EYE ON EQUIPMENT

No More Excuses

Equipment experts debunk some common misunderstandings about why ECPs think they can’t edge in-house

according to Eyecare Business’ Market Trends Study of 2014, 46% of responding eyecare professionals do not do any kind of finishing work in-house. When asked why, many said they did not think they sold enough lenses to make it financially viable. That’s just one of several reasons ECPs often give as to why they haven’t brought at least some of their finishing work inside.

We asked some equipment experts to weigh in on their concerns.

I DON’T DO ENOUGH BUSINESS TO MAKE IT WORTH THE EXPENSE.

A lens edger’s average monthly payment is easily offset solely by either private-pay or third-party segment business, while all other jobs become ‘icing on the investment cake.’ In today’s competitive optical climate, even a break-even investment is a positive, considering the enhanced customer service (the ability to say “yes” more often) and faster delivery an in-office finishing lab provides. Too many ECPs don’t address their low capture rate, (i.e., Rx’s walking out the door), high lab bills, or potential bundled stock lens savings. Truth is, new-to-edging ECPs often say, ‘wish I would have started doing this sooner.’

— JAYSUN BARR, senior in-office finishing consultant, Santinelli International

While this is certainly a very common concern for practices, it’s usually a comment we hear most before we go through a cost analysis of the practices’ current lab bill, and how much they are paying to send out either all of their work or certain types of jobs. Once doctors see what their actual out-of-pocket spend is versus how much they could save by having an in-house edging system, it’s typically a concern that fades rather quickly.

— BRANDIE SHAW, northeast regional sales manager, Briot USA

I SELL A VARIETY OF LENS JOBS — SOME DRILLS, SOME WRAPS, A LOT OF PALS, ETC. ISN’T IS EASIER TO JUST HAVE THE LAB EDGE EVERYTHING?

It is always easier, but not as profitable. With today’s edging technology, if you are comfortable edging a simple single vision job, you can edge any type of lens or frame style just as easily.

— JOHN JEFFREY, director of sales, Essilor Instruments USA

You CAN do it. The scan and drill functions on modern equipment makes it easy. The operator does not need to position the drill hole. Our equipment also has a shelf bevel function and customized bevel control for wrap frames. So there’s very little that you can’t do with the proper equipment.

— BRUNO YUN, senior sales application engineer, Coburn Technologies

This is where an on-site demonstration definitely comes into play. With a combination of running actual patient jobs on today’s easy-to-use equipment, having complete quality control of each job from start to finish, and the operator taking pride in what they deliver to the patient, this concern is quickly put to rest.

— JAYSUN BARR, Santinelli International

I’LL HAVE TO HIRE SOMEONE.

Most jobs take less than 10 minutes to edge and mount the lenses in the frame. So usually one of the optical staff members will complete a job in between seeing each patient in the optical shop.

If an office is so busy that they can’t handle it with existing staff, then they have the volume to easily afford—with all of the profit from edging in-house—to hire a part- or full-time tech to edge.

— JOHN JEFFREY, Essilor Instruments USA