FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, please contact:
Jessica Clark
Senior Marketing Manager
VisionWeb
512-241-8561
jclark@visionweb.com
- Or -
Bob Gustin
Vice President of New Business Development
Walman Optical
612-520-6104
RFGustin@walman.com
Walman Optical and VisionWeb Expedite Lens Ordering in Groundbreaking Agreement
Walman and VisionWeb enter an agreement that will greatly enhance the speed and efficiency of lens ordering with Walman and Soderberg Optical Laboratories
Austin, Texas – March 31, 2006 –VisionWeb, the online service to help eye care providers streamline and simplify their practice, and Walman Optical, the largest independent ophthalmic company in the United States, today announced an agreement to allow direct ordering of prescription lens products to Walman Optical and Soderberg Optical laboratories through VisionWeb.
Eyecare providers will now be able to order prescription lenses from any of the 33 Walman Optical and Soderberg Optical laboratories electronically, via visionweb.com, or any of the practice management systems integrated with VisionWeb. VisionWeb will offer eyecare providers using visionweb.com full access to features that help streamline the ordering process, including online order status and tracking. VisionWeb customers who are members of the Walman and Soderberg-operated buying groups will continue to receive their buying group discounts when ordering through VisionWeb.
"VisionWeb’s electronic ordering service will expand the options available to our customers to place orders to Walman and Soderberg labs in an efficient and convenient way,” said Marty Bassett, CEO of Walman Optical. “This agreement demonstrates our commitment to offer services which add value to our customers’ practices.”
"Walman Optical is a true leader in this industry, and we are excited to partner with them in offering eyecare professionals the opportunity to order prescription lenses electronically," said Jeffrey Saddington, VisionWeb president and CEO. “VisionWeb’s website offers easy order entry for all Walman and Soderberg customers at no charge. Additionally, practices utilizing one of the half dozen practice management systems integrated to VisionWeb will save time and increase practice efficiency. We are proud to have the Walman and Soderberg labs join the 210 laboratories already receiving spectacle lens orders via VisionWeb.”
ABOUT WALMAN OPTICAL
Walman Optical, established in 1915, prides itself in being a quality-driven, 100% employee owned company, serving the ophthalmic needs of independent eyecare professionals across the nation. Walman operates 20 full-service ophthalmic labs, offering the latest in Rx lens fabrication, fashion frame styles and state-of-the-art A/R coating facilities. Walman Optical is proud to have earned the trust of independent eyecare professionals nationwide for over 90 years. For more information, please visit www.walman.com.
ABOUT SODERBERG OPTICAL
Soderberg Optical, founded in 1945, is committed to providing quality products and services to eyecare specialists. A Walman Optical company, Soderberg maintains 13 locations, providing eyewear products, manufacturing contact lenses, distributing refractive and diagnostic instruments and designing innovative industrial eyewear programs. In addition, Soderberg operates the Preferred Select Buying Group for its customers. Soderberg Optical’s service area is concentrated in the nine-state upper Midwest, but Soderberg processes work from doctors and opticians nationwide. For more information, please visit www.soseyes.com.
ABOUT VISIONWEB
Headquartered in Austin, Texas, VisionWeb, L.P. is the online service to help eyecare providers simplify and streamline their practices. VisionWeb offers convenient, direct-to-supplier online ordering; online multi-payer insurance transaction processing; one-stop access to ophthalmic clinical news and information; customizable eyecare practice Web sites; and other benefits for opticians, optometrists, ophthalmologists, optical manufacturers, laboratories, distributors and patients. For more information or to register, please visit www.visionweb.com.
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