Recession Busters: Proactive Laboratory Owners Gear Up For 2009

Confronted with daily reports of a declining economy and mired in the unpredictability of what it means for their businesses, it's not surprising that some laboratory owners are postponing plans for fee increases, capital expenditure purchases or remodeling projects.

What stands out, though, is what they are doing: developing well-thought-out, proactive strategies that will put them in the best position to withstand the inevitable challenges that lie ahead.

For many laboratory owners, this includes implementing new promotional efforts or expanding target markets in order to keep a steady stream of cases coming in the door. "Our clients are all still sending us work, just less of it. So in order for us to succeed in these economic conditions, we need new customers, and it may take twice as many clients as before to maintain our regular workload," says Mark Mattheiss, Brooks Dental Lab, Pensacola, Florida.

While some are banking on tried-and-true...