We are a small lab struggling to stay alive. We have a customer that was really happy with us. " You have saved me SOOO much on the lab bill". She sends us to a friend that still use the mega lab that is getting bigger all the time. We offer her friend the same package. Upon follow up, we find that the mega lab has matched our prices so the friend choses to continue to do business there. Oh my! What will those mega labs ever do without us?
I feel your pain. I've had that happen as well. It's the reason I don't just "leave a pricelist" any more. If I leave anything, it's proprietary products only. The "bigs" have way deeper pockets than we do.
I like using the smaller labs. I like having relationships with real people and its nice that small labs truly care about your business and you get to know people on more of a personal level and not just associated with an "account number"
Small Labs are absolutely the way to go!
- Optician
- Frame Maker/Designer
- Teacher of the art of crafting handmade eyewear.
So you would expect someone to start ordering from your lab without a price list?!Originally Posted by Judy Canty
Absolutely not. I would expect them to allow me the time to meet with them and discuss how my lab can work with them. Price should NEVER be the single deciding factor.
Lenny, you have been around a while. Most of my price lists offers are written on bar napkins, not fancy price sheets. Deals are there, combined with service, each should find what works for them.
Love it Judy!!!! Right on the $$$
Business owners who chase the lowest price are no different, IMHO, than their customers who do the same.
I've done business with independent local labs for all of my 40 year optical career. Recently one of them became an Essilor partner lab. Even though many of the same employees are still there, the lab is not the same. Quality has dropped off and much of the work is no longer produced locally. Lucky for us there is still another independent lab here in town that cares about quality and service. I just wish I could send my VSP/Eyemed work there as well.
ACTUALLY , a lab that i was using for years and years, and i was fairly happy w/ the work, has now started installing washers, when cutting the lenses a tad small(a long isl.warby parker contractor lab)
yes those acetate washers in both metal and plastic edge jobs!.. 35yrs in the biz, i have never seen that before
i am now w/ a new lab
That's what happens both at the retail and the wholesale level when you try to compete on price. Unfortunately, so many people, again both ECPs and retail customers only care about price. As a small business, you just don't have pockets deep enough to compete on that level. You have to realize that these are not the people you are want as customers anyway. Even if you do happen to win them over on price, they'll be gone as soon as they find something cheaper. You have to find something you do better than the corporate giants (ideally better than anyone else). Then find the people that care about that thing and will love you for it. We're not paranoid about sending price lists because, while we have been explicitly undercut more times than I can count, we don't compete, or even negotiate, on price. We try to be fair as we can, but we offer a level of quality, capabilities, and relationships that other labs don't. It's typically more challenging to gain new business. I mean it's much simpler to lure someone with the lowest price. But once we have a customer, we do our best to make them a fan. And as long as we keep our end of the bargain, we typically have a customer for life.
Now imagine that, with no alternative and they no longer need to match the independent labs prices.
Indeed, imagine that.
[QUOTE=Now imagine that, with no alternative and they no longer need to match the independent labs prices. .[/QUOTE]
you have said a mouthful...
and the lab i was referring to (the only one in long island anyway) is an esselor lab
Why is it that everyone seems to assume that just because a business is always looking for the best price that they HAVE to sacrifice quality and service?
What makes you think that a lab cant exist and offer a reasonably (open to opinions) decent price AND quality along with service?
I have yet to ever hear of a lab that enjoys turning out garbage and giving poor service at a dirt cheap price.
You have to admit we all are looking for low prices hi discounts and great service for any and everything we need.
Being an x lab owner for over 40 years my 2 cents worth
PRICE
SERVICE
QUALITY
CHECK ONE OF THE ABOVE.
Being in retail for almost the past 40 years as well, I hope this is a typo. Shouldn't your response say pick "2"? If I pick one, I pick service. So that means I get my jobs very fast, very wrong, and very expensive, but the customer service girls are really nice? With todays technology, not sure why I can't get a decent balance of all three. I believe I do with the labs I currently use.
I get a great price along with amazing products and service; it is possible and my lab would take 100 more of my accounts at the same deal and make a fortune!
We only order premium product with house ar with no warranties for non-adapts. scratches or rx changes. We also get 50% off the second pair which is over 60% of the time. We are 100% uncut and never give them an incomplete order or one that cannot be done. They do not waste time on the phone with us; if they have a question it is a quick email and we respond in a few minutes.
It is a good system that works well for us and our lab. I used to use independent labs but the last 4 got bought by E so i gave up trying to hide from them and learned to use them to my advantage.
They make me my own products and ensure we have the latest and greatest; they are my largest and best partner. I will admit since E bought them it has become more of a challenge to keep up service levels but the people still care and try to be the best lab possible.
I have been with them 10 years and hopefully it will be another 10.
Out of curiosity, how many of you would accept Craig's deal with his lab? Hint, the second question I'm asked, after "can you just leave a price list?" is "what are your return policies?".
I have a similar deal like Craig's and I'm sure we have a higher redo rate than he does simply for the volume of OMD Rx's we get. (specifically Rx changes. Many of the docs give temp post cat-x Rx's, with a final given 4-6 weeks after).
I've tried to work similar deals with frame manufactures but none will give substantial enough discounts, if any at all, when you approach them with such a deal. Yet the industry (labs/frame makers) decries returns. I've heard upwards of 35% returns from some, yet they won't work final sales bargains.
I think Craig has a good thing going on there. I have always advocated selling a scratch WARRANTY to the consumer and replace it should it ever be needed in what ever time length you choose. Notice I did not say anything about ordering a scratch coated lens.
Lets face it there's really not that many people who come back to take advantage of the scratch warranty. You will sell more of them then you will ever have to replace. And if you get that one person that can really benefit using TD2 then by all means order it for them.
Its a really good coating.
50% off a second set of premium lenses that I get to sell at full retail price? Well that's a no brainier also. Can we say cha ching!
No warranty on non adapt.....hey not a problem. Its our job on the retail floor to decide what will and will not work. We do not need a warranty from the lab for that. Shoot they are not working with the patient. I am. Dr's Rx change? Now really. How often do we need that. We know up front the Dr is going to do his best to give a great refraction. After all his reputation is on the line. Why would I need a lab to warranty the Dr's reputation?
The A/R. Well I am not really sold on in house A/R's. I am used to Zeiss or Crizal. Premium stuff. I compare in house A/R to the early day A/R.....it created more trouble for me and the patient then profit it made for me.
Remove all that foo foo stuff for me and give me a great price then we have a working relationship good for both of us.
Now, if you agreed to no warranties, what change in price would you expect? The redo amount for my accounts in Oct is about 10% for reference.
With a choice of only one, I understand why you are a "X" lab owner. It would take a minimum of 2 choices to attempt to keep the doors open. And if we could has ALL 3, there should be no reason to ever close the doors.
Personally Judy if there is a "redo" then whoever created the reason for the redo should bite the bullet. Retail or wholesale. Pony up and be responsible for the mistake whoever made it. It disturbs me to hear someone in retail blame mistakes on the lab when retail is the one that did it. Not only did they do it they expect the lab to shoulder the expense for it. That makes for a lesser person in my eyes.
Now, "what price change would you expect"? That's a tough one. Depends on where the price starts and what I would perceive as a "fair price."
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks