much could you fax it to me at work?? (303)428-7585.
Thanks!!
:drop:
The Hoya lab in Modesto ca. is the only lab that I use. The products are outstanding, the tunaround time is excellent, the pricing acceptable, waranties generious but the labs customer service department is fantastic. I do believe that Tim Wooster is the best lab rep that I have ever delt with, ready willing and very able to help solve the occasional problem. Hoya is doing it right an all the fronts
If you want quality, service, and to work with professionals who are truely dedicated to the industry and their work, I would recommend going with a smaller, indepedent lab. While manufacturer owned labs can provide some great products, their are usually rather narrow minded in their product recomendations.Quote:
Originally Posted by PNKansas
And... umm... hmmm... If you are looking for an indepedent lab that offers both Varilux and Hoya products, including Crizal & HiVision products I might have a recomedenation for you........
Adam
Nice commercial, Adam.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cherry Optical
Use a private lab, stay away from the "big boys". One of these days maybe people will realise the need to support the "home team". You would have to read history to realise the ramifications of all this, though. It is no small thing.
"Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it."
Rome wasn't built in a day, nor was it destroyed overnight. It crumbled beneath the weight of itself trying to support other cultures, and ignoring it's own identity.;)
When I ran my OD's optical, we used two main labs (one Essilor, one HOYA), and we had a specialty lab for drillmounts (Rimless connection in Miami, FL). When we found PECH optical's great reputation, we started sending our trickier jobs (High wraps especially) to them for a little better quality even though the turn around time was a little longer. Between the two main labs, I loved the 1.70. In our high end field, we had patient's who knew the names Varilux and Crizal, and wanted just that, so we made sure we had an Essilor lab so that we could provide that for them. I got out of the private optical sector right before the 1.74 came out, so I can't say how it stacks up to the 1.70 from HOYA. As an optician, I think this gave us the best of all worlds. We could objectively try to find the best lens for the patient, not the best lens for our patient that this one manufacture sold. We never had to tell a patient that we couldn't get this lens they ask for, but, we do sell our comparable lens XXX. Letting our reps know that we use two different labs also keeps them wanting to do right by you, because they know it wouldn't be too hard at all to not send them any work if they send you crap.
Good luck in your decision,
William
P.S. - For rimless mountings, if you don't mind waiting a little while for the lenses to return, I have not only never had a quality issue with Rimless Connection, but in fact, every pair of lenses that has come from them has been nothing short of beautiful. I have no affiliation with the company, but I think that they've earned a reccomendation from me over the years.
How are Costco rimless jobs?
You aren't Lenny from The Apprentice, are you? This post seems like something the Russian would have said.Quote:
Originally Posted by LENNY
Adam
The lenses come back nice - sometimes the pin bevel isn't exactly the way I'd want my own personal pair to be (I'm super picky), but otherwise very good on average. We only mount rimless lenses in Costco frames - which is a slight detractor for me, but in an environment like Costco's, it makes business sense.
William
I'm very shoked at so many responses. I'm sorry for not participating in the midst of all of the replies. Thank you for all of your thoughts. I will be changing to Hoya happily while also keeping my smaller lab contacts wide open. Thanks again for all of your thoughts.....and some supposed commercials too. They've been great.
Hoya, Essilor and who ever are all just labs doing the same stuff. The only differences between them are available product and maybe price.
The best way to chose a lab is to find a partner at the lab. Find an individual at the lab that makes it a point to go out of the way to help you be your best. Any lab that wants to "sell" you is only a lab. Tell any new lab you are looking to do business with that you want a relationship. Get to know at least one person at the lab who you can go to for help. Go to the lab and take someone to lunch. Perhaps a customer service representative.
<wholesale prices removed>
A good relationship with a customer service person; invaluable.