Distributor Spotlight: Jon Dymit of Walman Instruments

Today begins a series of posts where we highlight the companies that are helping to put M&S in every exam lane possible. All across the globe, M&S relies on the help of these hard-working and knowledgeable professionals to sell, install and train customers on the Smart System line of products.

Walman is an employee-owned company headquartered in Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN. It was voted the best ESOP in Minnesota in 2012.

M&S: When did Walman begin selling ophthalmic equipment?

Jon: That’s hard to say. We’ve been around since 1915, and we originally sold equipment for American Optical and Bausch & Lomb. I know we began sourcing instrumentation for our customers when Otto Batzli was president of Walman Optical, so it had to be somewhere between 1929 and 1968. Let’s call it 1964 and make it an even 50 years?

M&S: How long have you been with the company?

Jon: 30 years total. I took a 5-year sabbatical somewhere in the mid-90’s.

M&S: What is your favorite part of the job?

Jon: We really are fortunate to have truly awesome people as customers and vendors. Part of that is how we have positioned our company and our value proposition. But really there are very, very few people we work with that you wouldn’t want to have for a next-door neighbor. From a business standpoint, it’s an ever-changing industry with excellent demographics for sustained growth.

M&S: If you weren’t doing what you currently do, what other profession would you try?

Jon: I’ve dreamed for many years of being an owner/operator of an outfitter in the Boundary Waters Wilderness Area – but I don’t like the thought of being poor. Realistically, I always knew I’d do something sales related…possibly a sales trainer or a Covey facilitator?

M&S: What have you learned from your customers?

Jon: That the world has made it incredibly easy to be remarkable. The companies and persons that realize what good customer service is…and then deliver on it…will always be wildly successful. Incidentally, I view M&S Technologies as one of those companies.

M&S: What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

Jon: Canoeing and cabin life with my wife and family. Good beer and guitars with my friends.

M&S: How long have you carried the M&S brand?

Jon: Since 2005, when Soderberg joined the Walman Group.

M&S: Why do you carry the M&S brand?

Jon: The M&S brand to us is synonymous with product quality, technical innovation, and a level of customer service we strive to provide to our own customer base.

M&S: What impact has LCD-based visual acuity systems had on your business?

Jon: Probably more than anything else in the exam room, LCD’s have shown the eyecare practitioner that patients do notice technology. When we are successful in delivering that message to our customers, they will see increased patient retention, more patient referrals, and higher capture rates to the dispensary.

M&S: Lastly, what do you think the equipment market will be like in 5 years?

Jon : I believe in that 5-year period, the market is going to get very confusing as more and more manufacturers flood the US with low-end technology from Korea and China. We need to work very closely with our manufacture partners like M&S to create strong value propositions and differentiate product and services.

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Our sincere thanks to Jon and his team at Walman Instrument Group! Visit their website at walmaninstruments.com or call 1-800-222-8095.

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