eye on equipment

When it’s Time to Change…

Susan Tarrant

Equipment isn’t made to last forever. Machines start to break down with age and use, and can become obsolete as newer technology is developed. It happens with cars and cell phones, and it certainly happens with in-house lens finishing equipment.

UPGRADING TIPS

With the help of equipment experts from Briot USA and Coburn Technologies, here are some tips to help practice owners make the right decision regarding upgrading their edging systems.

WORN DOWN. Like any complex machinery, edgers require regular maintenance and repairs from time to time. But how does one know when they are spending good money on outdated equipment?

A good rule of thumb is to add the estimated annual the cost of repairs, including the increased laboratory fees during any down times, and compare that with the annual lease payments on a new machine.

As one field tech reported, if the cost of keeping the current machine approaches about 25 percent of the cost of getting a new one, it’s probably time to replace it.

OBSOLETE. As frame styles change and lens materials, coatings, and designs evolve, practices need to evaluate whether their current edger has the ability to produce the jobs they sell in a cost-effective manner. For example, if the practice sells several three-piece mounts per week, but its machine can’t drill them, the practice could be paying the laboratory $400 per month or more to finish these jobs. Upgrading to an edger with a drill would keep that money in house.

TIME. The amount of time an edging system will last varies widely, depending on the volume of the practice and the diligence of the TLC it is afforded. Field reps report an average replacement/upgrade time of every six or eight years.

WISE CHOICES

Assess the needs of the practice carefully before making a decision. Consider the number of pairs the practice sells each month and the types of lens materials and frame styles dispensed most often. Some other considerations are the experience level of the operator and patient expectation of turn-around time.

To calculate this, take a look at your lab bills from the last six months or so. Look not only at the fees charged for finishing, but also note the Rx ranges and lens types, drill mount fees, and number of jobs done each month. Tally how many Rx’s are filled verses how many patients decide to take their script elsewhere, perhaps because the dispensary down the street can do their custom lens shape in-house in a day or two.

QuickTips

Too often, a practice owner focuses on the price instead of the value of a machine. If the practice is still paying a lab for some finishing work, that cost is often overlooked by the ECP because finishing fees are charged $10 at a time vs. writing that one check to the edger manufacturer. Instead, get a finishing system that can handle all of the jobs.

RESEARCH, RESEARCH

Chances are, the practice didn’t jump right into the decision to purchase its first edging equipment from company X. Researching companies, service plans, and offerings was done before such a purchase.

When considering new equipment, the practice should evaluate its satisfaction with the quality of its current equipment and the service it has received during its lifetime. The level of satisfaction with that company should be a factor in the decision, but not the only one.

When contemplating such a high-ticket purchase, ECPs must do their homework and choose the manufacturer whose model best suits the needs of the practice based on the previously mentioned criteria and at the best price. Just like the first time.

DON’T OVERDO IT

A common misstep ECPs make when buying new equipment is buying too much, thinking they need all the bells and whistles when in fact, the practice’s lens jobs don’t support that kind of purchase.

Know what your current production demand is and where you believe it will go. Don’t let the sales person persuade you into buying what you don’t need; know which special features your patients have been opting for and buy accordingly.

There is no reason to buy top-of-the line if you only need two out of five of the added features (there will be lower models available with better ROI in this case).

There’s a caveat here, however. Make sure you don’t cut back on features too much or you will need another upgrade sooner than you may want.

FUTURECAST

Keeping an eye on the future, it makes sense to figure practice growth into the equation when making equipment purchase decisions. Think about how you want your in-office lab to grow in the future. Will you want to add surfacing? Tinting? Will you want to expand your customization or other abilities?

When shopping for this upgrade, ask if you’ll be able to grow your capabilities by simply adding components, or will you have to buy an entirely new machine?

When planned appropriately, upgrading finishing systems will make sense financially, be technologically motivated, and be able to handle future growth plans. EB