aargh!

[edKENdance]

I'm posting this in the OO forum because I don't want this to be viewed by the masses.
Here's the situation, I'm relatively new to the lab side and in a management position. This is at a very busy LC. Our former lab manager has become a liscensed optician and has moved over to the retail side of things. When I was on retail I would always take our lab into consideration before sending back jobs. I obviously wanted my customer to have the best results for what they were paying for so I would take the RX and the frame back and discuss options and optics.
The problem is that now, the former lab manager is sending back jobs that I know he would have frowned upon when he was in charge. As an example today a -5.75 -1.75 with 10mm of decentration in a 9 base wrap. Our system calls for us to pull a 4 base lens and we're past the blocking stage before we even see the frame. Obviously there is going to be a lot of face forming to bring this pair back to a ressemblance of what it originally looked like.
Anyone else experienced problems like this? Have you come to any diplomatic solutions? Why does it seem like every lab person turned optician forgets everything they learned in the lab?

As a sidebar, I'm constantly dissapointed in the opticians I work with. Not with the people but with their interest in the profession. Nobody seems to be keeping up to date with new tech developments and by god, it's the 50th anniversary of poly this year.

I'm adding an edit to this post because I feel that because I'm fairly new perhaps I need more skills. Bending eyewires etc... Maybe I should just accept and learn?

[Jeff Trail]

Welcome to the wonderful world of "hey if they make the frame and the lens..does not matter the RX"... :)
I have found that the knife cuts both ways, just because a "lab rat" knows how to produce a lens does NOT mean they know how to dispense and or sell..as in you example.
Same goes for a tech that knows how to close a sale but has NO IDEA how it will work and or look .."gee that plano lens in that frame looked a lot better than my +12's"
BTW you do not have to twist that frame all over the place because it is a 9 wrap with the 4 base lens... you can track a bevel anywhere on that lens.. their is no "rule" that says you have to track it along the front surface, so even though you have a 4 base lens you can put a 8 or 9 base bevel on it :) not the prettiest thing in the world but it can work.
The easiest thing in the world is to try to always work WITH the opposing staff and not make a battle out of it, diplomatic answers always work better than being a hard nose...

Jeff "been on both sides of the coin" Trail

[JennyP]

edKENdance said:
I obviously wanted my customer to have the best results for what they were paying for so I would take the RX and the frame back and discuss options and optics. The problem is that now, the former lab manager is sending back jobs that I know he would have frowned upon when he was in charge. Why does it seem like every lab person turned optician forgets everything they learned in the lab?

You didn't say how long the lab manager had been on the retail floor, but once some of those sales start coming back as returns or exchanges, maybe this person will wise up again. As to working as a team, try doing what we've done to promote teamwork in our LC: form lab/retail teams for contests, and just to be partners. Change teams every quarter or so to get people out of their cliques. If you know you have to get results as a team (ie: low breakage PLUS high multies or same as cash %) you learn to encourage each other instead of just trying to make fast money. If it's a contest, make the prizes fun! Movie tickets or lunch out. Something like that. Get your teams to work on projects together. It might help!

[Jubilee]

I have been in the same exact shoes you are in now. I have a feeling it was a poly polarized lens in one of the Rayban or Sergio Techinni frames....

I think how long the former LM has been on the retail end of things is key. If he hasn't been on the retail end very long, he may be having trouble either explaining to customers why this is a bad rx/frame match, or have trouble telling the customer no. I know I have had a few times where the customer is practically pleading for me to try it. "I know I have a rather heavy rx, but I always wanted to have a cool pair of wrap sunglasses, and I don't care if the lenses are going to be thicker or if I lose 30% of the wrap, you can adjust for that can't you?!?" If it is a metal frame I may try it, but I explain that by having to adjust the bridge and bringing the temples back in, it will weaken the frame. Sometimes it is a great opportunity to sell some of those premium lenses.

What I would do is try to talk to the former LM. Hopefully you have a good repoir and can ask him why he is sending nightmares waiting to happen. You may get my favorite line "But it is what the customer really wants" ; then you can be frank and say, "well I know you wouldn't run this stuff, why do you expect us to do so now?" Just try not to put him on the defensive.

When I first was sent to my current store, the lab/retail relations just wasn't there. It was two seperate worlds. Part of it was because of the people and attitudes, and part of it I blame on the company. The old bonus system really pitted lab against retail. Especially how it almost seemed to encourage special orders...
I spent a lot of time talking to my retail staff asking what the lab was doing right, and what it was doing wrong. This really opened everyone up. Based upon what they had to say, I could come back with the lab version and it led us to develop a commitment to one another. We have it posted on the lab side of the door, so everyone can see it but the customers. It is two simple bulleted lists, but it made a huge difference.

Lab promised to:
Keep retail informed on troubled eyewear
Work with retail in identifying alternatives when a lens isn't in stock
Help with dispensing when we are available
Strive to improve our numbers (increase true/lower breakage) to help improve CSats

Retail promised to:
Approve all COFs
Discuss any potential problem eyewear (including all wrap frames)
Lab remakes need a lab manager approval
S/Os need a managerial approval after disussing alternatives (it is their job to follow up on their own S/Os)
Follow five minute rule to allow for wax blocking

Seems simple enough, but it has done wonders. Our staff is
working well as a team, and after struggling for a year almost two, we are back on track and in the top 5 for CSats in the company.

Cassandra

[Texas Ranger]

edK. there is something necessary to learn in retail, some things just shouldn't be done, regardless of the money, the customer request, etc. it's a no-win situation. the former lab tech, should know that minus 7 lenses aren't going to work very well in a nine base frame. 10 in dec. I know it seems bad business to say the word "NO Can Do" to a patient, but IF you know the reason why, it's a service to the client to not let them order it!

[Shutterbug]

You can also say something like "ooops, we both got red faces on this one. Give me a heads up on the curve next time so we can get it right for you the first time. Thanks"

Keep him on the "lab team" :-)

[edKENdance]

Thanks for all the replies. I really needed to vent yesterday. Lab/retail relations in our store are actually quite good in most respects and BTW Cassandra we have a nifty little contest going on with retail. We were recently informed that all GOS have to be neuted cleaned and adjusted. In our store this is a huge undertaking because we're killer busy and we send in well over 20,000 frames a year to GOS. I'm the captain and now we've got both retail and lab doing this in their spare time. So far we're about even. The worst thing about recycling is sorting through your own stores box and seeing a bad frame/lens combo that you killed yourself to get out on time sitting in it. Quite a few bad high rx wrap combos that I think some monk would look just fabulous in.
One of the biggest problems is that the new lab manager is a wizard. He's been lab for about 8 years and would probably be an engineer if he had more aspirations. He can do anything and I'm really not stretching that much. The only prob is his failure to communicate effectively how he does what he does. You just have to watch and hope that you learn something.
I'm learning but I can't disassemble the spartan and put it back together again(wouldn't even try it).
Perhaps retail's been spoiled and don't consider that the things the new LM can do can't be done by the rest of the staff. Just not enough training and experience.
Our store is really fun to work at and I know that all of these tiny occurences are helping me to learn new things. Today I'm laughing at the post I wrote yesterday.

Oh yeah, could be Bi-polar :cheers:

[JennyP]

edKENdance said:
We were recently informed that all GOS have to be neuted cleaned and adjusted. In our store this is a huge undertaking because we're killer busy and we send in well over 20,000 frames a year to GOS.

That's over 1500 pair a month!

AWESOME!!! I am so impressed!!!
BTW: my GM recently returned from a Mexico GOS trip and I bet he dispensed a lot of your frames!

[Jubilee]

Way to go with your recycling!!! Bo I wish I had a store up to the challenge your team is doing..Instead I had 7 stores not even bothering to call me back with their quarterly numbers, after sending out 3 rounds of voicemail...

I would give ya tips on the spartan, but I think that is the only edger in the company I haven't had the pleasure of dealing with. I might be able to help you on some of the other things though. I am at store 14 so don't be afraid to call. I am the "it girl" when it comes to doing some of the oddball or more challenging combos. Don't be afraid to bump base curves to match frame, run a flatter curve, use a negative or high curve lap, and above all else, don't be afraid to try something new...In fact sometimes I swear the more complex, the better I do.. all my breakages always seem to be on stupid everyday stuff...things that someone doing this for 9 years shouldn't be having issues with at all..As I tell the rest of my staff when they are amazed I was able to save a breakage by skimming, or "double the speed half the time" to get a job out on time, that the only reason why I know these tricks is because I had to learn how to save my own rear...

Keep the store team a team... Having worked in 10 different stores now, that is truly one of the key drivers in CSats. I can really tell the difference and so can your customers when everyone is getting along and the flow is smooth...

Now share with me please...how are you guys keeping up your enthusiasm with GOS...I need some ideas on how to motivate a few stores here....

Cassandra

[edKENdance]

Hey Cassandra I have an idea. How about a USA versus Canada challenge. You could be our buddy. Over the next 4 weeks starting next sunday our stores could see who will recycle the most frames and lenses in a 4 week period. We will seriously kick your *** but everyone wins. You can call me at the store or email me. The store number is 204 783 4197. The next olympics of any value is going to be held in Canada so we have to get the friendly rivalry started. Home phone on request.
Right now we have a retail versus lab contest going on. Who can recycle the most glasses in their spare time. The losers have to take the garbage out for a week or clean the staff room and bathrooms etc...
Ken

[Jubilee]

Love the idea... Let me talk to my management staff here to get the ball rolling on our end, and then we can set a contest start/end date.... we have to come up with a prize of course...

Now we do need to get one thing straight here though...USA all the way!!!!

I have two frame boxes full of glasses to clean and sort...so I certainly should have a head start on collecting the glasses...

How's your outreach going?!?

Cassandra

[edKENdance]

Hay Cass, pm'd you a couple of times about the subject of competition but you might not have got them.
Is your GM alright with the idea? If so then I say that we start sunday. We can fax weekly results. In the end it's win win but Canada still kicks zss.
As for the prize. I suggest an american/canadian exchange. My sister lives in Ann Arbor and she longs for the canadian items she can't get in the states. I'm thinking of food etc... that can be available in the staff room. We can get mre detailed later.

Ken