AAO

[labdude]

Anybody going to attend the AAO in Denver??? May 16-20.

[labdude]

The next great Ortho. lab. CadeTech.
More stuff you already know Cade. Hereing that your going takes me back to when I used to attend.
Book your room now if you haven't already.
Work close to Dave and understand exactly what you can do for your lab when your there. Number one of course is your displaying IPCs. Any, and I mean ANY doctors that stop by, let them know on some level you make the IPC appliances. I know...DUH.

Take names and numbers. Every Doctor that visits the booth and so much as looks at or touches one of the appliances, if you don't talk with that Dr. directly, write down his name. His location and phone # you can get later. If Sara is in the booth, she can write down their names and info from their badges. Most but not all will be wearing a badge. When you walk the floor,everybody is a Dr. to you, if they are not wearing a badge, they are a Dr. first, something else later. Nothing worse than asking a Dr. what lab he works for, or something along that line.
If you can, kiss up to your own clients by sending fruit baskets or stuff like that to their rooms inviting them to stop by booth #??? and saying Hi. A hospitality room, it's to late for that, they are probably all taken and they are costly. For that matter, a bill board close by the convention is fun too, but equally as expensive.
Make sure ALL your clients know you will be there. You could provide a limo from the airport to their rooms also. You need to find out in advance where they are staying etc. throught their help or directly through them. Costly stuff as well.
But....your headed right to that place Cade. This will be walking around money to you some day. (WAM money)
Nice to be making a living doing this job. Nicer will be that first month you gross 10K.
More fun still is netting that 10k.
Knock them dead, carry a pile of business cards.
Mike.

[RetainerDesigner]

You got me all nervous now...and broke!
Im just there to help out in the Inman booth, and to absorb it all in.
Then next year, I take your advise and make more of an effort.
Everything is so expensive at AAO!

Trisha~ are you going? I think you could drive there too, like me?


10K a month is a dream of mine!

What do you think the limits of a one-technician lab is? 10K? 15K?

[TheLabGuy]

Originally Posted by RetainerDesigner

What do you think the limits of a one-technician lab is? 10K? 15K?

Depends if were just talking ortho here and whether you want to see daylight or your family in that month?

[labdude]

What's daylight?? Family works, chained to the bench.
Children make wonderful little workers.
Seriously, it's very possible, using the right methods. Avoiding "busy" work. All those little things that use time needlessly. That and years of experience.
Limits of 1 tech are 10 to 15 in Ortho. First time you hit that, if your alone, days and weeks become one. Don't do it by yourself.
Part time help is a good place to start with help. The best part time and full time employees I had were all women, at least 40.

[RetainerDesigner]

I believe its the "busy work" that gets me. Sometimes I look up and think" What the crap have I been doing for the past hour!" In fact I believe I am doing that right now...I need to go bend wires.


There is a woman (over forty for that matter) that works as an in-house technician for one of my orthodontists. She wants first dibs if I ever have an opening in my lab. I am very interested. She can do a set of study models in 5min. and does al the metal work for this Orthodontists.

[labdude]

As soon as you get back from Denver, give her a call. She is interested in seeing how you do things, and can share a lot of technique as well. She does not have to do things exactly as you do, it's the final product quality that counts.
If all goes well in Denver, you will come home with a couple or more drs. wanting to send a IPC appliance to you. Then your foot is in the door. While this meeting isn't for CadeTech specifically, you could still score some business.
Good luck Cade.
Don't be intimidated by it all. It can be intimidating to someone who has never been there before. I'm trying to give you a heads up. Behave like you've been there before and done all of it.
Keep the nervous on the inside. One other major thing, at least from what I've learned. Your no longer a one man show, small lab, etc. Don't share that info with anyone anymore. Sara works with you, and now you have 1 part time person waiting for you when you get back fron Denver. You plan to expand in a controled manner, don't want to get to big to fast. That is somewhat, what you say while your in Denver.
Reality, grow as fast as you possibly can, full speed ahead.
Mike.

[RetainerDesigner]

I like your idea, Have someone ready sitting on the bench, in case they need to be called up. Don't let the new doctor know what is going on in the back ground,it should be smooth and seamless on the their side.

[trisha]

I doubt that I will go to the AAO this year. I don't know how speedy you are Cade but over 8.5 a month , knocks me on my butt! No sleep, just work work work. You have kiddys and they will want to spend time w/you not to mention Sara. If you get a helper 10 should be very easy to accomplish w/o totally stressing you out. And since you are no longer working out of your home you won't be able to just get away from it for a few minutes and show your face to your family.

I will admit I am not your speedist tech. Realistically it takes me 40 minutes to make a basic retainer. Mike is a much faster tech.
I agree w/Mike about hiring a female. We can be pretty maticulous.
The tech that works for the Dr. sounds like a great prospect. Just make sure you don't make the Dr. upset. If you take her away from him, you will surely lose that account. But you are probably thinking of hiring her for p/t?

Best of luck to you at the AAO meeting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
trisha