LAB INNOVATOR OF 2010 - Luzerne Optical Labs

SALES & MARKETING LAB INNOVATOR OF 2010Slow and Steady SalesWith its own promotional programs, in-house graphics department, and quality proprietary products,Luzerne Optical’s sales and marketing efforts have achieved continuous growth.Luzerne Optical maintainsits own in-housegraphic design capabilitiesto design andproduce customizedmarketing materials.TO HAVE GROWN from athree-person operation to one of thecountry’s largest labs in the last fourdecades, Luzerne Optical must be doingsomething right when it comes to salesand marketing. With a salesforce that spans the countryand marketing techniques thatencourage the sale of bothnational brands as well as private-labelproducts, Luzerne is currentlyaveraging about 1,800 jobs per day.To make sure that it’s not a “me too”lab from the viewpoint of eyecare professionals(ECPs), Luzerne Optical notonly participates in specials sponsoredby all the major lens manufacturers, butit also creates its own unique promotionalprograms. “We try to come up withthings that we haven’t seen out therebefore, that other labs haven’t done,”said general manager Neil Dougherty.MEMBER DISCOUNT PROGRAMFor example, the “Luzerne MillenniumMaximum Discount Program” is modeledafter a Wholesale Club. ECPs pay a one-timemembership fee and get the best possiblepricing on commonly used items. This particularprogram is geared toward Varilux ®and Zeiss premium progressive lenses andtheir anti-reflective (AR) treatments thatLuzerne Optical saved the shovel used by the mayor of Wilkes-Barre,PA, to take the first scoop when ground was broken on its newbuilding in 1984.Luzerne applies in-house. Members are alsoentered to win money or lunch for the officeor a travel certificate to anywhere they wantto go. In addition, when ECPs join, Luzernegives them certificates to try a free pair ofprogressives with AR as well as gas-permeablecontact lenses.Over the years, growth has been steadyfor Luzerne Optical. “We expand a little biteach year,” said Dougherty, “but we’re verycareful about our growth to make sure wedon’t sacrifice our service.”IN-HOUSE GRAPHICSTo further support its customers, LuzerneOptical maintains its own in-house graphicdesign capabilities to design and producecustomized marketing materials at no chargefor ECPs. By helping its customers succeed,Luzerne increases its business as well. Salesconsultants in the field let Luzerne Opticalknow which ECPs could benefit from thecreation of customized marketing materials,and the lab’s in-house graphic designers dothe rest. It’s a win-win situation.In some cases, sales and marketingtools come from organizations other thanLuzerne Optical itself. For example, onthe contact lens side, Luzerne Optical is amember of the Contact Lens ManufacturersAssociation and is among a select groupof contact lens labs across the countrythat have achieved the Seal of ExcellenceAward for the manufacture of its contactEmbedded in the pavement, Luzerne’s logogreets those entering the building, and it alsoadorns mouse pads as a marketing tool.lenses. Luzerne has achieved this statusby having the contact lenses that itmanufactures put through an array ofdifferent tests by an independent companyconducting an anonymous studywith ECPs to ensure that it meets thehighest quality standards.PROPRIETARY PRODUCTSIn addition, with a catalog of its own uniqueproducts, Luzerne Optical is able to differentiateitself from the labs it competes with.These trademarked products include Sight-Star progressive lenses, new SightStar 365free-form lenses in both progressives andsingle vision, Photo.Fashion photochromics,Polar365 polarized lenses, the housebrand EVC (Enhanced Visual Clarity)premium AR, DuraCurve aspheric contactlenses, and FeelSoft PlasmaTreatment GP for contact lenses.By combining quality products withproprietary promotions, Luzerne Optical’ssales and marketing efforts have paid offsubstantially both for itself and for its ECPcustomers throughout the country.november/december 2010 25