Three years ago, my lab had three locations in North Carolina, and we were looking to expand into the Charleston, SC, area, a robust market we had yet to tap fully but had researched thoroughly. We started out by hiring a customer service representative to support our established customers in the area as well as drum up some new business. He had moderate success, but dentists kept asking the same question: ‘Are you local?’ We soon realized if we wanted to truly establish presence in that area, we would need a physical location with the ability to offer technical support.
In early 2017, after doing some research, our customer service rep approached Brad and Roy Duncan, Co-Owners of Charleston’s Duncan Dental Lab, an eight-person, full service operation. They had a great reputation, high-quality work—a must for our business and brand—and a strong client base.
I invited them to dinner to discuss my proposition: I needed a local presence...
