We believe, Exquisite lenses should be Inexpensive” – Zylux

ABOUT: ZYLUX.

Zylux is a brand that comes with a clear vision & mission to provide Ophthalmic lenses at affordable prices.Being into healthcare & wellness, in a country like India where a considerable population is underprivileged to have quality vision care, we at Zylux have tried to do our bit by introducing a great European technology backed by a strong Singapore based manufacturing company have introduced Zylux lenses in India at a never seen before price points making it affordable to the masses of India with cutting edge technology. We believe eyes are the most precious & most important organ of a human body & making the business of spectacle lenses fully commercial & diverting into luxury segment and charging exorbitant prices will make it difficult for the common man to afford a quality eye care at economical prices.We at Zylux are on a mission to provide the best of the eye care needs at steal prices and not even compromising on the technology & the geometry of making the lenses.Our Editor-in-chief, Siddharth Salecha spoke with Mr. Pratik Bhatt, CEO of Zylux Lens to understand the contribution in making the lenses affordable and available to every individual.

INTERVIEW: Mr. Pratik Bhatt,CEO

What led you to enter the field of ophthalmic lenses?

This goes to the times when I was studying business management and always dreamt of introducing some unique sets of products& services in the world of business. My interest in ophthalmic lenses increased when during semester breaks, I visited my dad’s good friend who was the distributor of quality eyewear glasses. That’s how I got the zeal & understanding of the trade and decided to do something special i.e. build an ecosystem with the spectacle lenses. Finally, after amplere of search, I developed the ecosystem of Zylux lenses which provides Premium quality eye care lenses at the lowest prices.

What are your initiatives towards creating an impact in the Optical Industry through ZYLUX?

ZYLUX Initiative – Is to deliver Quality Eyecare prescription lenses at economical prices.While building the ecosystem for Zylux, there was a visible gap in the mid-segment price variant which practically existed in the industry though it went unnoticed over the years.There were 2 dimensions i.e. 1) Quality at a higher price and Low quality at a lower price which also lacked the technological aspect of making a lens.With Zylux I wanted to form a domain in which we will deliver a technical & highly advanced product at economical prices which benefit the masses as a whole.

What are the 4 major factors that are the differentiator for Zylux from its other counterparts?

Our 4 major differentiator factors are as below:1. Technology – We offer BSP (Back Surface Power), CEV (Custom Engineered Vision), ATL (Add to Life), at an economical cost compared to other players.2. Value – Zylux lenses due to its Uber premium quality has the highest customer retention ratio – Once a customer of Zylux always a customer, thus generating value at every Zylux partner store.3. Simple & Minimal – We studied the other competing brands and their way of representing the brand was highly cluttered and confusing for both opticians as well as consumers, hence we decided to make our portfolio look very simple with obvious choices for the consumers and made India’s simplest & minimal looking brand in Spectacle lenses industry.Please visit our website – www.zyluxlenses.com to understand lenses, as our content is simple and easy to understand for any individual.4. Exclusivity- The Zylux partner stores are handpicked for their renowned expertise and experience and the ability to be exceptional service providers. Zylux lenses are the first boutique spectacle lenses brand available at very selective doors and supreme eye care professionals. The brand is strictly not open for any distribution agencies or any bulk supply as at Zylux, quality is always preferred over quantity.

What are the 5 top difficulties the lens brands are facing currently in India?

Yes, there are a few challenges which the brands face:1- Being in an unorganized sector it is extremely difficult for players with an organized brand Image to enter & make way.2- Due to the unorganized sector, many forms of lenses are available in the market which don’t even go through strict QA/QC adherence but yet sold in the market openly poses a challenge for a Quality player to step in and make the difference.3- Customer’s lack of awareness towards new technologies and product variants available in the market for their customizations poses a products.challenge for the lens company to innovate4- Improper education of support staff regarding the technical worth of the product again adds to the misery of the lens company as staff without proper dispensing knowledge affects the dispensing of the right product to the consumer. Such issues are mainly prominent in rural parts of the country.5- The right infrastructure like the robotic mechanism, or to take eye measurements to prescribe a customized lens is available to only a handful of opticians which lessens the opportunity to spread the idea of customized lenses in smaller towns & cities.

Is India dependant on imports for Lenses? What changes should take place to become independent in this sector?

I would not particularly say for Lens Industry but yes, India needs to be Independent in the manufacturing sector as we are yet dependent on imports of raw materials or finished goods from different countries.Government should now start focusing and take steps to help the nurturing minds of Young India who eventually will help set up different manufacturing units in India by allowing easy capital investment, land & other requisite to set up different types of industries.It’s high time we focus on quality manufacturing and upgrade ourselves from only an agriculture-focused economy to a Robust manufacturing economy as well.

How many types of lenses are available today? Which are the bestsellers?

The lens industry has levelled up in comparison to a decade before in terms of variety and variations along with different types of indexes giving consumers multiple choices in terms of value & pricing.The best sellers I would say are the Freeform Progressives & the Blue Filtered glasses both in Single & Multifocal vision, keeping in the mind the current trend & Increased screen time due to the new “Work from Home Culture”

Could you explain the relationship between an optician and a lens maker/provider?

We share a great relationship and are connected with each other closely, it is the retailers who have helped the lens industry grow in the last decade which I have personally witnessed how an independent optician takes efforts to give in-depth knowledge about each type of lens perfectly suiting the needs of the end consumer.I think we should be thankful to the opticians who have helped evolve the consumer taste & preference by educating the consumers on different types of lenses available to them along with its features & benefits of buying them.

Why are lenses usually priced so high?

The procurement of spectacle lenses is not naïve and is a geometrical science as there area lot of researches and tests which goes behind introducing any type of lenses. Other various expenses like advertising & branding add up to the pricing as well.

What are the important factors to be considered when buying the perfect lens?

Definitely, Lenses are the most important tool that should be kept on priority as that defines the clarity of vision one will have.Of course, brand value adds to consumer behaviour at the same time as being in the health care & wellness category.The consumer usually prioritizes on recommendations by the opticians and the optometrists for a particular lens brand. Also, key features like;1. Coating quality
2. Lens design
3. After service conditions of the brand
4. Clarity of the lens
are some of the key factors to be taken into consideration before the purchase.

What are the types of custom-made lenses? How do they differ from each other?

As in Zylux, we say Every pair is custom-made & not ready-made. Just to state with an example, not all shirts fit all bodies, similar with the eyemeasurements, it differs from man to manalong with a selection of frames in means of shapes & sizes, which also affects the making of the lens.Hence our lenses are tailor-made according to every measurement of the human eye and different frame parameters are taken into consideration while making a lens.The customized lenses are differed with different viewing zones as per the need of the consumer, for example, A consumer who spends most of his time focusing on near objects is prescribed a customized lens with a wider reading area for his ease of vision. and for someone who drives is prescribed a wider distance and balanced intermediate, near vision drive glasses, and so on.

What is that one goal you want to achieve with ZYLUX, and how do you plan to achieve it?

With Zylux we are on a clear mission to provide the masses with the best in class technologies for eye care at the most economical prices, as eyes are the most precious gift through which we see the beauty of this world and there should be no allowance of poor quality.We have already scaled it to the national level with a highly qualified team of optometrists, entrepreneurs & strategists working day and night for the brand to be in maximum optical stores & eye clinics with concentrated marketing effort & unique branding strategies. Our robust presence in both online & offline channels has made Zylux the talk of the Optical Industry.Even though we are relatively a new entrant, we have made considerable investments in the look & feel of the brand along with a highly aggressive and competent team joining from large corporations. They stand strong with Zylux etiquettes in every zone of the country, to be available for easy assistance of all our partner stores.An Initiative no young brand has ever taken in the Spectacle lens business in India.