march 2015 1
opticallabproducts.com
OPINIONS
03 rollins on marketing
04 in the lab
06 one-to-one with mervyn mccrea, managing director,
crossbows optical, a signet/essilor company
FEATURES
08 how do you improve profts in fnishing?
14 today's young optical professionals
20 what you need to know when testing lenses
22 walman's three-pronged approach
RUNDOWN
24 transitions academy news
26 lab news
28 new for the lab
I'M AN industry veteran. That means old, nostalgic,
and I have a growing appreciation for those who molded
the foundation of our industry. We've lost many
founders in recent years: most recently Duane Reese
who built wholesale labs and founded Optical Services
International (OSI), a successful lab buying group. There
are too many others to list here but it makes me wonder
about the future of our industry. Will it all be corporate?
How many times have I heard, "It's just not like the old days!" Inside
this issue of OLP you'll fnd profles of 35 optical professionals under the
age of 40 and their industry success stories. Reading this I'm reassured
about our future and will sleep well tonight. I believe our industry is still a
breeding ground for entrepreneurs—just like in the old days.
Those who follow my column will note a common theme: opportunities
for wholesale labs to continue their success and growth. A common
sub-theme has been Transitions
®
lenses. If you look at the statistics they
generate you'll see they have a 94% repeat rate and an 88% satisfaction
rate. By comparison, the intent to purchase rate of John Deere lawn mowers
runs around 77% and Mercedes-Benz cars at 80%. I suggest that the 94%
rate alone justifes your active promotion of this brand to your customers.
To me it's a no-brainer. With that level of obvious satisfaction with
patients who love the product why wouldn't you promote it? How many
times have you heard, "I'll never get a pair of glasses without it?" The same
holds true for AR. And yet photochromic lenses account for only about 20%
of purchases and AR is under 30%.
The competition for Transitions' 2014 Lab of the Year was limited to
three wholesale labs. We feature an article on how Walman Optical won the
award (See "Walman's Three-Pronged Approach," p. 22). Please read and
steal their tactics.
A modern offshoot of the efforts of our industry's pioneers is Vision
Expo East, March 19-22, in New York City. There you'll see niche products
that can appreciably add to your success. Opportunities still exist...if you
see them frst. Do attend!
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
ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR Andrew Jackson
aj@visioncareproducts.com
PRODUCTION & WEB MANAGER Anthony Floreno
af@visioncareproducts.com
WEB CONTENT MANAGER Steve Curry
sc@visioncareproducts.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Eric Rollins, Steven Warfeld,
Kimberly Hutton, Daryl Neely, Bryan Schueler
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
Breeding Entrepreneurs
MARCH 2015 CONTENTS
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