Basement orthollabs killing us!

[TheLabGuy]

What ????

spammer

 

[droberts]

If anyone can't compete on price they'll need to find other features of their business to compete on.
If you're getting new accounts like you've said in your last post then you're doing okay and shouldn't be worried.
Every business type will see 'basement' competition and undercutting, it's normal. Probably been happening since the day money was invented.


I believe whether it is dental related or not. Any business that can produce a good product, not worry about the competition but be the competition, will be successful.

Danny

 

[TheLabGuy]

I believe whether it is dental related or not. Any business that can produce a good product, not worry about the competition but be the competition, will be successful.

Danny

That's great advice Danny

 

[TomZ]

I disagree that all it takes is a good product and one can be sucessfull or "be the competition". One could produce a product that never gets the attention of the market they cater to.
Unlike Field of Dreams, it takes more than just "building it", to have them come.
It takes constant promotion and a sound marketing strategy(branding) to get yourself in front of the clients you are marketing towards and stay there.

 

[Mark Jackson]

I disagree that all it takes is a good product and one can be sucessfull or "be the competition". One could produce a product that never gets the attention of the market they cater to.
Unlike Field of Dreams, it takes more than just "building it", to have them come.
It takes constant promotion and a sound marketing strategy(branding) to get yourself in front of the clients you are marketing towards and stay there.

Underpromise and overdeliver. Exceed expectations and give MORE than the customer paid for and TELL THE WORLD ABOUT IT. You don't want to be the best kept secret in dentistry.

You can't move swiftly forward if you are constantly looking over your shoulder, but never forget who's there.

 

[TheLabGuy]

I disagree that all it takes is a good product and one can be sucessfull or "be the competition". One could produce a product that never gets the attention of the market they cater to.
Unlike Field of Dreams, it takes more than just "building it", to have them come.
It takes constant promotion and a sound marketing strategy(branding) to get yourself in front of the clients you are marketing towards and stay there.

The quality must be there first, unless you can sell ice to a Eskimo it won't be long before you've burnt all your bridges because your hands couldn't back up your mouth. I've personally seen this with more than one technician on a few occasions. So "be the competition" is great advice because it suggests that you focus on the quality, although as you put it Tom if you want to be the 'total package' you must market/advertise yourself and/or lab. Whether that's through articles, lecture's, online, website, magazines, door to door, study groups, CE, you have to get your name out there. I believe it was Einstein who once stated that you can be the smartest man in the world but if you can't articulate it to anyone, then you might as well be the dumbest.

 

[droberts]

Underpromise and overdeliver. Exceed expectations and give MORE than the customer paid for and TELL THE WORLD ABOUT IT. You don't want to be the best kept secret in dentistry.

You can't move swiftly forward if you are constantly looking over your shoulder, but never forget who's there.

Mark,

Excellent way to put it.

Tom, Just shoot me...

 

[Smilewire]

Underpromise and overdeliver. Exceed expectations and give MORE than the customer paid for and TELL THE WORLD ABOUT IT. You don't want to be the best kept secret in dentistry.

You can't move swiftly forward if you are constantly looking over your shoulder, but never forget who's there.

I've told my clients "NO MORE REFERRALS!" so sadly Im probably a well kept secret, for now Im trying to expand and hire wow I dunno how people do it. And have a family

I have well established relationships with my clients I know they wouldn't leave me, no basement lab could take them. But these are relationships I've spent years buliding we have seen each others children be born and grow.

So how can one expand while being a mom? It may be nearly impossible, I've been paying for a 1000sq ft space now for 6months and still have not moved in! seriously

 

[rosarioortholab]

expanding

I've told my clients "NO MORE REFERRALS!" so sadly Im probably a well kept secret, for now Im trying to expand and hire wow I dunno how people do it. And have a family

I have well established relationships with my clients I know they wouldn't leave me, no basement lab could take them. But these are relationships I've spent years buliding we have seen each others children be born and grow.

So how can one expand while being a mom? It may be nearly impossible, I've been paying for a 1000sq ft space now for 6months and still have not moved in! seriously

If you want to expand make sure you have the labor in place.That's critical or you'll kill yourself.I missed alot of my middle son's activties because I expanded without the labor in place. That kills me to this day. I learned and hired. A good place to start would be with ortho assistants. They already have the digital dexterity to do the job. And they know anatomy. You should also hire a person to do ALL the prep work like teeth resets, model prep, articulations, etc.It will cost a little at first but it pays off. I get to go to all my 16 year old daughter's activities. I should't c ry so much however . my middle son is entering his senior year at MIT and is currently interning in San francisco with intent to hire. ( We live in philadelphia,Pa. Long way)

 

[the lab lady]

I am a tiny at home lab that left my job in house for an orthodontist because I am a single parent with three children, one with special medical needs at the time, and he just had to let me go.(but thankfully sent me a ton of work my first year) When I was setting up my price schedule I wanted to talk to the local labs so I would be in the same ball park, but they refused to help me. I wanted to avoid undercutting the competition. My reasoning was greatly based on the notion that your prices will convey the quality of work- which is often true. Anyways us little "basement labs" are not all bad!

 

[kcb]

I also have a basement lab equipped with KAVO equipment , workbenches and hand piece. Nice not paying rent.

 

[TomZ]

I love the way this thread morphed....

 

[AJEL]

Ditto & better yet I might have made a friend PM or 2, buddy listing.:hmmmm::hmmmm2:

 

[Smilewire]

I'm pretty sure what Rosario means is Basement not in a physical place. But as Basement as in "Basement bargain" bottom of the barrel

Theres even a few large labs that I consider basement labs. Small labs that are commited to quality and knowledge and funtionality of what they put out are called boutique labs.

One way IMHO in general that I consider a basement lab are labs that website post there prices as a competitive edge... When in fact DOCTORS HATE the general public to have access to what there paying. I will never post my price schedule on my website

The biggest basement lab out there is GAC..yes I went there
I despise them, there practices are hurting the market all around
they make orthodontists become part of there incentive program and they get these points to shop with, they're forced to shop only through GAC and all there stuff is total crap. Recently they sent out advertisement to the orthodontists (one of the assistants gave me one) that compared there "lab" prices to other large labs naming them by name! I quickly faxed this to all the other labs as its not legal to use someones trademarked name to promote your own product. I hope there lawyers contacted them
They charge 37.00 for a hawley but of course they don't advertise that they have a delivery charge on each appliance of around 5.00
I got a hold of some GAC acrylic once OMG it was the crappiest acrylic I threw it all out garbage belongs in the garbage

 

[TomZ]

For someone that isnt taking on referrals, you sure have alot to say about a segment of the market you feel isnt competition. In every segment of any industry there will be those that stay in business by lowballing or providing substandard products, its a fact of life. Im for spending my energy planning on how to maintain and grow the area I compete in, the others dont matter.

 

[Smilewire]

For someone that isnt taking on referrals, you sure have alot to say about a segment of the market you feel isnt competition. In every segment of any industry there will be those that stay in business by lowballing or providing substandard products, its a fact of life. Im for spending my energy planning on how to maintain and grow the area I compete in, the others dont matter.

Sorry that you feel that way, I never said the market doesnt have competition. Yes I always have a lot to say, and yes its a fact of life
AND yes in my head I'm very competitive, doesn't mean I can act upon it. BUT it also doesn't mean I can't have feelings about it

 

[rosarioortholab]

I started a thread asking interested people to view photos of an appliance we made for an infant with a skeletal deformity. I got 2 replies (THANK YOU !!) and 119 views.
This basement lab thread got 35 replies and 807 views. The photos of the intra-ora splint I thought would generate alot of interest from the ortho people. I was sadly mistaken. By the way ,I have nothing against basement labs. Ive seen state of the art labs in basements. More power to 'em

 

[AJEL]

Sometimes it is strange what we think will be of interest and what shows to be of an interest. I have placed threads about safety & finstaid, and the such with some thought I might influence some better health practices. I missed your tread of the infant. I have looked at the 5 yr old pictures & appliance really impressive. Thanks for mentioning it I am better for seeing that this could be done. My military time I had done reconstructive maxiofacial, but in civilian there just never seemed to be a demand. I still have some palatal obturator's (mostly adults that I have been doing since their childhood) going but have never tried something like the REDII actually really cool.:clap2::thumb:

 

[chief26]

Im new on this site..i have been reading post for 2 days now...this thread just wouldnt leave my head...i asked myself..what kind of lab n i??? Was i mean to the already exsisting labs when i started...why am i still n business...am i good at what i do??? Well, i think i am a established lab..but,a bad storm could take me out. Im well known and liked..i hope...i dont think i was unfair to offer discounts..i am not the cheapest lab..and the price ranges n my area vary grossly. I think im still n business because i go to the offices and for my mailing customers..i guess im good. I dont know...i have a top of the line pressure pot. W/ guick connect air hook ups. Ministar erkodent..use great lakes wire and acrylic. But, i have a small building n my back yard. And just fyi....when i went to take my cert test as a lab tech...the ny tech school was using tire airline...yes my pressure pot wouldnt work there...i didnt have the kind w/ tire hookup..thats a whole other subject..i dont know....i feel like a contender...i had a lot of experience before i opened my lab. And a who different set since. I am enjoying every min. I love all the new technology and just purchased my first arc welder.

 

[sidesh0wb0b]

You're trying to say I have met the enemy and the enemy is me. Our service and quality are without question. I can't get into the head of my clients. If a basement lab opens around the corner from a client and offers cheap fees, as a consumer he might be tempted to try.

if your service and quality are without question then the best business plan is to focus on YOUR business and marketing. not the other guys whom you cannot control.
just saying