CLINICAL

  optical

Selecting Your Optical Lab

Don’t base your entire decision on price alone

DAVE ZIEGLER, O.D.

Of all the business relationships an optometric practice has, the one you have with your optical lab is probably the most important. It is likely that your staff calls the lab several times a day with questions, and the lab calls you daily with updates on your current lens jobs. Therefore, such a critical relationship requires careful selection.

Here, I offer the three major points to consider when selecting your lab.

1 Price

To be profitable, you must keep your cost of goods sold (COGS) as low as possible. Typically, this expense is 30% of your gross revenue, so even one percentage point can really affect your profit margins. Labs offer many different price lists, and you need to ensure you are getting the best price possible. Sometimes, this is achieved by joining a buying group or simply by the volume of work that you do with the lab.

However, don’t base your entire decision on price alone. The lowest-price labs often have the highest breakage rate and lowest level of customer service.

2 Product selection and lab technology

Most optical labs have access to many of the lens brands you prescribe. But certain lab networks have invested in expensive equipment, such as AR coating instruments, that can greatly reduce turnaround time. If your lab has digital surfacing equipment, it can create high-quality lenses vs. traditional surfacing processes. This technology also allows the lab to quickly upgrade lens designs through software changes. And lastly, if the lab allows you to connect to it with remote tracing, you will be able to cut the cycle time nearly in half.

3 Service

Arguably the most important factor in choosing a lab is customer service. This entails getting a lens job back in the promised time frame — and getting it right the first time. It also means having a “go-to” person at the lab who knows you and your practice and who is empowered to solve problems. Because we’re the ones who have to look the disgruntled patient in the face and explain unexpected delays and breakages, it helps to have a lab that works with you in these cases.

If you’re frustrated with your lab because there are a lot of errors lately, remember that every business goes through cycles like that, even yours. So extend some grace to the lab, and give them the chance to get their house in order. They will appreciate the second chance and will likely try even harder to get it right in the future. Starting over with a new lab is not that easy either, so you will be better off taking the long-term perspective.

Beyond price

Labs are businesses, and just like ours, they have good days and bad days. Pick a lab that employs people who care and who deliver great customer service at a fair price. It’s a better way than jumping from one to another in search of the lowest price. OM

DR. ZIEGLER IS A SENIOR PARTNER IN A GROUP PRIVATE PRACTICE IN MILWAUKEE, WISC., AND A FELLOW OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF OPTOMETRY. E-MAIL HIM AT DAVEAZIEGLER@GMAIL.COM, OR SEND COMMENTS TO OPTOMETRICMANAGEMENT@GMAIL.COM.