Guess what.....its Superfin

[Tonehill]

Hello to everyone. I am very new to the market and am trying to find the best way to service our customers as well as generate a buzz for our products. Quite honestly, I have found that most people that are dispensing are not likely to switch lens vendors for a laundry list of reasons. Is this the case? Am I focusing on the wrong thing? What are most practices looking for?
Anyone have any suggestions and/or tips on where a "rookie" optical lens manufacturer should start his quest to be all that he can be in this industry.
Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated. Somebody.........anybody....
please help.

I would love the opportunity to "sharpen my knife" on the sharpening wheel of the people that I am in contact the most.......YOU!!

As cliche as this e-mail may sound I assure you that I am doing what I can with what I have been given. Additional help IS required.:idea:

[optical24/7]

Hi Tonehill and welcome aboard.

Before we can answer in a way that may help you, tell us about your product/s. How are you unique? Is this a surfacing lab you're talking about? Give us some specifics.

[Chris Ryser]

Quite honestly, I have found that most people that are dispensing are not likely to switch lens vendors for a laundry list of reasons.

Opticians have always beeen very conservative to accept a change. That is a world wide phenomen.

They rather pay more fore service and products than investigate other routes that might be better and faster and maybe even less expensive.

It would be interesting to know in what optical lens field you are active.

[Fezz]

Give us an education on who you are, why you are better, and why we can't go on doing business and survive without using your product.

[Jacqui]

"Superfin" is one of Indo's brand names.

[LENNY]

Those green photochromic lenses?

[Jacqui]

Those green photochromic lenses?

Could be

[Tonehill]

Give us an education on who you are, why you are better, and why we can't go on doing business and survive without using your product.

Hey, you guys and gals sure know how to make a guy fit in. Thanks

Yes, the secret is out. I am an Indo Lens employee. The makers of the "magnificent" Superfin material. Which is, for those who do not know a premium cr-39 that is lighter, thinner and more impact resistant. Fezz, it is my understanding that we are going against the grain because our lens does not fit into the standard of buying cheap and selling. Instead we are trying to provide a premium product that is a staple in the European market, a market that is mostly driven by aesthetics and trends. Furthermore I am positive that most of us can agree that the Europeans are more of those things than we are. This unique strategy is the task that I have been faced with. I am not asking for sympathy, instead I am hoping for some genuine feedback (I have tough skin) from the optomist and the pessimist are welcome. That is the nutshell version.

P.S. Lenny, sound like you got your hands on an exclusive line. Please tell me more.

[Fezz]

Make me a believer. I am not closed minded, only jaded ;) !!

[Tonehill]

Make me a believer. I am not closed minded, only jaded ;) !!

As I mentioned to you I am the new kid on the block. For me it seems as plain as day, but then again I am not jaded or closed-minded, neither of which I believe is the problem. But what do I know.

What is someone like a jaded and/or closed-minded professional, who knows the story, consider to be substance? Or valuable.

[Fezz]

Hey, you guys and gals sure know how to make a guy fit in. Thanks

The makers of the "magnificent" Superfin material. Which is, for those who do not know a premium cr-39 that is lighter, thinner and more impact resistant.

I would first learn about your product!

It is my understanding that the lens material is NOT CR-39 at all. It actually has a lower Abbe value, higher index, lower density, and higher cost than CR-39.

Am I wrong?

[OpticianMS]

Forgive my ingorance but the difference in your premium CR-39 and Trivex is what?

[Tonehill]

I would first learn about your product!

It is my understanding that the lens material is NOT CR-39 at all. It actually has a lower Abbe value, higher index, lower density, and higher cost than CR-39.

Am I wrong?

Actually, you are right on. What does that mean to you just based on those facts.

[Fezz]

What that means is:

1.) You better learn your stuff!
2.) Becareful of what you say or how you describe a product to potential customers.

example:
If you came into my office and explained your product the way you did here, I would have shown you the door-PRONTO. I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer, nor the brightest star in the sky, but if you are trying to sell me a product=I better not know more about it than you.

Good luck!

[Tonehill]

What that means is:

1.) You better learn your stuff!
2.) Becareful of what you say or how you describe a product to potential customers.

example:
If you came into my office and explained your product the way you did here, I would have shown you the door-PRONTO. I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer, nor the brightest star in the sky, but if you are trying to sell me a product=I better not know more about it than you.

Good luck!

Are you negating the fact that this is a premium plastic lens. Due to the fact that the abbe value is less than that of CR?

[OpticianMS]

Ok. So this is the same as Trivex why would I buy your product over another especially when you are describing it as a "premium CR-39" when you should be stating the facts and showing me how your service and pricing are better.

[Framebender]

time I've heard of your product. We looked at it and found it to be lacking a niche, for us anyway. The cost of moving them from your product, to a 1.6 lens was under $3.00 a lens. To split the retail difference between CR39 and 1.6 seemed like a waste of time to us.

I also take exception that, just because this material may of may not be a viable choice in Europe or Asia, that we are somehow less sophisticated. You are talking about totally different markets.

I'd say if your product isn't selling here is the US its because you can't quanitfy its worth.

[Tonehill]

Thats it! You nailed it, I guess that in that case the focus should be on service and pricing. I don't know what else to say. Superfin is cheaper than Trivex I'm sure. It might even be cheap enough that with decent customer service one might consider using Superfin. Trivex as far as I know is more impact resistant, thanks to the evolution of Poly which apparently is not a fan favorite but will stop a speeding bullet. It also has more UV protection for rays that may not be harmful anyway. As far as processing goes, how do you like processing whatever you choice product is? Superfin has a place, but it is really up to you where that is. I am not sure but it may be case by case.
Keep in mind that I am not claiming to know everything or anything, I just have a good product that those who have used it, for one reason or another really liked it. Can I get a witness (maybe not).
Its cool though. This is the types of discussion that will help me one way or another.

P.S. Please correct me when I am wrong, everyone.

[OpticianMS]

Framebender's point is excatly why I don't stock any trivex why not just but them in a 1.6.

[Tonehill]

time I've heard of your product. We looked at it and found it to be lacking a niche, for us anyway. The cost of moving them from your product, to a 1.6 lens was under $3.00 a lens. To split the retail difference between CR39 and 1.6 seemed like a waste of time to us.

I also take exception that, just because this material may of may not be a viable choice in Europe or Asia, that we are somehow less sophisticated. You are talking about totally different markets.

I'd say if your product isn't selling here is the US its because you can't quanitfy its worth.

Unfortunately, I have not been around long enough to agree or disagree with your comment. However that is not the first time that I have heard that Superfin does not have a niche. I disagree. With our product offerings their has to be a few products that fit your needs one way or another. Contrary to popular belief, their is a percentage of practices who are motivated by trying to keep up with the European and/or Asian trends. So we are good enough for their "garbage" but not their forward thinking. That's just not right. If a better product is available (superfin or not) it is your duty to give that to your customer. Or is that just a Euro-philosophy.

P.S. I am just thinking out loud I am not accredited or anything like that but just trying to "sponge" up as much info as I can.

[OpticianMS]

How can you say that how foward does our thinking have to be? I mean instead of offering a product similar to yours ie. Abbe value, thickness, index and such. We should not offer a better product at almost the same price to us and our patients. To me that is not forward thinking but just plain out stealing from the patient. From my understanding European markets are just out for fashion anyway and Asian market do not have the patient awarness that the American market does. Most Asians that I have delt with will buy whatever you say is best just because this is your industry that you work in and not theirs. This makes it easier to sell whatever you want to sell and not what the patient needs. And my "duty" is to do the best for my patient wether its a 1.7 or just CR-39.

[Framebender]

Why is your product better?? What makes it superior?? Are you trying to tell me that your product is better than high index?? Are you saying that we should be lemmings to our European counter parts??

I'm confused!!:hammer:

[Tonehill]

[quote=Framebender;181022]Why is your product better?? What makes it superior?? Are you trying to tell me that your product is better than high index??

Superfin is 25% thinner and lighter as well as 50% more impact resistant that CR-39.
Unlike polycarbonate and other mid-index lenses, Superfin has unsurpassed abrasion resistance(Bayer 0.7) very close to CR-39.



Better than high index.....I dunno. Is that possible?

[Framebender]

After re reading your posts I'm curious. . . .do you have any industry knowledge at all?

GOS Queen was nice enough to share the following thread with us. Please see number 4, 9, 12, 16 and 39. I would like to say number 11, but I actually knew something about optics!

http://www.optiboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22239

[Tonehill]

How can you say that how foward does our thinking have to be? I mean instead of offering a product similar to yours ie. Abbe value, thickness, index and such. We should not offer a better product at almost the same price to us and our patients. To me that is not forward thinking but just plain out stealing from the patient. From my understanding European markets are just out for fashion anyway and Asian market do not have the patient awarness that the American market does. Most Asians that I have delt with will buy whatever you say is best just because this is your industry that you work in and not theirs. This makes it easier to sell whatever you want to sell and not what the patient needs. And my "duty" is to do the best for my patient wether its a 1.7 or just CR-39.

Can you please elaborate more?