The Effects of Family Culture and Investing in Relationships

TSO firmly believes that investing in relationships is critical to the strong bond we share as a group of independent practices. One of the many ways TSO, Inc. is continuously building strong relationships with doctors and staff is by hosting Family Reunion each year. With this annual event, we strive to create a unique opportunity for every single one of you, in which you get to forge relationships with other members, strengthen bonds with vendors, and spend quality time with family.

With this in mind, this month we feature a very special story that embodies what this organization stands for. We would like to take a moment to tell you about how Dr. Smith and Dr. Prapta have created a family culture in their practices and invested in relationships. Dr. Smith and Dr. Prapta have great relationships with all their employees but in particularly with Aaron, the accounts payable manager at TSO Mansfield and TSO Midlothian.

This story begins back in 2007 when Dr. Smith met Aaron at the young age of 16 when Aaron went in for a contact lens exam at TSO Mansfield. Aaron was just the 276th patient at that new practice, but from day one Aaron shares with us that Dr. Smith was already very invested in his patients, and he could tell he wanted to build a strong patient-provider relationship from the beginning. Dr. Smith asked Aaron several questions about his lifestyle and learned all about Aaron’s interests in Scouts, Honor Society and other extra-curricular activities. After being so impressed by Aaron’s demeanor and responsible character at such a young age, Dr. Smith asked Aaron’s mother if she would allow Aaron to join his team as a part-time employee.

Today, Aaron’s relationship with Dr. Smith and Dr. Prapta is stronger than ever. According to Aaron, they have helped and supported him in a variety of ways throughout his life. Aaron recalls that Dr. Smith gave him $200 to help with costs before his senior prom, which meant the world to him because he was raised in a single-parent household. In addition to sharing their knowledge with Aaron throughout the years and assisting him in developing into the young professional he is today, Drs. Smith and Prapta have also supported him during some really trying moments. It is no wonder Aaron says he feels a deep sense of commitment to them and considers them family.

One of the most notable instances of Drs. Smith and Prapta making an investment in their staff was during the pandemic, when they were forced to temporarily close both of offices, they made the decision to forgo a salary for six months in order to ensure that everyone on their staff still got a paycheck and were not struggling to survive on a daily basis, like so many other people were at this time. It’s important to note that TSO Midlothian had just opened its doors when the pandemic hit, but this did not stop either doctor from making the best decision for their staff.

The pandemic was a tough time for everyone, but Aaron recalls when Dr. Smith met with the staff and told them “You guys aren’t my employees, you are my family, and I am obligated to look out for each of you”.