So you don't have an in-office lab, but you still have to compete with practices that offer "glasses ready in 1 hour." What can you do?

Dispensary expert Leona Meditz suggests that you start by pricing your lenses a little lower than nearby competitors who offer 1-hour service. Then set up an arrangement with your full-service lab to provide "instant" service for an extra fee. You simply pass the extra fee on to the patient.

For example, one practice arranged to page the lab representative, who would drive over, pick up the order, wait while the lenses were made and then drive them back to the practice. The lab charged $20 for the service, and that was passed on to the patient who wanted the faster service. This strategy successfully "leveled the playing field" with nearby 1-hour competitors.