Results 1 to 24 of 24

Thread: Inventory.....

  1. #1
    OptiBoardaholic J.P.'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Alabama, United States
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    218

    Inventory.....

    Out of curiosity, How often do your hand count your inventory On Hand levels?

    I do my counts twice a year, or more often for certain manufactures if I get large shipments in or going out. Our first week in January and first week in July when we are closed for a week each. Often this is not a problem to get my counts done until this year, when 2 of the doctors have decided they want to see patients during this time and our doors to be open to the public.

    Most often I come in during the weeks we are closed, pull every frame, product, and contact from every manufactures, and go through them one by one. This normally takes me 4 days of non stop counting and entering into the system, but now I'm cut down to 1 1/2 days of time to get it all done, and it frankly makes me want to tear my hair out. Granted this year I am being given help from a few other who want extra hours, but it's very hard to get prepped and done in that amount of time even with extra help.

    Sorry, had to vent that there.

    So, how often do you do your inventory on frames and products?
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.
    ~ Mark Twain ~

  2. #2
    OptiBoard Professional RT's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2001
    Location
    CT
    Occupation
    Lens Manufacturer
    Posts
    879
    Have you considered doing regular cycle counts, where you count a small number of products daily or weekly? One typical plan would be to classify your inventory as "A" items, "B" items, or "C" items based upon usage. Count the "A" items every 3 months, the "B" items every 6 months, and the "C" items once per year.

    Typically, A items are your top 5%, B items are your next 20%, and C items are everything else.
    RT

  3. #3
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jun 2000
    Location
    Only City in the World built over a Volcano
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    12,996
    Used to do it very infrequently, even fake it for end of year. Now for frames we keep it up and check every frame off and on as sold or recieved.
    We also list exactly when recieved and when sold. This way we can tell which reps are serving us or not serving us as they should.

    Chip

  4. #4
    Master OptiBoarder
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Austin
    Occupation
    Optical Retail
    Posts
    585
    Our optical inventory system is fairly modern, it is pretty much real-time. We have an exact count of frames at any given minutes. Every 6-8 weeks we do a physical count, to catch entry errors and theft, this takes about 2 hours, using a bar-code scanner. I'd love to use RFID, but I'm guessing the technology is still too expensive to use, and tags have a tendency to fall off frames.

  5. #5
    OptiBoardaholic J.P.'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Alabama, United States
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    218
    Quote Originally Posted by RT View Post
    Have you considered doing regular cycle counts, where you count a small number of products daily or weekly? One typical plan would be to classify your inventory as "A" items, "B" items, or "C" items based upon usage. Count the "A" items every 3 months, the "B" items every 6 months, and the "C" items once per year.

    Typically, A items are your top 5%, B items are your next 20%, and C items are everything else.
    I have considered it, but being able to implement it is the major factor. I am one optician in a 4 doctor practice. I never have a "Time" where I can go to the bathroom let alone have 2 hours to do an inventory count of even one manufacture.
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.
    ~ Mark Twain ~

  6. #6
    OptiBoardaholic J.P.'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Alabama, United States
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    218
    Quote Originally Posted by AustinEyewear View Post
    Our optical inventory system is fairly modern, it is pretty much real-time. We have an exact count of frames at any given minutes. Every 6-8 weeks we do a physical count, to catch entry errors and theft, this takes about 2 hours, using a bar-code scanner. I'd love to use RFID, but I'm guessing the technology is still too expensive to use, and tags have a tendency to fall off frames.
    Well as is my system, and I know it counts everything in real time, and I wish I had an RFID Scanner system, but we decieded against it as to not look like a big box store. Maybe one day. It would be nice to do counts faster with one.
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.
    ~ Mark Twain ~

  7. #7
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter Java99's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Texas
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    1,178
    Quote Originally Posted by AustinEyewear View Post
    Our optical inventory system is fairly modern, it is pretty much real-time. We have an exact count of frames at any given minutes. Every 6-8 weeks we do a physical count, to catch entry errors and theft, this takes about 2 hours, using a bar-code scanner. I'd love to use RFID, but I'm guessing the technology is still too expensive to use, and tags have a tendency to fall off frames.
    Pretty much this is me, too. I do a hand count before a rep comes in or before a reorder.

  8. #8
    Ophthalmic Optician
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
    Location
    USSA
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    12,591
    I guess. (Once a year)
    Ophthalmic Optician, Society to Advance Opticianry

  9. #9
    OptiBoardaholic J.P.'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Alabama, United States
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    218
    Quote Originally Posted by Java99 View Post
    Pretty much this is me, too. I do a hand count before a rep comes in or before a reorder.
    Can I have some of your spare time? LOL

    Not a bad Idea to try, if only all my reps would hold their appointment and come on the day of and not 2 weeks before or after, lol
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.
    ~ Mark Twain ~

  10. #10
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter Java99's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Texas
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    1,178
    Quote Originally Posted by J.P. View Post
    Can I have some of your spare time? LOL

    Not a bad Idea to try, if only all my reps would hold their appointment and come on the day of and not 2 weeks before or after, lol
    I only count the line they're coming in for, not the whole shop. Takes 20 minutes maybe.

  11. #11
    OptiBoardaholic J.P.'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Alabama, United States
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    218
    Quote Originally Posted by Java99 View Post
    I only count the line they're coming in for, not the whole shop. Takes 20 minutes maybe.
    Yeah, I knew what you meant, It's getting that 20 minutes though. Hopefully I'll be getting some addtional help..... within the next year, lol
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.
    ~ Mark Twain ~

  12. #12
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter Java99's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Texas
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    1,178
    I would be so tempted to as a doc for help, JP. Say, cover the floor, or do the count while you have the patient! You would think they would think you having an accurate count to SAVE them money on double buying would be worth at least letting you steal a tech for half an hour.

  13. #13
    OptiBoardaholic J.P.'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Alabama, United States
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    218
    Quote Originally Posted by Java99 View Post
    I would be so tempted to as a doc for help, JP. Say, cover the floor, or do the count while you have the patient! You would think they would think you having an accurate count to SAVE them money on double buying would be worth at least letting you steal a tech for half an hour.
    Well I'm getting 3 helpers tomorrow during our closed day, and now we are going to try to implement a weekly inventory of the lines sold during the week. And there's no way to get a Tech to help during office hours, they each are pulling a patient back everh 15 minutes and bringing me one every 15 to 20 minutes.

    Our techs feel uncomfortable in optical, it's like pulling teeth to get them out there
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.
    ~ Mark Twain ~

  14. #14
    Master OptiBoarder
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Michigan
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    2,827
    I counted the frame lines before the vendors came in and did a sales analysis so I could adjust the number of units I needed. Other than that when the owners said "The accountant needs a count" once a year I would physically count the number of frames but didn't have to list them individually.

  15. #15
    Slowly Going Crazy Kara's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Lubbock TX
    Occupation
    Optical Wholesale Lab (other positions)
    Posts
    276
    We have a scanning system that counts everything as it comes in, and as it gets used. However, we also do a hand count once a month on everything.
    -"Is this a matter of life or death?"
    ---"No. this is a seg height."--
    Seth, and Dalene

    "In matters of style, swim with the current;
    In matters of principle, stand like a rock."--
    Thomas Jefferson

  16. #16
    Rising Star OptiBoard Gold Supporter
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Fairport,New York
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    61
    We have an up to date scanning system and I can pull a count at a moments notice but we do a month end physical count every month.

  17. #17
    Rising Star
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Dubai, United Arab Emirates, United Arab Emirates
    Occupation
    Optometrist
    Posts
    95
    The First Thing In morning When Shop is Open .....''Inventory Count ''
    I made 3 Separate Sheets for Daily Inventory Update .
    1.Frame
    2.Sunglasses
    3.Contact Lenses /Solution /Assessories

    & handed over to different Employees ....They have to count daily and if found any shortage / addition.....Find the reason for it .In case No reason if found Invoice it on thier name and THE AMOUNT of the invoice to be deducted from thier Next Due Salary.

  18. #18
    Rising Star OptiBoard Gold Supporter
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Fairport,New York
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    61
    Thank God I don't work for you.

  19. #19
    OptiBoard Apprentice
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Chilliwack, BC, Canada
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    39
    Yeah that sounds absolutey horrible. Not much trust in your employees I sense...

  20. #20
    Rising Star
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Dubai, United Arab Emirates, United Arab Emirates
    Occupation
    Optometrist
    Posts
    95
    Quote Originally Posted by cmarx View Post
    Thank God I don't work for you.
    Myself too is working for this company............am not the owner.
    This is The Part of Duty for Any Store Manager in This Company.

  21. #21
    OptiBoard Apprentice
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Chilliwack, BC, Canada
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    39
    Still, must not be fun for you either.

  22. #22
    Rising Star
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Dubai, United Arab Emirates, United Arab Emirates
    Occupation
    Optometrist
    Posts
    95
    Quote Originally Posted by thelittlestnixon View Post
    Yeah that sounds absolutey horrible. Not much trust in your employees I sense...
    I bet .it is but There is No Escape from the System.......The Reason for this system in not LACK OF TRUST in Employees but Is to Take & Understand the Responsibility.
    And believe me ......IT WORKS.

  23. #23
    Rising Star
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Dubai, United Arab Emirates, United Arab Emirates
    Occupation
    Optometrist
    Posts
    95
    Quote Originally Posted by thelittlestnixon View Post
    Still, must not be fun for you either.
    Indeed It is ......Apart of Fun ,This System Update them The Current Inventory Status and this is Good if any Query comes in for some perticular Brand / model .Instead of Heading to Computer Then can Answer Immediately using Mind Memory instaed of Using Computer memory

  24. #24
    OptiBoard Professional
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Florida
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    159
    Every. Single. Month. *sigh*
    ~Follow Your Bliss~

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Inventory software
    By mifralick in forum General Optics and Eyecare Discussion Forum
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 11-30-2009, 01:29 AM
  2. Frame Inventory
    By Lady Nicole in forum General Optics and Eyecare Discussion Forum
    Replies: 18
    Last Post: 09-18-2007, 08:45 PM
  3. Inventory Programs
    By MrsFoley in forum General Optics and Eyecare Discussion Forum
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 10-04-2006, 06:41 PM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •