Rush jobs

[drk]

Our lab offers "rush service" whereby we get to jump the line for a rather nominal fee.

It's an interesting opportunity. Does your lab have it, and how do you use it?


--"And the meek shall inheirit the earth"

[Uilleann]

We only use it when needed, as any reputable lab is already operating under a model to get every job in and out as quickly as possible. If we have a specific rush, we call and ask for it. No fees. Just good repour, and not overusing the ask. *shrug* Even still, there's never a guarantee a given job will make it back "in time" for a pt.

This is just the nature of our industry.

[DanLiv]

Interesting this is the first I've heard of a lab specifically offering rush service for a fee. As Uilleann said any lab should do a rush if requested, mine does without extra charge. However, no explicit charge does not mean no cost. It is a cost to the lab to rearrange their workflow, someone has to pay extra special attention to it, and you in your office need to have extra discussion with the patient as well as alter workflow and keep extra tabs on the order, plus you've increased the gamble on whether or not you succeed in pleasing your patient by extended a challenging-to-keep promise. That is plenty of cost, definitely charge the patient. Good private payers I'll sometimes do it gratis, but otherwise a rush which can generally be done for routine jobs within in a week I charge $50. Once I mention that fee, half the "I really need it now!!" people suddenly don't really need it *that* now. And those few that really do need it ASAP are more than happy to pay, and for them I am more than happy to put in the effort.

[iD]

I usually don't charge a fee for a rush job. The rush part isn't up to me so I don't control how long it takes. I usually say it's here usually faster than normal turnaround time. I do call the lab and let them know if I can have someone walk the job for me. I hardly use it because our lab doesn't take that long anyways.

[CME4SPECS]

Interesting this is the first I've heard of a lab specifically offering rush service for a fee. As Uilleann said any lab should do a rush if requested, mine does without extra charge. However, no explicit charge does not mean no cost. It is a cost to the lab to rearrange their workflow, someone has to pay extra special attention to it, and you in your office need to have extra discussion with the patient as well as alter workflow and keep extra tabs on the order, plus you've increased the gamble on whether or not you succeed in pleasing your patient by extended a challenging-to-keep promise. That is plenty of cost, definitely charge the patient. Good private payers I'll sometimes do it gratis, but otherwise a rush which can generally be done for routine jobs within in a week I charge $50. Once I mention that fee, half the "I really need it now!!" people suddenly don't really need it *that* now. And those few that really do need it ASAP are more than happy to pay, and for them I am more than happy to put in the effort.

$50 within a week? Come on!

[LENNY]

I expect from my uncut lab to receive 80% of my work with AR or without in 2 days. If I dont it needs to be dirty cheap...
When I was running the lab we had a person to run around rush jobs, and we did charge extra for it. Not everybody was happy, but it did reduce the rush requests:)

[Decades]

A very wise optician once told me, "You can do it fast, you can do it well, or you can do it cheap - pick one." That really stuck with me over the years and I use it to this day. Most wholesale labs can be lumped into one of those 3 buckets in terms of their reputation. There's a lab that comes to mind that is smokin' fast - but they are NOT cheap, and if it doesn't come in perfectly, you can expect a fight to get them to "make it right." Another comes to mind that is known for being the cheapest game in town - but if you CALL and speak to a person to place your order, that will cost you extra - as will a warranty, ANY warranty, if you want one. NO lab is perfect, but the best labs are well rounded - good quality, in a reasonable time frame, for a fair price. Labs like that will go the extra mile for loyal customers with the occasional "emergency rush job," and if they're really good - they "Never Promise - Always Deliver" (which is my personal motto).

[drk]

I like the sentiment. I think it was "pick two" though, right?

[Elvis Is Alive]

I've heard something similiar regarding home theater subwoofers. It can be loud, it can be small, it can be cheap. Pick two.

[Decades]

In America it's pick two - or at least we like to think, or be told that it's pick two. We want what we want, how we want it and we want it now - but only at a fair price!