The optical industry is poised to benefit from even cautious consumers’ return to shopping and spending. In a post-pandemic landscape, technology has become an important tool. How does your practice reflect that? Not all high-tech tools have to be a huge investment. Using common devices and leveraging buying commitments to gain access to vendor digital tools will change your patients’ perception of how high-tech and cutting-edge your office is.

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WEEK 1: ELEVATE OFFERINGS.

Adding a few high-tech tools can elevate the retail experience and help your optical space remain relevant in a time when even senior patients’ buying behavior has become more web based.

□ Create a QR code to link to your website or appointment booking page. Add it to the practice door (right next to the hours is a great spot) and on business cards.

□ Smart mirrors, digital measuring devices, virtual try-ons, demo videos, virtual simulators. Reach out to reps. Seem expensive? That’s not always the case, and the value of perception to patients will be returned.

□ Have easy access to product catalogs to show patients color options (and check availability on the spot by loading a tablet with the correct PDF and bookmarks). It’s as simple as loading an iPad with vendor catalogs.

WEEK 2: SPOTLIGHT SPORTY SPECS.

Sports eyewear is a typically underutilized opportunity. Make your optical a destination by having a selection of samples and a knowledgeable team to demonstrate the benefits.

□ Display and promote styles for Rx swim goggles, perfect for the upcoming summer months. Most clients don’t even know this is an option, and it’s an easy add-on, especially for kids.

□ Create a quick reference guide for which eyewear styles are most suitable and safest for each sport or activity. Add product catalogs together in either a physical or digital folder for easy access moving forward.

□ Reach out to leagues and teams to gain new customers. Bike clubs and baseball, soccer, and swimming teams all have prescription and sport safety optical needs.

WEEK 3: TAKE TIME TO DOCUMENT.

The cost of incorrectly receiving and returning products can add up to big losses to business. Auditing the return procedures to ensure everything is correctly documented will help prevent shortfalls.

□ Do an inventory spot check by brand, focusing on the new arrivals you are anticipating. Review the original received date, noting the frames that are older than 12 months.

□ Remove from inventory any frames being returned for warranty. Clean and remove price tags, and package up cases if required. Confirm return-shipping addresses. Write RA# on the outside of the box. Note all styles being returned and the tracking number.

□ Create a folder for pending product return credits. When return invoices are received, cross-reference each frame accounted for and address inconsistencies.

WEEK 4: HAVE PATIENTS SAY CHEESE.

Showing real patients happy in their new specs is a great sales tool to make your practice relatable, and it takes some of the guesswork out of what to post on social media.

□ Ask for permission to post. Customize a simple photo release form; you can find templates online for patients to sign when taking photos of them for social media or your website.

□ Write an easy script that makes staff comfortable asking to take a photo and make it part of the dispensing routine. Before-and-after photos with old and new glasses are very impactful.

□ Create the perfect selfie and photo spot: a branded backdrop, fun patterned wall, or simply a go-to location with good lighting. Having one spot makes photos cohesive, which is great for your practice’s Instagram page.