Marge Axelrad
Editorial Director

It's tempting to talk in oooh-aaah tones about Big Change and Major Players when consolidation and mergers dominate business news.

But it's reassuring to sense the entrepreneurial spirit and nimble competitive tactics alive and at work among some 'local heroes' out there --the small-to-mid-sized optical chains and practice groups who excel on their home turf and exhibit a real passion and flair for their business.

We target ten examples of these this month in our Cover Story and our editorial team was inspired by the theme of TV's reality-show Survivor when we conducted our interviews. Survivor encourages such strategies as "Outwit. Outplay. Outlast." And, true to form, our 4 to 20-unit optical chain candidates illustrated their own variations on such themes as they discussed ways that they have grown their businesses to become major local and regional forces in their own home turf.

We asked them about their strategies. These, they say, necessarily include sharp buying, great staff training and cultivation, constant monitoring of sales and processes, recognizing the need to upgrade systems and software, and a shrewd ability to listen to the needs of their customers and patients.

In addition, pointed out more than a few, tight controls or regular monitoring, from location to location, allows for consistency and efficiency (read profits) in operations.

Finally, local heroes/optical survivors create distinction, in product mix or exclusives, or in terms of eye care, which helps each small-to-mid-sized chain become dominant and build image and success in their community.

Increasingly, multi-unit local and regional players are gaining higher profiles, among patients and the supplier community, too.

They are on to something-- ways of reflecting the power of a group combined with the one-to-one power of personalized service.