Optometrist or other optical professionals fed up with labs

[ksmithod]

I am trying to see if there is interest in starting a member owned wholesale lab. I have been using multiple labs over the years, and with the current state of affairs in our industry I want to have more control over my cost of goods, quality, and turn around time. I am in the Central Florida area and would like to start something that would be different than other options available at this time. Please respond if you also want to cut costs and have some ownership stake in a lab.

[OpticalDinosaur]

what would you do differently then lets say, US Optical, Cherry Optical or any other lab that appeals to an indepedant? Just curious to hear more of your ideas.

[Jedeye]

I work for an optom in North Idaho and he has his own lab where we process about 80% of all our jobs. Within the next year or two we will be purchasing a digital generator and be producing 100% of our product. He went this route to be in control of his costs as much as possible and probably wouldn't mind processing more jobs for your clinic if our prices were right for you.

[bta89]

what would you do differently then lets say, US Optical, Cherry Optical or any other lab that appeals to an indepedant? Just curious to hear more of your ideas.

I second OpticalDinosaur. If you take insurance, most of the time you have to outsource to a lab anyways. I wish my doctors would invest in more equipment for our in house lab. I had a hard time getting even just getting a new computer/printer.

[Tallboy]

I second OpticalDinosaur. If you take insurance, most of the time you have to outsource to a lab anyways. I wish my doctors would invest in more equipment for our in house lab. I had a hard time getting even just getting a new computer/printer.

Unless your in house finishing will be miles better than outsourcing to robo labs for most jobs (which isn't thaaaat hard to do. But is an investment in training and equipment) it never will be worth it for most ODs. Expert finishing/fitting is a skill to learn and invest in though, it becomes rarer as the days go by. Worth it to the people who wear glasses.

I'm one of those weirdos that gets a decent amount of his insurance surfaced jobs sent in house to finish them correctly. Then again I don't take most insurances.

[lensmanmd]

I am trying to see if there is interest in starting a member owned wholesale lab. I have been using multiple labs over the years, and with the current state of affairs in our industry I want to have more control over my cost of goods, quality, and turn around time. I am in the Central Florida area and would like to start something that would be different than other options available at this time. Please respond if you also want to cut costs and have some ownership stake in a lab.

You might have a little more control over your cost of physical goods, but have you considered labor costs, spoilage costs, consumable costs, maintenance costs, parts, tools, click fees, insurance, and a myriad of other costs involved in running a lab? How will you divide up the profits and loss in your member owned lab?
Most wholesale labs operate on a small margin, relying on volume to make up the difference. It's all about COGs, overhead and Labor costs with just enough money left over to re-invest and make an OK living.
Most of the quality gripes I see and hear has to do with the finish quality, as that is the most subjective part of our industry. If you really want to control quality, your best bet is to use a lab for uncuts and finish them in house. Invest in high quality finishing equipment and knowedgable staff to operate and maintain it.

[Chris Ryser]

Most of the quality gripes I see and hear has to do with the finish quality, as that is the most subjective part of our industry. If you really want to control quality, your best bet is to use a lab for uncuts and finish them in house. Invest in high quality finishing equipment and knowledgeable staff to operate and maintain it.

lensmanmd................. you just posted the perfect answer one could give to solve the question.

There is only one problem, that Optometrists went through optometric training without having much hands on training in the finishing of eyeglasses.
So they have to rely on a hired hand, and if they get the wrong one it will cost them dearly.

To supply good quality work they will also need some top quality employees and can not survive with cheap labour.