{ parting WORDS }

It’s Not Just a Job

It may start out as one, but dispensing can be a whole lot more

BY TAMI HAGEMEYER, ABOC

You just started in the industry. Though you may not realize it yet, the changes you can make in peoples’ lives can be pretty exciting, and so can your career path.

You will know it’s become more than just a job when:

…getting up in the morning brings a sense of excitement about the new day filled with fresh opportunities.

…your comprehension of lenses and ophthalmic frame options allows you to give each patient unparalleled assurance when assisting them with frame and lens choices.

…no day just feels like the “everyday” grind. Because of your interaction with each individual, you know that no two days will be exactly the same.

…a patient requests YOU for his or her optical needs, displaying the confidence felt in your expertise.

…you become an inspiration to the people who share in the desire to be the best at what we do everyday.

…patients take your advice and are thrilled with the result of adding a tint or an anti-glare treatment to their new glasses.

…you see the patient’s eyes light up when what had been “Coke-bottle” lenses aren’t so thick in the glasses you just handed him.

…someone’s new frames fit perfectly, and she tells you so.

…parents show the ultimate in confidence and trust you with the optical needs of their children.

As dispensers, we continue to strive every day to make a difference. It will always take a strong will and determination to succeed as an eyecare professional. But if you continue to grow and to view every day as a new learning experience, the rewards will be enormous.

Tami Hagemeyer, ABOC, earned her ABO certification in 1992. In addition to working for Premier Vision Group in Bowling Green, OH, she enjoys speaking at public and parochial schools as a presenter for RealEyes, sponsored by the Ohio Optometrist Association.

New Dispenser is an insert to the March 2014 issue of Eyecare Business, a monthly magazine published by PentaVision LLC. For more information, contact Stephanie De Long at Stephanie.Delong@PentaVisionMedia.com.