Products & ideas for the laboratory professional.
Issue link: https://opticallabproducts.epubxp.com/i/538327
10 july 2015 opticallabproducts.com W H O YA G O N N A C A L L ? T H I S I S R O N R O N H A S A D I F F I C U LT R X R O N WA N T S T R A N S I T I O N S ® L E N S E S . . . relationship between independent labs and ECPs is most vital, as the indie labs will take care of the indie ECPs, and vice versa. This synergy is a key strategy, as both entities can support the other and leverage this partnership to keep themselves thriving. And private-label lenses play a key role in making it all possible. "Private-label lenses are a great tool to showcase what a lab can bring to an ECP," Gardner says. "If a store down the street discounts name-brand lenses, the ECP can easily lose those sales because the lens is seen as a commodity, but if the lens is seen as a refection of the great service and care of the ECP and isn't available at the competi- tor, that ECP has a greater chance of retaining that patient. By offering high-quality proprietary lens products, it not only helps the lab differentiate itself from its competition, but the value also fows upstream to the ECPs, who can then differentiate themselves from competitors, too." Much of the inherent value in this partner- ship actually comes from being more customer-oriented, which is one place independent labs and ECPs excel. Gardner continues, "In some instances, larger organiza- tions react slower to the changing needs of its consumers, but the IOTA team works with our customers to make sure each one has the right solutions for the ever-changing needs of the ECP and patient. Indie labs are great partners for ECPs: they can more easily adapt and and can turn faster than the 'big ships' of the indus- try," Gardner states. "Independent labs request, and therefore get, new technology to market faster because the decision-making process is less complex and speeds the evolution to market." But producing a high-quality propri- etary lens is easier said than done; it requires a huge capital invest- ment, which can cost upwards of $1 million by the time one builds out and adds things such as AR coating. A lab can get started building a private brand by working with an existing IOTA producer to help develop its private-label market, so when the lab gets its own equip- ment, it has a volume of digital orders ready to produce on day one. This is where IOTA can help: The company creates and sells lens designs that independent laborato- ries can brand as their own private- label lenses. IOTA's name and logo do not appear anywhere on the product or its marketing materials; the brand wholly belongs to the lab. As part of its services, IOTA also helps with branding, naming, logos, marketing plans, and materials to help get a lab's new lens off the ground. Again, IOTA's branding is not present on any of these items. "We have a team of people whose whole goal is to help labs brand themselves. We will help develop marketing and sales materials, create and present training semi- nars, and pretty much anything else we can dream up to help our customers. We make sure that the technology we offer is the newest