tips and trends
The Best of Times
1. Eyecare Cares
From timeless tips to evergreen
business builders, the editors of Eyecare Business have taken the best of
the best from the last 20 years to create a
special anniversary gift for our
readers: The Top 20 Retail Strategies for Profitable Dispensing.
LISTENING
"A good salesperson always listens more than he talks, and then suggests options his customer has, without prejudging what they'll buy."
Sherrie Lambert, March 1989
RETENTION
"According to our patient satisfaction survey, the average intent to repurchase is 92 percent. That doesn't seem bad until you realize that the average practice must replace eight percent of its patients just to maintain the status quo."
Alan Cleinman, October 1995
FOLLOW-UP
"A Florida car dealership contacts its older customers one week, 60 days, and 90 days after a sale, to make sure everything is working fine. The dealership reports this has paid off in 40 to 50 percent repeat and referral business."
Nation's Business, October 1997
COMPLAINTS
"When a customer is angry, follow these steps: Let him or her vent, repeat the complaint, apologize, acknowledge the customer's feelings, solve the problem, and thank the customer."
Tim Fortner, December 1997
WORD-OF-MOUTH
Happy customers will tell an average of eight other friends. Conversely, if they have a bad experience, they will tell 16 other people.
July 2005
2. Selling Strategies
Top-down Selling
Uncovering customer needs is key to top-down selling. There are four steps in the needs process:
1. NEEDS ANALYSIS. Ask questions. Use open questions to discover likes and needs. Discuss occupation, including work environment, working distance, computer use, lighting, and other factors that affect vision. Ask about hobbies, outdoor activities, and lifestyle. Develop and maintain a checklist.
2. CUSTOMER AGREEMENT. Use closed questions (Would that be important to you?) to make sure the customer understands what the need is and agrees. Never offer a solution until they've agreed.
3. SOLUTION.. Once the customer agrees there is a need, begin your product presentation, starting with appropriate add-ons/premium products. If the customer has a high minus prescription, suggest high index lenses. If there's a problem with night driving, explain the benefits of AR coating. If the customer is outdoors a lot, ask about upgrading prescription sunglasses. If the customer says it's too expensive, ask about eliminating some features.
4. CUSTOMER SATISFACTION. There are two reasons people buy what they buy. The first is logical: The product solves a problem. The second is emotional: The product makes them feel good. Most of the time people buy what makes them feel good, but verify that decision by being logical.
�June 1995
Wear & Sell
"I have 20 different pairs of glasses myself. Some people think that I have plano lenses in them, but each pair actually has my prescription. When people see that I actually have�and use�so many pairs of eyeglasses, it encourages them to do the same thing."
�Georgia Gilmore, The Focal Point, Yakima, Wash.,
April 1986
Personalization Pays
Personalization is taking the retail world by storm and eyewear is no exception. And nowhere is it more viable than at the high end of the market. Tim Fabozzi, owner of disRespectacles in New York City, says, "I'm not going to lose a sale because I can't find a particular style. I work with a supplier that will replicate a frame so my customers get exactly what they want."
February 2004
Finance this
"You can't do lump-sum business on big-ticket items in a pay-per-month society," says Tim Fortner of Streamline Communications. People wake up in a house they pay for by the month; go to a closet where they have 12 times more shoes than they do eyeglasses (most of which they bought on a revolving charge account); turn on a cell phone they pay for by the month; stop and get gas that is paid for by the month, etc. But, when they come for eyewear, we say, 'I'm sorry, we don't work that way, we require payment in full.' When you get to a higher-ticket item, you have to offer flexible payments. Price is not the issue�cash is.
March 2003
3. ON THE MOVE
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
BUYING AND SELLING
The buy-sell agreement remains a practice's most important business document, yet most don't have one. Structuring that agreement with an eye for tax consequences is key (June 1995)....Thinking of selling your practice? The range of value today for 85 percent of good practices will appraise for 55 to 70 percent of the last three year's revenue. If a practice that does $300,000 to $350,000 appraises below that, the reason is probably because so much of their revenue maintains the overhead (July 2005)....A healthy net for an independent optometric practice is 38 percent. If that income has seen a plateau or declined, that's going to make it less desirable (September 2005).
4. COMPETITION: PROBLEMS & SOLUTION
PROBLEM
Price Wars
SOLUTION
"There's an easy way to win. Don't fight it! Instead, be an alternative. If everyone around is new, stress stability. Or offer a unique service like bringing in a fashion consultant.
� Herb Gross, consultant, October 1987
Commercial Locations
SOLUTION
"Independents can't compete against commercial establishments in advertising and maybe not in location. But they can compete in people."
� Bob Kresca, Ophtha Lab, February 1987
PROBLEM
One-hour Service
SOLUTION
Suburban Optical in Parma, Ohio ran a newspaper ad touting "Glasses in More Than an Hour!"
May 1988
PROBLEM
Consumerism
SOLUTION
"Historically, health care has been a seller's market. Today's it's a buyer's market, and professional optometry must vie for a segment of the consumer's dollar in a world of mass media and market expertise."
�Richard L. Hopping, OD, president, SCCO, January 1989
PROBLEM
Costs
SOLUTION
"We're coming off an era of commercialized health care. It has not reduced costs or provided value of service. The public is realizing it. Now that there's a search for value; optometry is in a unique position to offer it.
�Ed Elliott, OD, president, AOA, December 1990
PROBLEM
Time
SOLUTION
"People are sometimes afraid to delegate, but it's important to deliver more care with less overhead expense. You can't afford to have the most expensive component of the system�the doctor�spending 30 minutes with the patient."
�Ted Gillette, OD, president, Vision 21, January 1992
PROBLEM
Wal-Mart
SOLUTION
"Host-town merchants selling goods or services different from Wal-Mart become natural beneficiaries when Wal-Mart comes to town. It's merchants selling the same goods who are in jeopardy."
�Kenneth E. Stone, PhD, author, The Iowa Study, April 1993
PROBLEM
Mail-order glasses
SOLUTION
"Unless you stress service as part of your eyecare package, you run the risk of allowing consumers to look at eyewear the same way they look at their other mail-order purchases�as commodity products."
�Sara Shapiro, October 1993
5. REFLECTIONS ON GLARE
WHAT SURVEYS SAY
In a 1993 series of in-office questionnaires, patients reported their biggest comfort problem (cited by 37.4 percent) was sensitivity to bright lights, glare, and reflections.
May 1994
EB editors asked 70 ECPs, "To whom do you sell AR?"
Their answers:
Thirty percent, night drivers; 25 percent, computer users; 20 percent, everyone; 15 percent, anyone complaining of glare; 10 percent, outdoor sportsmen; 5 percent, high myopes; 2 percent, blue-eyed people.
November 1994
Seventy dispensers we surveyed by phone reported an average 33 percent increase in AR sales over the past three years. The average cost to the consumer came in at $48.
Here are the reasons they cited for that growth: 50 percent, more customer awareness; 33 percent, dispenser enthusiasm and education; 17 percent, product improvements.
October 1995
Research suggests that consumers don't like the word "coating," saying it implies something that is temporary and of low quality.
Instead, they would like AR to be explained as something that's part of the lens, not as something that's a separate add-on.
September 1997
SHEDDING LIGHT ON GLARE
There are four types of glare, and, based on research conducted by Transitions Optical in conjunction with major lens manufacturers, the best way to protect the eyes depends on the kind of glare being experienced.
DISTRACTING GLARE: From lens reflections, surface lens reflections, ghost images from lights at night, and backside reflections. Best protection: AR lenses.
DISCOMFORTING GLARE: From everyday bright sun. Best protection: Photochromic lenses.
DISABLING GLARE: From intense ambient
light. Best protection: Fixed tint, fully activated
photochromic or
polarized lenses.
BLINDING GLARE: Reflection off water or snow. Best protection: Polarized lenses.
July 2004
6. LAB TALK
"It takes a week for us to make single vision glasses and 10 days for bifocals."
�New York City OD, September 1987
LAB MANAGERS...
"Hiring a new lab manager? Look
for someone who is: Detail oriented; comfortable with multi-tasking; good at
following a process; displays mechanical skills; handles time
pressure well;
and works and communicates well with people."
�Valerie Manso, October 1997
CHAIR COSTS...
"Labs are a good resource for information about managed care plans. Before you decide on a plan, check with your lab, and then do a chair cost analysis to determine if you can afford the plan. Add up your office expenses for the year and divide it by the total number of hours you (and other ODs) see patients."
�The OLA Handbook: Making Managed Care Work for You, January 1998
LAB SELECTION...
"Most ECPs use two labs, with the
primary one filling 78 percent of the customer's jobs. In order, the top reasons
for picking a lab were: Quality (77 percent), price (45
percent), reputation
(32 percent), turnaround (30 percent)."
�Eyecare Business survey, January 2002
CAPTURE RATE...
"Between six and seven out of 10 eye exams are conducted by independent eyecare professionals, yet those same ECPs retain less than half the eyewear sales."
�Alex Yoho, ABOM, March 2005
7. MERCHANDISING DOS AND DON'TS
DO:
■Let point-of-purchase materials serve as accent pieces
■Use color as a mood setter
■Create an atmosphere by having a decorative theme
■Have informative dispensing mats and easy-to-read product information
■Utilize your windows as attention-getters
DON'T:
■Let point-of-purchase materials clutter every square inch of open space
■Forget to keep your wall colors up-to-date
■Create an atmosphere that makes eyewear inaccessible
■Bombard clients with piles of hard-to-navigate fliers, pamphlets, and posters
■Leave the same displays in windows�rotate the display daily, or at least weekly, and change it entirely regularly
8. TEST YOUR CONTACT LENS KNOWLEDGE
1. Contact lenses and sunglasses are a good combination for:
a. Low astigmatic patients who have more glare from the sun
b. Older contact lens patients seeking sun and UV prevention of macular degeneration and cataracts
c. Kids who are first-time contact lens wearers
d. All of the above
2. Sports enthusiasts are well suited for part-time contact lens use because:
a. Contact lenses can help to enhance eye-hand and eye-body coordination, depth perception, tracking abilities, and peripheral awareness
b. More contact lens winners have won gold medals than any other group of athletes
c. Cosmetic contact lenses can help "psych out" the competition
d. Both A and C
3. In the correction of astigmatism, patients were previously fit with spherical CLs, but now astigmatism is no longer considered a specialty fit, and toric lenses can make a notable difference in the quality of vision achieved.
a. True
b. False
4. In 2003, the Contact Lens Manufacturers Association (CLMA) changed the name __________ gas permeable to GP lenses, reflecting a more user-friendly image.
5. GP lenses are appropriate for:
a. Students who have been wearing soft contact lenses or first-time myopes experiencing rapidly progressing myopia� "myopic creep"
b. Adults in combination with spectacles for pleasure reading, especially while multi-tasking with TV viewing�an activity that can be kept clear effectively, even when moving one's focus to another activity
c. Presbyopic, long-time GP contact lens wearers who need bifocal upgrades and first-time bifocal wearers
d. All of the above
6. Teens and college students are big on color CLs but aren't good customers because they can't afford the product.
a. True
b. False
7. Contact lenses can be safely worn:
a. For eight-hour increments
b. Once in a while
c. For up to 30-days with FDA-approved styles
d. Tuesdays and Thursdays
ANSWERS:
1 d; 2 d; 3 a, 4 rigid; 5 d; 6 b; 7 c
9. MARKETING'S MAGIC BULLET
�In my store, recalls Carol Norbeck, the reading sheets patients are handed to check their lenses show cost-per-wear comparisons. When you take the cost per wear of a silk blouse, and then the cost per wear of glasses, and include cleaning on that blouse and cleaning and servicing on their glasses (which is free)�it sends a strong message.
February 1990
�The fundamental issue isn't advertising, public relations, or direct mail. It's marketing.
March 1991
�If someone says, "This is so hot, it just sells itself," get away from that person fast.
January 1992
�The best times to hold a public event are Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. or in the evening at 7 p.m.
September 2004
�To create a wellness program, begin by contacting the human resources director at a local company. If it doesn't already have such a program, offer to be the first in a series of speakers, and suggest other topics to be addressed. Emphasize that your presentation uses a hands-on, educational approach, not a commercial one.
May 1994
�Rene Soltis recalls "working closely with schools, who have us in to teach children about eyes and eyecare. We have them draw pictures relating to what they have learned, and then provide prizes. The winners then have their drawings displayed in our office."
April 1994
�Make a statement. For example, when glasses in an hour took the industry by storm, David Goodrich, optician and owner of Goodrich's Optical in East Lansing, Mich., placed ads on billboards stating: "We promise to spend more than an hour on your glasses."
January 2000
�Cultivate current customers instead of looking for new ones. Why? Author Brian Woolf found that the top 20 percent of supermarket customers spend 50 times as much as the bottom 20 percent. The top 20 also buys higher margin items.
March 2004
10. PRICING FOR PROFIT
$$$ PROFIT MAXIMIZATION
A 10 percent price hike that results in only an eight percent decline in volume increases profitability. However, a five percent price rise that reduces the number of units sold by six percent is unprofitable.
April 1990
$$$ LENS MARK-UPS
Moving from the tried-and-true, 2.5-to-3-times markup on lens products and substituting a two-time markup on higher-priced product can help generate more dollars.
December 1991
$$$ AUTO ANALOGY
In the '80s, auto makers figured out that they would sell more add-on features if they displayed floor models loaded with their best profit and safety features and simply posted a price list in the window. Why is optical so far behind?
March 1996
$$$ ALLOWANCE
Managed care patients are appropriate for good, better, and best bundling. Explain the basic costs are paid for by their employer, and that they can enjoy the best by paying a relatively small additional amount.
September 2000
$$$ CHARGING FOR SERVICES
We have a sign in the office that says we offer expert eyeglass adjustment and fitting for $5. We give those customers lens cleaner and a $5 discount coupon.
January 2005
$$$ BIFOCAL CONVERSION
If you charge $200 for PALs, your margin is around $130. If you charge $75 for flattops that you paid $25 for, your margin is only $50. By converting just one patient a day into PALs, you'll see a weekly increase of $650.
February 2005
11. Getting Better All the Time
Sunwear is improving on every front. Being aware of what's offered puts you a step closer to helping your patients make good sunwear choices.
Better technology: Lightweight styles are being forged with titanium and grilamid, some in three-piece mounts. Hidden spring hinges and adjustable nosepads form a better overall fit. Venting prevents fogging. Adjustable nosepads and temples help wearers get a custom fit. Some styles feature rubber nosepads with increased gripping properties when moistened by perspiration or precipitation.
Better add-ons: Whether people are concerned about losing sunwear or they aren't ready to invest in a second pair, sunglass clips are a sunwear add- on with an increasingly large market. Both frame manufacturer-supplied and custom clips can come with sunwear options including polarization and AR treatments with new technology that keeps them firmly attached to their frames. Most dispensers find that clip-on business doesn't infringe on sunglass business, because it builds good will and repeat customers.
Generations: Every age group has more awareness of the hazards of sun exposure, as well as more options when it comes to eyewear choices. Children are a large potential market as a significant percentage of permanent UV damage is done before a child hits age 18.
For seniors, the more coverage the better. Whether in standard sunwear or over-Rx eyewear styles, seniors need maximum UV coverage to fight AMD and cataracts.
When it comes to style, older women lean toward oversized plastic frames, while men prefer aviators and flip-up clips.
Sports Center
Bridge lines aren't just for couture houses anymore. Sports eyewear manufacturers are taking their sports looks and rolling them into street- smart looks. Keeping the sporty spirit, this sunwear can go from a marathon meeting to a jog in the park with ease.
Also, for hard-core athletes or devoted weekend warriors, there is a host of frames on the market today available with interchangeable lens choices.
This allows competitors to prepare for any circumstance, from challenging the blinding sun on a marathon run to braving the wind and rain on a bike tour.
Even prescription wearers can take advantage of sports eyewear, either with inserts or the purchase of several different colored prescription lenses. The usual is a dark, a medium, and a light lens, with specific sports adaptations.
A clip-in prescription is a practical solution for sports sunwear that is good for:
■Contact lens wearers in competitive situations where they may need a backup.
■Patients with heavier prescriptions that run the
chance of becoming distorted in a wrap-style sport frame
(-4.00 prescription
or lower).
■Those looking for competition quality eyewear at a price tag that doesn't allow for multiple frame purchase
In addition, sports eyewear manufacturers are now marketing women-specific frames that are smaller and have different colors and styling. To sell these, create a specific section of sports eyewear just for women.
Be ready to explain the features and benefits of each frame. Women look for sunwear that is functional�they have the right clothes, and they want the right glasses.
When it comes to specific fitting issues for sporty women, keep in mind: Lenses should bend out enough that eyelashes do not hit them, and they should be Rxable, and adapted in shape, style, color and size.
Untapped Potential?
Year round dispensing: While summer is the logical time for patients to think of sunwear, it's a need year round. During the eye exam, mention the benefits of UV protection so when the patient comes to the dispensary, he or she will already understand the medical need for sunglasses.
Contact lens patients: Most new contact lens patients buy a pair of non-prescription sunglasses within 24 hours of being fitted with contact lenses. It's up to you to determine if they'll buy their sunglasses at your practice or at the drugstore/department store.
The glamour factor: From sports stars to celebutantes, sunwear is in the public eye. Be aware of what the A-listers are wearing and be ready to give your sunwear consumers those options.
12. BOOMER BASICS
FIND ME
In 1985, almost 50 percent of the 65-plus population lived in eight states�California, New York, Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas, Illinois, Ohio, and Michigan.
January 1987
MEETING NEEDS
Products and services sought by older Americans will satisfy two kinds of needs: Health and biophysical needs and social and psychological needs.
Nation's Business, August 1989
The '80s was the decade of quantity�having it all. In the '90s, people�especially seniors� are going to say, "I don't want it all anymore. I just want what's best."
February 1990
PRESBYOPIC PUSH
As boomers began to turn presbyopic, sales of PALs soared, more than doubling since 1986, and increasing by 50 percent in the last two years.
December 1991
COMBO PLAN
Business Week reports, "Marketers will find boomers looking for the best combination of price, service, and convenience in a product before they pull out their wallets."
January 1992
EYES HAVE IT
"Women over age 45 consider recent changes around their eyes to be the leading sign of aging. The eyes will be the next big beauty market."
�Gabriella Zuckerman, marketing consultant, September, 1995
SENIOR SURVEY
When EB surveyed 85 seniors, they told a tale of poor service. Over 70 percent said their ECP had never asked about hobbies. Also, only 19 percent of these patients remembered any discussion of PALs.
May 1997
LOW VISION
One out of every six adults over
age 45 is vision impaired. Move up to the age of 75, and that number increases
to one out
of four.
June 1999
I'D LIKE MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE
According to American Demographics, technology is a top motivators among consumers over age 55. Next time you think they don't care about the technology behind products, think again.
May 2000
TIC TOC
In the U.S., a boomer turns 50 every seven seconds.
December 2003
PARTY ON
The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) reports the additional life expectancy of someone now reaching 65 is 19.2 years for women, and just slightly less at 16.3 years for men.
January 20
Signs of the Times
A look, featured in December 1991, at buzzwords and icons of consumer trends.
The '80s The '90s
Grazing Cocooning
BMW Minivan
Fashion Function
Mall shopping Home shopping
Upscaling Downscaling
Materialism Spiritualism
Bloomingdale's Wal-Mart
13. TRAINING TIPS
FOR DISPENSERS...
The most common reason a person doesn't buy is no confidence. The customer "buys" the salesperson as much as he buys eyewear. If you cannot earn his trust with your product knowledge and ability to apply that to his needs, he's not getting his money's worth.
July 1987
FOR MANAGERS...
When giving feedback, instead of saying something vague like, "Great job on that sale," tell your dispenser exactly what you like. For example, say, "I liked the way you explained the features and benefits of that frame."
October 1997
FOR BUYERS...
One of the best ways for a buyer-in-training or an experienced buyer to be in touch with what they need to buy is to be on the sales floor.
May 2001
Say Goodbye
Twenty percent of customers are non-prospects. Diplomatically, let them go.
Point out that your goals and theirs don't match and that you would hate to see them spend money they don't want to spend.
Let them talk themselves out of the sale.
January 1995
14. MATERIALS: A THROUGH ZYL
ALUMINUM
Soft enough to carve, it can be mixed with small amounts of alloys, to be strong and lightweight.
Working tip: It can get rigid, especially in lower temperatures, so integrating elements can be difficult.
Six times stronger than steel and more than 30 percent lighter than aluminum. It is used in the manufacture of some memory metal eyewear.
Working tip: Beryllium can withstand high temperatures, but a small number of people are allergic.
HIGH-TECH ALLOYS
The number of these alloys continues to grow. Some manufacturers are using a new co-injection of silicone and nylon for a more streamlined, lightweight fit. Another popular usage of material alloys is memory metals.
Working tip: Some titanium-based alloys are 10 times more flexible than steel and 25 percent lighter than conventional metals.
LUXURY MATERIALS
Includes gold, platinum, horn, wood. Precious metals have hypoallergenic qualities, durability and strength, and status. No animal is taken just for its horns.
Working tip: Environmentally sound, but with a high price tag.
MAGNESIUM
Lighter than titanium and aluminum, magnesium has been used in the high-end frame market.
Working tip: This super lightweight material is hypo-allergenic.
MONEL�
A nickel alloy containing 68 percent nickel, 30 percent copper, and two percent iron. It is often used for components.
Working tip: It can be welded, brazed, and soldered, but can be difficult to shape or to work with. Surface discoloration can occur from exposure to atmospheric conditions.
NICKEL SILVER
Consisting of 62 percent copper, 22 percent zinc, and 18 percent nickel. Also called German silver or alpaca.
Working tip: Hard, tough, lightweight, and resistant to corrosion, but too rigid for frame fronts.
PLASTIC
Easily colored, laminated,
patterned, or even layered with fabrics. There are two plastics most commonly
used in eyewear today�cellulose acetate and cellulose
propionate.
ZYL (CELLULOSE ACETATE)
The most commonly used plastic frame material�it is made from cotton seed fibers and wood flakes.
Working tip: While this plastic can be injection molded, most industry experts agree that the sheet method is more foolproof.
CELLULOSE PROPIONATE
Used specifically for injection molded frames.
Working tip: Injection molding can present microscopic bumps, dust, or dirt within the mold, which can appear as a defect on the frame.
STAINLESS STEEL
An alloy of iron and carbon steel with chromium and other elements, stainless steel is durable, light weight, and sleek.
Working tip: Non-corrosive, durable, strong, lightweight, hypoallergenic. Can shaped into flexible, thin eyewear.
TITANIUM
A high-strength, light material.
Working tip: Titanium is strong, lightweight, hypo-allergenic, and corrosion-resistant, but is more costly than most commonly used materials.
15. EIGHT GREAT PERSONNEL POINTERS
1. MONEY MOTIVATORS
Besides spiffs and straight commission, consider: Conducting staff competition for trips and prizes; giving half a bonus amount monthly, and the other half in a lump sum during the year-end holiday period; rewarding employees for gross sales above the same period a year earlier; offering perks like a long weekend, added vacation time, even a babysitter for an evening.
August 1987
2. REFERENCES
When asked for a reference, mum's
the word. In the old days, employers would be free to truthfully answer
questions. In view of what's happening today, simply
say, "John Smith was
employed from this to this date; his title was this; his starting salary was
this; his final salary was that."
February 1989
3. RECOGNITION
LensCrafters CEO Ban Hudson put it best: "People tell me they can't give a president's pin if they have only five employees. That's poppycock."
September 1989
4. TIERED INCENTIVES
A Massachusetts OD saw excellent growth for eight years, and then hit a plateau. The strategy that worked: He set three goal levels for practice growth�10 percent, 13 percent, and 15 percent. Employees got an increasing percentage of the growth at each level.
November 1991
5. SILENCE IS...
Human resources consultant Michael Epps has an interesting way to get job candidates to open up. "In a job interview, applicants don't like silence. If you pause deliberately, an applicant will invariably fill the gap and provide the information you want."
March 1996
6. EMPLOYEE THEFT
Employees account for more than a third (38.4 percent) of the losses their employers incur. High-risk employees tend to share some of the same traits. They are often rule breakers, substance abusers, chronic liars, troubled or immature, and see themselves as wronged by their employer.
February 2000
7. INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
Four great questions to ask a job candidate are: Tell me about yourself. What did you like best and least about your previous job? What is your most significant accomplishment to date? And, why should I hire you?
September 2004
8. I QUIT!
The four main reasons people quit
are: Poor corporate compatibility; insufficient respect; not enough staff
support; no growth potential; dissatisfaction with
compensation.
September 2005
16. LASTING LENS TIPS
...LENSES FIRST: When a client picks a frame that he or she wants and then pulls out a minus six or a progressive lens prescription, we have to tell them the frame isn't adequate. To keep this from happening, I do it the professional way. I ask for the prescription, discuss lens choices, and then lead the client to the appropriate frames. (May 1991)
...DUTY TO WARN: Inform patients of all
viable lens alternatives. Most important, document on the patient's record that
you did this, and carefully note which material you advised them to use and
which they selected. The bottom line is that the courts consider if a statement
was not recorded, it was never made.
(April 1993)
...BUYING MOTIVATOR: The existence of a problem is not an issue that will cause a consumer to accept specialty lens products like AR. It is the perception of a benefit that motivates people into buying. (May 1994)
...TRANSFER PROCESS: End the refraction by verbally transferring authority to the dispenser in the presence of the patient. Introduce him or her to the optician and review your lens recommendations. (September 1997)
...TECH TALK: Don't confuse patients with technobabble. Explain the features of lens designs and materials in plain English, and then translate that into how those features can benefit the patient. (November 2000)
...PROFIT PICTURE: Pumping up single vision sales can be one of the quickest ways to boost your bottom line while also adding value. You can sell plastic at a $35 margin or polarized for an $81 margin, and high index for a $99 margin." (August 2005)
Color Me
...YELLOW: Good for indoor spots, night activities, shooters, andrainy days. Improves depth perception as well.
...RED/ROSE/VERMILLION: Works in variable light conditions by filtering blue light and improving contrast. A great color for days with both sun and cloud, red is the most comfortable color for extended wear.
...POLARIZED BROWN/AMBER: Great for water sports and snow skiers because it cuts down on glare.
...POLARIZED GRAY: The best all-purpose lens, it provides enough coverage for sunny days, offers general protection, and can help with eye fatigue.
...GREEN: A good, all-purpose lens that reduces eyestrain.
...LASER/FLASH: Reflects a small percentage of light, making them ideal for sunny and bright conditions.
Remember when...
...IN 1989: A 13-year-old boy, wearing CR 39 lenses purchased from a Minnesota retailer, was struck in the face by a rock and suffered permanent eye damage when the lens shattered. Eventually, a jury, citing its belief the retailer had failed to warn the patient about proper use and safety lenses, ruled in favor of the family. A pre-trial settlement of $74,000 was agreed upon.
...IN 1989: More than half the PALs dispensed
were sold based on cosmetic benefits, and, according to Wentworth Associates,
more than a third of ECPs still believed flattops provided better vision.
17. Stocking Up
Inventory Hitlist
►Only buy into minimums if you can properly display everything. Use compact, top-of-counter kits that free up space and allow you to order frames piece by piece.
►Utilize consigned frames to free up cash tied up in stock. Manufacturers take back unsold frames.
►Make sure your rep keeps track of frames that aren't selling and consider replacing frames older than five months with new styles. Unless it's in a marked-down area, don't display product that's older than eight months.
►Make an effort to display everything you've bought out on boards. Stock only bestselling product.
►If you have a discontinued line or frames too old to return, mark them down until they are out the door.
►Know your market and buy with the intention of selling. Consider utilizing inventory-tracking software to produce sales data.
►You can have a bargain area year round where frames are progressively marked down, an end-of-the year sale when you dispensary is slow anyway, or donate the frames to charity.
►If you have a great looking style, make sure it will fit your patients. If you have Asian and African-American patients, consider appropriate bridges, styles, and sizes.
►Buy for your market, not for yourself. One of the biggest mistakes buyers make is to buy what they want to wear and not consider what their patients are wearing.
Mapping the Mix
Blend your frame assortment for optical board utilization. Here's a regional rundown:
Midwest: 80 percent metal, 10 percent plastic, 10 percent three-piece rimless mounts
South: 85 percent metal, 10 percent plastic, five percent three-piece rimless mounts.
Northeast: 33 percent metal, 33 percent plastic, 33 percent three-piece rimless mounts.
West: 55 percent metal, 45 percent plastic, five percent three-piece rimless mounts. (October 2003)
18: Q&A: EDGING OPTIONS
A:
Considerations to be weighed include: The cost of
your money, tax implications of your decision, depreciation on the equipment,
and any possible increase in revenues or decrease in costs due to increased
efficiency (December 1988).
Q: What
should I look for in an equipment lease? A:
There are several clauses to double check: Equipment warranties, insurance
requirements, termination agreements, tax indemnifications, buy-out clauses, and
down payment requirements (April 1993). Q:
How much can I save by going patternless? A:
An optician in Madison, Ohio, paid $7,000 for a pattern edger and estimated an
average savings of $9 per job. At 40 jobs per week or 160 per month, that's a
savings of $1,440 per month or more than $17,000 a year [and that was 13 years
ago] (April 1993). Q:
How much do I save not using my lab on all jobs? A:
Here's a comparison of three options. If you edge
10 jobs a day, you'll spend approximately $27,000 a year with a lab, $13,056 if
you use an in-office pattern edger, and $7,600 working on an in-office
patternless edger (January 1995). Q:
How do I calculate depreciation? A:
The real measure of your cost of depreciation can be calculated by taking
the initial cost of the asset, minus what it would bring at resale, divided by
the number of years it will serve you (December 1988). Q:
How do I pick a leasing company? A:
When choosing a leasing company, see if they are certified by a group like the
AOA, and make sure they don't propose an "evergreen clause" or charge document
fees (December 2002). Q:
Are there tax benefits to buying a new edger? A:
If you're purchasing edging equipment, Section 179 of the U.S. Tax Code allows
for a one-time capital purchase deduction. After it's taken in the first year,
the equipment is depreciated for its remaining years (December 2003). Q:
Will I need to hire someone to operate the edger? A:
ECPs can usually dedicate an existing staff person to run the new edgers in
addition to other duties. It's not until an office reaches 20 jobs per day that
an extra worker needs to be hired. And the savings realized will more than pay
for that new hire (March 2005).
19: ADVERTISING CHECKLIST
√ KISS Keep it simple. That's the
number- one rule in print advertising. Amateurs usually complicate things. Instead,
follow the billboard concept and use one image, one single idea. August 1987 √ PRODUCTION Keep your expenses in balance.
The production portion generally totals 15 percent of the cost of advertising,
with most of the rest going toward buying air time or print space. February
1987 √ CPM Determine the real cost of print
space. The easiest way to compare the costs of same-sized ads in publications
with varying circulations is CPM or cost-per-thousand. It is √ AD AGENCIES Before anyone goes to work, ask
for a plan and estimated costs. Agree on what you're going to spend over a
period of 12 months.
March 1993 √ BOGO If you're considering a buy-one,
get-one ad, be aware of the 1991 National Advertising Division of the Council of
Better Business Bureaus' conclusion that such promotions should be limited to no
more than six months in a 12-month period, with no more than three such offers
in a 12-month period. February 1994 √ LAYOUT Design a print ad to be clean and
uncluttered, with a lot of white space so it is easy to read. February 1996 √ YELLOW PAGES Consider multiple listings.
Because more than 20 percent of consumers reference at least two headings before
finding what they want in the Yellow Pages, try listing your services in more
than one spot. If you're an optometrist, also list under contact lenses or
another specialty of yours (like sunglasses, for example). July 2000 √ GO VERTICAL Don't ignore the importance of
the shape of your ad. Vertical newspaper ads pull better than horizontal ads.
About 25 percent better. February 2004
20. TEMPORARY & TIMELESS
Fur accents Uber bling Multi-colored or plastic aviators Supersized plastics Massive shield sunwear Heavy metal rock styles Here Forever
Organic materials such as horn and ebony A touch of Swarovski shine for
evening and sunwear Classic aviators � la Douglas MacArthur Full coverage
Jackie O-style sunwear UV blocking, but subtle, wraps Hard-working square
metals
calculated by
dividing the cost of a single insertion by the number of its readers.
November 1989 
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