International eyewear shows like Vision Expo are flush with beautiful independent designer frames that whet the appetite of many Canadian eyewear fashionistas. However, not all ECP’s have the opportunity to attend major international buying shows and the reality is that a large number of distinctive eyewear collections remain inaccessible to Canadian ECP’s.

 Optik Magazine recently investigated the reasons behind this and identified 5 key reasons, that the Canadian market lags behind USA and Canada in accessibility to independent designer frames.

  1. International Suppliers Don’t “Get” Canada
    Many international suppliers don’t understand the geographic reality of Canada: huge distances and low population density. They make minimum quantity purchases unrealistically high. The high minimum order quantities are often required to offset the high absolute cost of shipments. Distribution costs within Canada are among the highest in the world due to Canada’s geographic reality. This burden gets pushed onto the ECP and, ultimately, the eyewear purchaser and provides a practical limitation to market penetration.
  2. Order Surprises and After-sales Service are Problems
    Correcting an order error, such as wrong colour or frame size, is problematic. Servicing a broken frame part can be a headache leaving angst and distrust for the consumer and the client. It can take several weeks to get parts from a foreign supplier or implement a make-good for an incorrect order. These problems put barriers in place for Canadian ECP’s and complicates the relationship with the foreign supplier.
  3. Expansion Through National Agents is Slow 
    Even when a foreign supplier gains a beachhead in the Canadian market through distribution in a few accounts, the costs to expand coverage across the country is high. Niche products may rely on sales agents that have limited resources and reach.  It means that a fantastic product, which might otherwise be a great fit for a differentiated dispensary is difficult to find and remains undiscovered.
  4. Frame Suppliers Want Direct Control 
    Some of the independent boutique collections place a high value on direct communications with the retailer. For some companies, the relationship that is forged between the eye care professional and a Canadian distributor or agent is simply not intense enough. The communication chain can be erratic and may be harmful to the image of the foreign supplier. Companies may prefer to work directly with ECP’s to better understand the market. Still, their approach is often to focus on high density markets such as the GTA and Montreal leaving much of the country outside of their focus area.
  5. Following the Money Can be Difficult 
    Vendors accustomed to working in their home environments, in either Europe or USA, find obstacles in dealing with foreign exchange and payment methods. These are real operational difficulties in servicing Canada from a foreign base. While these problems could be solved by working with one of the several Canadian distributors, doing so comes at the cost of losing control and lower margins.

Notwithstanding the barriers, Canadian ECP’s that persevere through the obstacles will be rewarded by the addition of outstanding distinctive eyewear collections that enhance the appeal of their gallery.  Independent frame suppliers that find their path to the Canadian market are rewarded with growth opportunities in a market that values distinctiveness and differentiation.

Read Optik Magazine article: “Frame Designers Faced with Complex Canadian Market”, in February-March 2020 issue.

VuePoint Staff


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Dr. Glen Chiasson explores a wide range of professional issues with guest Robert Dalton, Executive Director of the Opticians Association of Canada.

 


Robert Dalton, Exec Dir. OAC

About the Guest

Robert Dalton is currently the Executive Director of the Opticians Association of Canada. After 20 years of independent retail opticianry experience and various volunteer efforts, he made the leap to member organization leadership in 2008, and was appointed to his current role in 2010. Robert splits his time between Winnipeg (OAC HDQ) and his home in Nova Scotia. He travels extensively in the fulfilment of his responsibilities as OAC executive director.

 


Episode Notes

Glen and Robert explore a variety of issues relating to Opticianry and in particular the relationships between Opticians, Optometrists and Ophthalmologists in a Canadian context. Robert provides a succinct overview of the scope of practice initiatives across Canada, including the history of gaining refraction services and why he feels the future struggle will be easier than in the past.

He provides some candid thoughts on how relations between optometry and opticianry have evolved. He makes the point that patient-centric collaboration between the professions happens successfully everyday, and when discussion gets elevated to the “political level” it can get bogged down.

He keenly observes that advancing technology makes a lot of the discussion between the professionals moot. Robert opines, “I wouldn’t be surprised if the very soon we are in a situation where the public themselves comes in with their refraction already done.”

They end their conversation on a note of optimism on how Bricks & Mortar eye care already successfully competes and how they will continue to do so in the future.

Dalton provides some additional thoughts as this weeks Insight Guest profiled on Eye Care Business Canada.

Resources

 

Dr. Glen Chiasson

Dr. Glen Chiasson

Dr. Glen Chiasson is a 1995 graduate of the University of Waterloo School of Optometry. He owns and manages two practices in Toronto. In 2009, he co-hosted a podcast produced for colleagues in eye care, the “International Optometry Podcast”. He is a moderator of the Canadian Optometry Group, an email forum for Canadian optometrists. As  a host of  “Eyes Wide Open”, Glenn  looks forward to exploring new new technologies and services for eye care professionals.

Dr. Chiasson enjoys tennis, hockey, and reading. He lives in Toronto with his wife and two sons.

Dr. Chiasson splits EWO podcast hosting duties with Roxanne Arnal.


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The Coronavirus has dominated much of the news in the past couple of months. Lately, it has made its inevitable appearance in Canada and other countries beyond its origin. Health Experts have begun to educate the Canadian public about precautions and preparations to help us understand how best to respond to this situation.

What can your practice do to proactively manage the health risks?

I was recently at both the emergency and the oral surgeon’s office (one of the benefits of having four children, I am well acquainted with most health care practitioners!). Both had protocols in place to screen for recent travel and signs and symptoms related to the flu.

This is something that would be easy to implement in any optometrist office. It might even be something that could be screened for prior to a patient’s visit to your office. If a patient has recently traveled, for routine eye exams, it may be prudent to reschedule them until after a two-week period following the trip.

For those that visit the clinic, and for the employees and doctors who work there, it is a good time to revisit hand washing protocols. It is understood that coronavirus is transmitted by droplets, so the most effective way to reduce transmission is to keep up a diligent regimen of hand washing between every interaction.

There are other measures you can take to make sure your office stays healthy. Ask your cleaning staff to clean from high to low. Implement a daily routine to clean areas that hands and fingers often touch like light switches, elevator buttons, doorknobs and other handles.

It is also understood that the risks associated with coronavirus are very similar to that of any flu we experience every winter. Like SARS in 2003, part of the fear with the coronavirus is the unknown. Having experienced SARS, however, Canada is in a much better position to share information and assist the general public to minimize their risk. Optometric offices, as part of the larger health care system, can help to educate the general public. They can both set a best practices example on how to screen and proactively diminish exposure risk and they can help alleviate unnecessary worry by educating on ways to protect yourself from contracting the disease.

For now, the risk of contracting coronavirus remains low in Canada. With some education and diligence, the risk is likely to remain low. As part of the Health Care front line, we can play a critical role in education, managing the risk and decreasing the chances that our patients and staff are exposed to the virus. Like SARS, coronavirus will teach us new insights. It will remind us to keep proper hygiene protocols in our offices and those will benefit all of us long after the fear of coronavirus has abated.

KELLY HRYCUSKO

is the co-founder and managing partner of Simple Innovative Management Ideas (SIMI) Inc. and expert Practice Management contributor for Optik magazine. She can be reached at info@simiinc.com.


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In a recent Eyes Wide Open podcast hosted by Dr. Glen Chiasson, Jackie Joachim, COO of ROI Corporation, Canada’s leading health professions business broker, stated that when it comes to buying/selling practices, Optometry is 10 years behind Dentistry and 5 years behind Veterinary professionals  Listen to the Podcast.

Eye Care Business Canada asked Jackie, based on her 25+ years of experience, to share her thoughts on why Optometry is behind the other health professions.  Here are her top 7 reasons.

By  Jackie Joachim, COO ROI Corporation.

  1. There are more 3rd parties that value practices for Dentistry and Vets
    There are more active players in Dental in the past 10 years and Vets have increased. Eye care doesn’t have the same number of interested parties, so far. Corporate acquisitions in dentistry took off in 2008 and vets 5 years later. We now see many more groups with capital reaching out to us for optometry and optical stores.
  2. Banks needed to catch up with optometrists
    Until about 2017, banks did not provide 100% financing for OD practices. Bankers may have thought of optometry as more a retail business than a health care professional because of the sale of eyeglasses and contacts. However, most of the major banks now put optometry in the same category as dentists and vets.
  3. Education on valuation is still in a developing phase
    In the other professions, more private groups, like ROI Corporation, are expending more effort on seminars and articles educating practice owners. Dentists have greater access to relevant information. We are starting to change that with our efforts in eyecare.  When we do appraisals, most of the clients are pleasantly surprised at the value.
  4. The law of supply and demand
    Dental may have the biggest return for lenders and brokers because their values in equipment and building out are significantly higher. But the competition is also greater for market share. Vets were the next choice and now people are realizing that optometry presents the same opportunity.  Hence the reason we moved into this space 8 years ago and are now seeing greater momentum from our efforts.
  5. Advisors in the industry tend to be other optometrists
    Unfortunately, professions initially trust their own instead of an objective outside professional brokerage like ours. Years of experience with thousands of successfully closed deals cannot be replaced by someone who dabbles in the business on a part-time basis. Within eyecare we have completed a significant number of projects, which gives us great objective insight to the eye care business. Professional expertise applied with sector insight provides the best value for clients.
  6. The EBITA formula trap – Just do the math!
    Straight formulas miss the nuances of a practice to be recognized, such as long-term leases without demo clause, highly attractive location, policies within the office etc. ROI intentionally applies a cash earnings methodology that catches these nuanced factors. ODs are not as educated on value and are still more receptive to private deals using simple formulae. They risk accepting an offer that looks attractive but is really lacking.
  7. Consumer awareness and penetration is lower for eye care.
    It’s well known that Dentistry has promoted their profession remarkably well over the decades (often with the assistance of related commercial interests like toothpaste!) The number of dentists to patients ratio has significantly increased to the point of oversaturation. The number of Vets has also grown due to the positive publicity pertaining to pets. Small animal clinics have gained a lot of positive exposure helping clients see the value in the role of vets. By comparison, eye care has not marshalled the resources that provide the scope and intensity of professional promotion required to create the same level of top-of-mind awareness among consumers. This ultimately trickles down to valuation.

Fortunately, we do see positive trends in all these areas notwithstanding the factors that might be working against a more professional and robust acquisition market and higher practice valuations in eye care.

We expect the gap between optometry and the other health professions to close and are proud to do our part in bringing education and a professional approach to the industry.

Jackie Joachim is the Chief Operating officer for ROI Coporation. ROI specializes in assisting healthcare professionals in the Optometry, Dental and Veterinary spaces appraise and sell / transition their practices.

Insight with Jackie Joachim


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I was recently asked about paying for Continuing Education for staff in an optometrist’s practice.  This practitioner is already investing in staff education by attending association and buying group events.  His question actually was; did it make sense to invest in staff education that was outside of the typical offerings within the optical industry.

My answer was yes.

Some of my own favourite learning has come from outside of the optical industry.  We recently hosted a Former Executive from Disney.  He provided us with some interesting perspective on staff engagement and the idea of having the hard conversations that lead to the results that every business is striving for.  It has become part of the dialogue that I have with my clients as we discuss when to add staff and when to let staff go.

One of my Christmas gifts this year was a gift certificate to attend a Cooking School at a local restaurant.  It is sort of fascinating to reflect on how this experience influenced my consulting efforts following that.  One of the most important pieces of the evening was the experience.  “Deconstructing” the Chef role and allowing the patrons to become part of the process gave us all new respect for the meals that are created each and every night.  Besides the intuitive way the chef was able to compensate and change ingredients to “fix” mistakes, I was also reminded of how important the quality of equipment is.  A walk in fridge meant we could cool down sauces quickly to move on to next steps (without the risk of thawing everything else in the freezer!).  The industrial induction ovens held more heat and cooked items more evenly.  He pointed this out to us as we went.

So while this learning wasn’t specifically optical related, I walked away with some great transferrable learning.  It reminded me to speak to my clients about the experience they are creating for each of their patients and where they could add some extra value and make the experience a little bit more unique.

In an industry where there is significant employee turnover, it can feel discouraging for employers who are continually investing in employees who will likely not be with them in a year or so.  My advice is to change the perspective.  Supporting new learning has two major benefits:  employees will bring their new learning to benefit the clinic even if only for a short time and employees who feel supported in their personal development are less likely to leave their current employment.

Finally, I recommend creating a budget that is equally available to each member of your team.  Create the CE budget by treating it like a Staff Bonus.  Take .5% of your Gross Revenue and divide by the number of team members.  This is amount the team member can be reimbursed by the clinic for.  Ideally, the team member would pay for the course up front and then submit an expense for reimbursement upon its successful completion.

KELLY HRYCUSKO

is the co-founder and managing partner of Simple Innovative Management Ideas (SIMI) Inc. and expert Practice Management contributor for Optik magazine. She can be reached at info@simiinc.com.


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Robert Dalton is the Executive Director of the Opticians Association of Canada (OAC)

He hails from Newfoundland and splits his time between the Winnipeg HQ of the OAC
and his home in Nova Scotia.

Robert is an optician with 20+ years of experience.

Robert Dalton

Executive Direct of Opticians Association of Canada

 

Why did you choose your field?

In 1988, at the age of 19, I arrived in Halifax fresh from Newfoundland. It was there that I met a gentleman by the name of William Butler. I had been referred to his shop by Employment services. I had physics as a background and the only other requirement was a license. I gladly proclaimed that I had a license. It was not until later in an interview with Bill that he asked to see it. I proudly produced my NL drivers license – he laughed so hard he almost fell out of his chair. The look on his face was priceless. From there we struck up a friendship – well, really a mentorship. He really taught me everything I know about optics. He also set me on my journey to become involved in the Association world.

What changes do you see in eye care coming down the pipe?

I think we are going to see scope of practice changes – Optometry will move into diagnoses and treatment of eye disease and conditions, while opticians will have their skill sets used in a broader fashion. Refraction services will be based in technology. Opticians can very easily harness that technology. That said, remember the patient wants convenience. They don’t want many appointments – they want one. I see opticians refracting in all sorts of clinical settings. Collaborative care is where we will need to focus for the future – if we want to be part of it.

What is your definition of success or what habits make you a successful person?

I have always benchmarked my success by the expectations of those to whom I serve. In this case I serve two different sets of stakeholders. The members of the Opticians Association of Canada are my professional benchmark. It is by the grace of those opticians who choose to join the OAC that I am able to do work towards meeting the mandate of the OAC. All this to say, sometimes I have found myself in a position where I am advocating members concerns, positions and/or thoughts which may be contrary to industry or government regulatory initiatives. In these cases I try to remind myself that I am not in this role to be popular to all. My responsibility resides with the membership of the OAC first.

I do need to address the second benchmark in my life as a measurement of my idea of success and that is of course my family. I have a beautiful and best friend for my wife who is always in my corner and I have no doubt that she will attest that that can be difficult at times. I also have two fantastic kids that are proud of their dad.

Which ECP speakers/leaders do you admire?

I have to mention Bruce Miles – his leadership was strong, when he spoke people listened, his mind was so very creative, his pathway was true north and yet he still maintained a big heart. Lorne Kashin – an amazing Optician – a fantastic leader and a great resource to opticians in terms of advice. He is always available to support others. A very thoughtful man.

Isabelle Trembley – A very powerful woman who supports others in their endeavours. She is a genius in terms of brand awareness. She is so welcoming and friendly to newcomers in our industry. Elain Grisdale, a very strong leader and international speaker working with the Association of British Dispensing Opticians. Her tireless work and speaking engagements mean I have to give her respect for all she does. Lisa Bannerman at the College of Opticians of British Columbia. She is a deep thinker who is progressively leading the regulatory changing landscape in Canada.

What was your latest indulgence?

I bought a 2004 Road King Harley with stage two upgrades on the engine. I bought it with because my old bike broke down and we were all leaving on a 2 week bike trip in two days. I have not ever missed a ride. It is new to me and l really enjoy it.

What is the best possible future discovery in any field?

Easy, hands down: teleportation. I can’t wait to get off planes!


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Dr. Glen Chiasson is a 1995 graduate of the University of Waterloo School of Optometry. He owns and manages two practices in Toronto.

In 2009, he co-hosted a podcast produced for colleagues in eye care, the “International Optometry Podcast”. He is a moderator of the Canadian Optometry Group, an email forum for Canadian optometrists. He is the host of “Eyes Wide Open”, a new podcast aimed at presenting new technologies and services for optometrists.

Dr. Chiasson enjoys tennis, hockey, and reading. He lives in Toronto with his wife and two sons.

 

Glen Chiasson

 

Why did you choose your field?

I needed glasses when I was in grade school and I thought my optometrist was a pretty cool guy with a pretty fun job. After 20+ years, helping people see and feel better still feels good.

Where do you see your practice / eye care in ten years?

  • More medical optometry with more and more of the ‘routine eye care’ (aka ‘vision tests’ / refractions) being done online, on your smartphone, etc.

What changes to eye care do you see coming down the pipe?

  • I think we will see a lot more artificial intelligence in medicine, with both good and bad outcomes. I think there will also be more personalized medicine (individualized medications based on your genetics, 3D-printed frames customized to your face and head, etc)

What is currently the most exciting thing in your field to help patients?

  • I continue to be fascinated and impressed with all the instruments we can use to see inside a patient’s eye. I imagine they will only continue to get better and better.

What is something you plan on implementing in your practice this year?

  • More aggressive screening for, and managing, dry eye and meibomian gland dysfunction.

What is something you have done in your practice to set you apart?

  • As a practitioner, you need to be yourself. We like to have a fun, relaxed atmosphere in the office and I think patients like this too.

What metrics do you track in order to gauge your success?

  • Monthly gross, monthly net, and production per doctor day at work. Family time and “time to just relax and do nothing” at home.

What business books would you recommend other ECPs read?

  • The E-Myth Optometrist (part of the E-myth series). Anything by Jeffrey Gitomer for sales insight.

What advice would you give a new grad today?

  • If you can, develop a specialty. Especially in a big city, you need to stand out from the crowd.

How do you hire new staff? What is the process and who does the hiring in your office?

  • We post ‘want ads’ in the usual places or we get referrals from current staff. My office manager does most of the screening process. The staff typically have more interaction among themselves than with me so I want the current team to feel comfortable with the new hire.

 

General Interest / Personal Questions

If you could take one album, one book, and one luxury item to a desert island, what would they be?

  • REM, “Life’s Rich Pageant”, “1984” by George Orwell, and a genie to provide unlimited wishes.

What is your favorite TV show / Netflix series?

  • Currently, I am waiting for the next season of “Peaky Blinders” and “Ozark” on Netflix.
  • All time TV Show = the first 10 seasons of “The Simpsons”.

What’s your Favorite food?

  • Hard to beat a steak dinner.

Favorite past-time/hobby?

  • Cooking. I find it very relaxing, and then there’s food at the end!

What’s your favorite 80’s jam? (or decade you graduated high school in)

  • In high school, I was into bands like REM and The Smiths, which aren’t really known for their “jams”. That being said, and assuming “jam” refers to something danceable, I remember “Let Your Backbone Slide” by Maestro Fresh Wes being really popular when I started university. “U Can’t Touch This” by MC Hammer was also a big hit around then too.

What would you do if you won 10 million dollars? What would you do with your practice?

  • I would book a trip around the world. I would likely still practice part-time but I would hire a manager to deal with all the day-to-day management.

Describe your perfect day.

  • Make a coffee and drink it in the backyard. Make a big breakfast for my family. Play some tennis. Come home and jump in the pool to cool off and then chill out poolside. Quick nap in a hammock in the mid-afternoon then some more swimming. BBQ dinner with some wine. Read for a bit or watch a little TV then off to bed.

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Following on the heels of a busy Black Friday shopping season, December is also a busy retail month. As an independent optometric office, there are a number of ways to meet the needs of the consumers during this season of giving.

Many offices offer a BOGO on lenses for patients throughout the year. What about offering a Buy One Gift One for the month of December? This could be particularly effective for sunglasses. Keep the rules fairly simple. For this promotion, the office can allow a customer to purchase one pair for themselves and one for another person.

The goal with any BOGO is two-fold; you want to move as much inventory as you can as this allows you to get better discounts from your suppliers. You also want happy customers! If consumers are able to get all their needs met at your location, there will be no need to shop elsewhere.

Keep in mind too that many people simply haven’t thought of buying something from their optometrist as a gift for someone else before. There are lots of possibilities! Gift certificates are the most versatile. Recipients can use it for anything from contact lenses to new glasses.  Make one up and display it at check out so that patients know that this is a possibility. Also consider offering the gift certificates at a discount. Everyone loves it when their gift giving money can be stretched a little further! And you are guaranteed a sale in the new year.

Think about the check out at any retail location you visit this month and consider implementing some of their ideas. For instance, most offices carry drops, vitamins, contact lens solution, cleaning clothes and cleaning spray. These all make great stocking stuffers or Secret Santa gifts! Put a few together in a clear gift bag with a pretty Christmas bow on a counter. Patients will thank you for the ideas!

In fact, it is also a great time of year to thank patients for their loyalty and business. Consider offering a small gift with purchase throughout this month. For example, our orthodontist gives away $5.00 Indigo gift cards at every visit.

Of course, December marks the end of their benefits period for many consumers. It is helpful to remind patients to use their benefits before they reset in January. If you have a large television in your office, this is the perfect place to inform patients of all your December promotions, including a Use it or Lose it reminder.

This is a month when many people are looking for ideas for gift giving. Help your patients by displaying some ideas and take the opportunity to give back as well.

KELLY HRYCUSKO

is the co-founder and managing partner of Simple Innovative Management Ideas (SIMI) Inc. and expert Practice Management contributor for Optik magazine. She can be reached at info@simiinc.com.


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Recently I have met with a number of vendors who tried selling their clinics privately. These were not good experiences for a multitude of reasons. The number one reason people do this is to not only save commission but more importantly to try and keep the sale quiet. There is a definite fear that going to the market will mean EVERYONE will discover that your practice is for sale.

Ultimately, owners want to sell to the right buyer, a person who will treat their staff and patients well. In general, most buyers also want a smooth transition. After all, they have purchased your practice and want to ensure it succeeds.

However, when you open your practice to one or a selected group of potential buyers, there are risks associated. Some potential buyers can be quite crafty particularly when they start poking around your office. Most will often conduct the first bit of research before you even know he/she is interested in buying your practice. He/she may pose as a new patient calling for an appointment, visit your website or even come into your office to get a feel for things. This may cause staff to wonder if the clinic is for sale.

Without an experienced broker, you expose yourself and your practice to various pitfalls of a private buyer.

  • Due diligence is a stressful time – to put it crudely, it is “the owner’s proctology exam”. Unfortunately, if you manage this process yourself, you will quickly find out what it feels like when a stranger pokes, prods, and looks inside every inch of your practice. You are asked to produce many documents and then, you need to answer questions as to your reasons for doing business the way you do.
  • Using an advisor who is not familiar with the industry can also negatively impact your sale and stigmatize your practice. There are many times where our appraisal is used in a private sale. Buyers then call us to clarify certain points because the person representing the owner is not providing correct answers. I am definitely not insinuating that the individual is intentionally misleading but the reality is if you do not know the market by default, you will lose a potentially good purchaser.
  • It is never good to have one person representing both the vendor and the buyer. Relationships are extremely important. However, when the party who is introducing you to the buyer will continue to have a relationship with that buyer post sale, it is natural that the advisor may push a little harder for the buyer’sinterests. This is exactly why we choose to represent vendors only. We believe you need someone in your corner fighting for you.

Selling a practice is not as straight forward as owners think. With the guidance of an experienced business broker, you will be challenged to take nothing for granted and look at the value of your clinic from a variety of angles, some of which may not be top of mind for you. To ensure you receive the best possible outcome, you must ensure that when you sell, the practice is positioned in the best possible light and that the terms, which are important to you, are negotiated properly. I always tell owners not to let what may be the biggest transaction of your life turn into something you think will be “obvious” to a new owner based on a quiet and private sale. You deserve to maximize your sale, exit ownership with dignity and to have no regrets.

Jackie Joachim, COO ROI Corp

JACKIE JOACHIM

Jackie has 30 years of experience in the industry as a former banker and now the Chief Operating Officer of ROI Corporation. Please contact her at Jackie.joachim@roicorp.com or 1-844-764-2020.


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As we all know, the optical landscape continues to become more and more competitive. Consumers have more options and are able to shop more transparently, creating a price pressure on glasses that is real.

So if you know your patients are shopping, how do you respond? The answer lies in thinking about it from the patient’s perspective. When they are shopping, what are they looking for?  Some are looking for the best price, some for the best value. Some just like to know all of their options so they can make the best-informed decision!

Once you have identified all the reasons a patient shops around, you can start to strategize ways to address their needs.

For the patients who are looking for a great price, having a Value Package section in the gallery can be appealing. For these packages, you will want to source good quality frames (that won’t give you a lot of headaches with returns and warranties) at a good price. For the lenses, the package should include scratch coated lenses in a traditional design.  It is possible to have add on options for anti-reflection coating and photochromic properties. The price should be bundled to include both frame and lens costs.

For patients who are looking for the best value, we recommend having clearly laid out choices for them. Show them that they can choose from more price effective products that may not have the same features and benefits as the higher priced options.

We also like to look to other retail examples for some great ideas. Have you been to the movies lately? They have some great ways of bundling products. Popcorn, drink and a bag of candy – for one or two people!  Could you optical do the same? Do you have a BOGO deal that extends to another family member? There is a makeup store that is adding value but sending samples home with each purchase. Not only does this encourage additional future sales, but it also leaves the customer feeling like they got some extra value. What about sending home a sample of an eyelid wipe? It is such a great connect for patients – learning what the best product is to remove make up with from their eye doctor.

Another way to add value is to provide more convenience. Many locations are now offering shipping directly to their patient’s homes – everything from drops to contacts to glasses. The reality is, most patients are happy to try their glasses at home and if they need an adjustment, they will make time to pop by your practice. In the meantime, having their new spec delivered directly to them adds a much-desired layer of convenience onto their shopping experience!

At your next staff meeting, take an opportunity to brainstorm all the ways that your clinic can bring value to the patient’s shopping experience – and then package those ideas up! Your patients will love that you have options that have anticipated their every need.

KELLY HRYCUSKO

is the co-founder and managing partner of Simple Innovative Management Ideas (SIMI) Inc. and expert Practice Management contributor for Optik magazine. She can be reached at info@simiinc.com.


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