Questions/Advice on starting a full service lab

[temjin9876]

New to the boards and am quickly becoming a regular reader.:cheers:


I have been pondering opening my own full service surface and finishing lab in Atlanta. I have prices on equipment and trying to work out where to start with pricing and logistics.

I am thinking of 1-2 day turnaround on almost any non-AR jobs (including drill mount frames) with delivery to any practice in the metro Atlanta area.

I am wondering how much does a typical lab charge for the surfacing and/or finishing of a pair of glasses? I have talked to a doctor near me that said that she would pay more for that kind of turnaround.

Any comments or advice to someone thinking of opening a lab would be most appreciated.

thanks

[Jacqui]

DON"T DO IT !!!!!!! You'll have me for a competitor and I can be real NASTY.

[hcjilson]

New to the boards and am quickly becoming a regular reader.:cheers:

I have been pondering opening my own full service surface and finishing lab in Atlanta. I have prices on equipment and trying to work out where to start with pricing and logistics.

thanks

Posting guidelines discuss posting prices (either wholesale or retail) with great clarity. Please re-read the guidelines and refresh your memory if in doubt.
If you want pricing questions to be answered, request replies by Private message.......that's one of the reasons it's there. It is inappropriate to publish prices in the forums.Caveat! derivation- From Latin, let him beware This is a public forum. You have no way of knowing to whom you are talking.

[Johns]

Temjin9876


I EXPECT same-day out on almost all my jobs, and I don't pay any more for the fast turn around. I only do uncuts.

I'm not trying to take the wind out of your sales, but I'd never go with a lab just because they offered the fastest, the cheapest, or the best service. I use them because of a combination of attributes which add up to me being able to serve my customers efficiently. I have long term relationships with my labs, and I'd assume most practitioners do as well. We very rarely switch, and when we do, it is to a lab that has a proven track record.

Have you looked into buying an existing lab ? (One that Essilor hasn't yet purchased.)

[AWTECH]

temjin9876

I have been pondering opening my own full service surface and finishing lab in Atlanta. I have prices on equipment and trying to work out where to start with pricing and logistics.

I am thinking of 1-2 day turnaround on almost any non-AR jobs (including drill mount frames) with delivery to any practice in the metro Atlanta area.

The first question you need to ask is, "why would anyone do business with you or anyone else opening up a service that is quite easy to find?"

In todays lab business more and more have their own in house AR, are members of large buying groups and it would be very difficult to get competitive purchasing prices if you do not have such relationships.

If on the other hand you know someone in say, (Tennessee with excess capacity and good AR equipment and good people), you may be able to have an edge. Today I think you would find you would be working very hard to pay for your supplies and equipment with not much left over for your efforts.

Dig around and find the names of people who have done what you want to do, both successfully and those that have closed there doors.

With freight across the country quite reasonable many labs from far away compete in distant markets.

You may find a group of 10 independant Doctors who do not have any surfacing or finishing capabilities in house and if you can prove you can deliver they may consider giving you the X number of jobs per day you need to make it work for preferred service and delivery.

Have you ever run a surfacing and finishing lab before?

I know where there is a good deal a small lab with good equipment doing exactly what you are talking about in another state. There equipment is available because they thought that by opening up customers would want to use them. Well there were very few customers willing to switch. Why leave a lab that is doing everything you ask?

[temjin9876]

Posting guidelines discuss posting prices (either wholesale or retail) with great clarity. Please re-read the guidelines and refresh your memory if in doubt.
If you want pricing questions to be answered, request replies by Private message.......that's one of the reasons it's there. It is inappropriate to publish prices in the forums.Caveat! derivation- From Latin, let him beware This is a public forum. You have no way of knowing to whom you are talking.

I assumed everyone else would follow the guidelines. You have to post in order to request. Did I post prices...NO. Did I ask for them...YES. Did a violation take place? Don't think so. Don't be so quick to judge

[temjin9876]

Temjin9876


I EXPECT same-day out on almost all my jobs, and I don't pay any more for the fast turn around. I only do uncuts.

I'm not trying to take the wind out of your sales, but I'd never go with a lab just because they offered the fastest, the cheapest, or the best service. I use them because of a combination of attributes which add up to me being able to serve my customers efficiently. I have long term relationships with my labs, and I'd assume most practitioners do as well. We very rarely switch, and when we do, it is to a lab that has a proven track record.

Have you looked into buying an existing lab ? (One that Essilor hasn't yet purchased.)

I agree I am just saying that if there are so many quality labs, what would differentiate them from mine. I have talked to a few doctors around my area and they were all shocked that I could deliver that fast on complete pairs (surfaced and finished). The idea you have about buying an existing lab is very interesting. What would be a good source of information on finding labs that are selling besides this forum?

Have you ever run a surfacing and finishing lab before?

Yes. Between the two other people I am working on this with and myself we combine to have around 22 years of experience running a lab. I have also pondered investing in a Chemlux AR coater that would create more competitiveness.

[HarryChiling]

It's going to be a rough ride if you do decide to open up a lab, but good luck.

I assumed everyone else would follow the guidelines. You have to post in order to request. Did I post prices...NO. Did I ask for them...YES. Did a violation take place? Don't think so. Don't be so quick to judge

He is a moderator of these forums the fact that he was trying to warn you and everyone else who might be eager to answer your question means he is doing his job very well. You will find that on this forum the moderators are constantly working to make this a professional enviornment. You should salute them not put them down.

[AWTECH]

temjin9876

Yes. Between the two other people I am working on this with and myself we combine to have around 22 years of experience running a lab. I have also pondered investing in a Chemlux AR coater that would create more competitiveness.

AR is a good idea to add.

A new concern and I assume you have thought this trough, if you are working with two other people, I hope only one is going to be active in the day to day running of the lab. Correct? If the three of you are planning on doing this for a living please reconsider as I doubt that there will be enought to support one for a very long time.

I am really trying to discourage you as you obviously have the desire and drive to be successful as a owner operator, you have just picked a very competitive environment. I would look at opening an optical retail with surfacing and finishing before I would try servicing others. A lab becomes a middle man for the lens companies and the consumer. Unfortunately a lab has very little control over either since location is not important and you can only offer what is already available. With a retail outlet doing your own work you at least control the retail space and if you pick a good location you should get the retail optical traffic you will need to produce the $ to survive.

[Jacqui]

I am thinking of 1-2 day turnaround on almost any non-AR jobs (including drill mount frames) with delivery to any practice in the metro Atlanta area.

I already give that kind of service to my customers in Atlanta. If they get the order in by 3 PM, I ship Next Day Fedex and they have it by Noon.

[snowmonster]

I am really trying to discourage you as you obviously have the desire and drive to be successful as a owner operator, you have just picked a very competitive environment. I would look at opening an optical retail with surfacing and finishing before I would try servicing others. A lab becomes a middle man for the lens companies and the consumer. Unfortunately a lab has very little control over either since location is not important and you can only offer what is already available. With a retail outlet doing your own work you at least control the retail space and if you pick a good location you should get the retail optical traffic you will need to produce the $ to survive.

AWTECH has a very good point here. This would likely be a much better way to get going and make that the bread/butter of your business. You could even hire an OD at some point for better vertical integration. Then reach out to other opticals (likely not in the immediate area since you would be competition) and see if you can do uncut/finish work for them since you'll already have the machinery.

-Steve

[For-Life]

First thing you should do is figure out why people would use you. Look at the area and look at what you can do to gain customers. Here is a hint, having the lowest price is probably not something you want to hedge yourself on.