Good Job!
by Erinn Morgan
During
a recent "Mystery Shopper" customer service survey conducted by Eyecare Business
editors, we found that 65 percent of ECPs did a good or excellent job of talking
about special lenses such as AR. Some, in fact, left little doubt about the wisdom
of keeping AR in their lens packages. Here are a few examples.
by the numbers
66%
patients have had a negative experience with AR
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What ECPs say they need to help them sell more AR: 63%The
eye doctor to recommend AR during the eye exam *All statistics from the EB survey, Professional Perspectives:
An In-Depth Look at ECPs' Views on Lenses, Labs, & Equipment.
In some cases, ECPs had strong opinions about
the high quality of the anti-reflective coatings they offered in their dispensary.
"AR is a must-have. Here is a brochure with some information about itwe believe
this really is the best AR."
Mountain Eyecare, Pagosa Springs, Colo. Another chain store dispenser spoke extensively about all different
kinds of coatings. "Our best anti-glare coating is about $100. You should probably
invest in that if you are having trouble with nighttime driving." She gave me so
much information that I pulled out my notebook and she said, "You are smart for
wanting to know all this." Sterling Optical, Montgomery, Pa.
At Wal-Marts near and far, we found that AR was shown as part
of the packagethere was no question of not having it. When we asked one ECP
what AR did, she simply held her own glasses up to a pair of demo lenses. The difference
was so noticeable between the glare and non-glare lenses. It was an excellent tool. Wal-Mart, Durango, Colo.
It is clear that many dispensers are being trained specifically
to sell AR. "Did anyone tell you about the lenses that are just for driving and
computer work? They are anti-reflective and they're made just for that." This ECP
mentioned AR upon prompting but didn't mention anything else about lenses or coatings
other than basic prices.
Chain store, Willow Grove, Pa.
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What ECPs say has prevented them from prescribing more AR:
33%
staff members don't actively promote it
31%
patients don't know about it or ask for it
30%
AR is too expensive
43% Lower,
competitive AR pricing
33%
More education on AR benefits
18%
More clinical studies showing the effectiveness of AR