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Jumping at Opportunities

Eric White, OD, accepts his award as Transitions ECP of the Year

While our world continues to change with the creation of new technologies, our industry is also reaching new heights with products that further enhance vision. I’ve found that the benefit to living and working in an age that is constantly changing is that new opportunities arise every day.

To keep independent practices alive and well, I believe we must all be ready and willing to jump at as many opportunities as we can. This past year, our team at Complete Family Vision Care in San Diego experienced a few “ah-ha!” moments as we strengthened our partnership with Transitions Optical, Inc., and tried new approaches for promoting photochromic lenses and the Transitions family of products.

As a result, we were honored at the 2012 Transitions Eyecare Practice of the Year. Here’s a little of what we’ve learned:

RELATE TO THE TECH-SAVVY

I now prescribe Transitions lenses and anti-reflective coatings for patients who need reading and computer glasses. This may sound odd at first, because these are typically indoor activities; but because of the rise of smartphone and tablet usage, more and more of my patients are using these devices outdoors, and looking for eyewear to cut glare and reduce eyestrain.

WELCOME OBJECTIONS AS OPPORTUNITIES

When presented with concerns associated with early versions of photochromic lenses, we are able to quickly overcome them by showing how much the technology has improved by pointing to our own glasses (because we all wear Transitions lenses).

So that we’re prepared for the “I want my lenses to activate behind the windshield” objection, we always keep a pair of plano Transitions XTRActive lenses on hand, and we even encourage patients to sit in their car with a trial pair to see the lenses darken.

LEAN ON YOUR PARTNERS

As a member of the Transitions Star Partner Program, we are frequently approached to participate in trial programs. We’ve raised our hands to try new lens demonstration tools and products throughout the year. We always keep an open mind so that we can find new ways to better educate our patients. Also, we always provide feedback so that our partners can improve their products and programs.

MAKE A PERSONAL CONNECTION

At the end of each day, I will send an email to each patient I’ve seen for a comprehensive exam. I thank them for coming and let them know that they can contact me with any questions. I encourage them to connect with us on Facebook and include a personalized note about something we talked about or that’s going on in their lives. I will even ask them to tell their family and friends about our practice.

Our referral rates have skyrocketed because of these emails. Taking a few extra minutes to connect with our patients outside of the office is truly worth it—for our practice’s growth and for strengthening relationships. EB