january 2015 1
opticallabproducts.com
OPINIONS
03 rollins on marketing
04 in the lab
06 one-to-one with doug hepper,
executive chairman, vision-ease lens
FEATURES
08 growing free-form with a cherry on top
10 optimized lenses: the next sales pitch
12 maximizing profts with lens add-ons
RUNDOWN
17 lab news
20 new for the lab
AS WE head into 2015, our industry is beset by new
problems, challenges, and opportunities. Increased
Internet pressures, managed care, and third-party restric-
tions are among the most obvious affecting volumes and
margins.
One trend, positive to processing laboratories that offer
it, is private labeling. We, as labs, have commonly
offered private label for children, frames, safety, and
multiple pair programs, but now, two disparate trends are converging into a
huge opportunity for labs: free-form and private labeling.
My experience with private label lenses has often been lower-priced
options "to meet competition." However, a new movement has started to
offer private label products as a premier lab product at a comparable price to
premium branded lenses...and with their margins. I'm also aware of many lab
executives who actually price their private label lenses even higher than a
branded product.
The advantages of private label free-form lenses are multiple:
They offer unique designs specifc to a patient's lifestyle—a feature not
always available from brand offerings; Uniqueness—everybody dispenses
Brand X but your lab's brand is exclusive to you and your customer. In turn,
an ECP may also brand your product.
An investment analyst reviewing a major lens supplier commented, "the
potentially disruptive threat of retailers adopting their own private label
progressive lens solutions is of concern to future growth and earnings." The
fact that the investment community is aware of this trend is a strong commen-
tary on the need to become involved, or more involved, in this real opportunity.
Those labs not surfacing free-form will need to partner, co-operate, and
invest in their future. I'm constantly surprised that some of the smaller
independents haven't consolidated to build a new lab that offers AR and
free-form. Some successful labs are currently operating this way.
Why not consider your private label as a premier product with premier pric-
ing? Obviously you'll have to develop a marketing program to support that.
This year, consider reinventing your business.
JIM GROOTEGOED
Professional Editor
EDITORIAL STAFF
VICE PRESIDENT, EDITORIAL Beth Schlau
beth@visioncareproducts.com
PROFESSIONAL EDITOR Jim Grootegoed
jg@visioncareproducts.com
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Carol Gilhawley
cg@visioncareproducts.com
VICE PRESIDENT, DESIGN Jane Kaplan
jk@visioncareproducts.com
SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Diane Cuddy
diane@visioncareproducts.com
PRODUCTION & WEB MANAGER Anthony Floreno
af@visioncareproducts.com
WEB CONTENT MANAGER Steve Curry
sc@visioncareproducts.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Eric Rollins, Steven Warfeld,
Meghan Kalvig
BUSINESS STAFF
PRESIDENT/CEO Frank Giammanco
fg@visioncareproducts.com
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Shawn Mery
sm@visioncareproducts.com
DIRECTOR OF SALES, EASTERN U.S. Janet Cunningham
jc@visioncareproducts.com
DIRECTOR OF SALES, WESTERN U.S. Marie Welsch
mw@visioncareproducts.com
VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING Debby Corriveau
dc@visioncareproducts.com
VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS Sharon O'Hanlon
so@visioncareproducts.com
Reinvention Challenge
JANUARY 2015 CONTENTS
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