RAMSEY, Minn.— Vision-Ease Lens (VEL) earned a spot on the 2013 InformationWeek 500 for its focus on improving customer service through technology advances. The ranked list recognizes the top technology innovators in the U.S., with this year’s theme digital business.

VEL earned the 233rd spot on the list because of automation processes implemented in the last few years, each designed to improve flow for customers.

“We wanted to enhance our customers’ experiences by making ordering and invoice processes faster and more intuitive,” said Flo Kinzel, global IT leader for VEL. “By creating online portals, automating orders and invoicing, and developing a handheld scanner to reorder products, we have improved ordering efficiency and accuracy, making the customer’s experience with Vision-Ease seamless and simple.”

Examples of VEL’s improved services include PodScan, a handheld device that lets customers easily scan product boxes and barcodes; inbound order automation, an easy-to-use program makes ordering more efficient than email and improves online ordering utilization and accuracy; electronic invoicing.

Pictured above is the VEL IT department: (back row, from left) Mark Gaarder, Justin Cochran, Al Birnbaum, Dale Peterson, Todd Norman, Nick Thesing, Kenji Vue, (front row, from left) Bridget Lahn, Alisa Bigelbach, Flo Kinzel and Jeremy Birch. Not pictured: Christa Anderson.