TIP #1

Say “No” to the Dentist Syndrome

A lot of people struggle with offering both retail and professional services. But a switch needs to go on that says, “The survival of my business depends on converting the people who ask me about my services into sales.”

MAKE THE CONNECTION: There’s always a side story. It may be eye exams, but I call it the “dentist syndrome.” There are only so many hours a day in which you can do exams. Like, if a dentist isn’t drilling, he’s not making a dollar.

So, product is an opportunity to make money—and probably significantly more money—without doing more exams. It doesn’t matter what the product is, you’ve got to become a retailer. It’s a decision that you have to make.

Each business has its peculiarities, but it’s still a process of you buy stuff, you mark it up, and you sell it. And don’t ever call where you sell eyewear a “dispensary.” They’re stores, and you’re in the retail fashion business.

The person in optical has to stand up and say, “I’m a retailer.” Until they can do that, they’ll never be able to hit the numbers they’d like.

TIP #2

You Can’t Do It All

If you’re a doctor, you have to make the decision of whether you want to be the person to take the fight onto the floor or whether you need to hire someone who will.

MAKE THE CONNECTION: If you say you’re going to do it, are you willing to do what’s necessary to run a retail operation? Hiring. Interviewing. Firing. Corrective action. Promotions. Pay raises. All the elements involved in a retail environment?

This generally doesn’t make sense if you’re doing exams because it’s very difficult to manage your practice, too. The downside? If you hire someone to run retail, you may be disengaged and not know if they go off track.

The answer is to put systems in place to get the data so you know whether or not that person is doing the job effectively. There have to be benchmarks in place, plus double and triple checking from you.

TIP #3

Hire for Sales Skills

When it comes to consumer-facing staff, you should hire somebody who wants to sell. I’m not so interested in hiring from another optical store.

MAKE THE CONNECTION: I would expect to pay a little more than you planned because you want this person to help you invent or reinvent the business and the culture. Reinventing an existing business is twice as hard as starting one because you have to get past the culture that’s already there.

And that culture may not be a high-service, high-touch, customer-centric one if the belief system has been one that focuses on patients, not customers.

Remember that people who wear glasses instead of contacts have chosen to be identified through their glasses. So selling glasses should be one of the most fun jobs in the world because you get to be part of their search.

TIP #4

Never Apologize for Price

Either you’re a high-touch, high-service business—maximizing deals, selling multiple pairs, adding sunglasses, coatings, and other elements—or you’re not.

MAKE THE CONNECTION: You either have a big commitment to that or you don’t. But the worst thing you could do or allow staff to do is apologize for helping someone look and feel good. Long after a customer forgets they paid $500, they still have glasses they are excited about.

Look at your own closet. You have clothing you wear over and over. It doesn’t matter what you paid for it because if you divide it by the cost per use, it’s nothing.

Look at eyewear that way, and you’ll never want to apologize for price!