Home-based Optical Service

[optician2002]

:) I have just opened my own home based optical business.This is where I come to your home and show you frames and lenses. When they are completed by my lab, I bring the completed job back to your home. Are there any other people doing the same thing? I would love to hear from you.

[OPTIDONN]

I planned on doing the same myself at one time. I had every thing set and ready to go when a hurricane hit florida messed up the records my lab had and drained my bank account! After the storm they were kind enough to put the money back. After that I realized I don't have the guts to own my own business. Now I just do it for friends and family at cost. Good luck! Just keep in mind fuel costs.

[Framebender]

Cheryl Shuman at www.StarryEyes.org . Very neat lady and successful beyond belief. I met her in the early 80's and she was dragging bags to clients who worked for the studios. I saw on one of the UK boards where she was looking for franchise people in most of the European countries. She wasn't big on giving interviews when I first met her, and I don't think she is any less driven now, but if anyone has the formula, its her!!

Good luck to you!!

[mike.elmes]

Isn't there a similar business based out of sherwood park and edmonton?

[orangezero]

I think its an interesting idea.

Who do you feel would be your main clients?

I think there can be some potential liability issues here, as well as some personal safety issues as well. You could potentially be walking into someone's house with a lot of money and would need to have things set in place to protect yourself.

I live in a somewhat rural area. There is a bus that takes the elderly to a nearby town to buy groceries, and even a service that delivers groceries to your house. I know the local rural hospital has a shuttle that drives to nearby towns and picks people up.

I have thought of ways of introducing this idea into eyecare as well. I don't have a great idea of how needed a service like this is on a grand scale. Sure, there are homebound people that need eyecare and healthcare, but there are also a good number of older folks who seem to like any excuse to get out of the house, and make a day of it (I know I would).

From an optometric standpoint, I've talked with a few people that have attempted this with high hopes of helping people out and being profitable, but end up running into a lot of different problems. Most dont' do it for very long. There are a lot of insurance issues that can come up as well. I know some of this is not exactly what you were asking about.

Let us know what you come up with, I'd like to hear others opinions on how to market this, and who would be the target for this besides homebound individuals.

[Caddy]

You can do well but high end is the only way!

[optician2002]

Isn't there a similar business based out of sherwood park and edmonton?

Yes Mike there is but I am working out of Fort Saskatchewan. I am hoping with the growing number of people in the Fort that this business will take off.

[optician2002]

Thanks for the reply. My main clients....lets see....
I am hoping for a diverse group. There are seniors who don't or can't go out.. to the moms and dads who have little ones at home... to the people who are just to tired to go shopping at the end of the day. I guess until I am doing this for a while I will not know exactly who I am going to be seeing. As for right now, my advertisement just came out and I am having a lot of great responses.

[optician2002]

I have frames that are from low end to very high end.

[gnogin]

Prism does it in Alaska, "smiles" to Ron:)
an optician flyes into a remote village,fishing camp or some other places like a remote beach in Macronesia...:D They come with frame trays.tint and lens samples, tools , of course,and
---we'd fax or call in jobs to Florida's lab - never forget them sexy voices of the costumer service operators...
:shiner: i worked with them in 1994...i bet you now they use them "poooters and satelites"....
another free plug for Ron Gitlan's staff, and a dear friend Thom Barker somewhere on Tonga!
My personal advice -don't let the people know where you live.:drop:
Few years ago i thought of doing it here in Israel- there are remote communities here, but most people manage to get to a town mall at least once or twice a week-the country is very compact and the majority of the population lives in or near Tel Aviv,Jerusalem or Haifa, in the south there is Beer Sheva and duty free Eilat.
The weather here makes people to be outside more than in Alaska or Canada.
The only things that are home delivered here are pizza, mail and "Kassams".
Good Luck to You in Canada!:cheers:
:cheers:
Merry Christmas to all.

[Scott R]

Ive been doing it for a couple of years now. Its a quick few dollars here and there. I buy closeout frames and mail the jobs to a lab.

Got the idea from my uncle in Canada who does the same thing. It suppliments his shop.

[muucow]

At home optical service is my business and it is going very well. I love what I do and I am willing to franchise. I have already knotted out some kinks in the business. It's a lot of fun and I feel good about what I do. I have had enough of working for large corportations who pushed me to sell crap product.
:shiner:

[keithbenjamin]

I think it sounds like a great idea. I saw a news piece the other day about the significant trend toward people hiring out their chores, getting folks to do their shopping, pick up their dry cleaning, etc., and the businesses developing around that trend. This seems to fit right in with that concept.

-Keith

[Jacqui]

I've been thinking along the same lines here in Wisconsin

[orangezero]

Good to see so many replies. I agree it may not be best to do this on the cheap. I just wonder how many people expect you to drive 15-30 miles to their house only to say "what's your cheapest frame?" ha..

There is a place around here that used to drive around in a flashy colored beetle to see frames, mostly high end stuff. I think Woopie Goldberg (sp?) gets here glasses at her place for some reason. I doubt she has a house around here to drive too though....

[LENNY]

Just one question!
How do the high end exclusive frame lines look at this type of business? They love to police our establishments but there is no establishment.....?

[mike.elmes]

Yes Mike there is but I am working out of Fort Saskatchewan. I am hoping with the growing number of people in the Fort that this business will take off.
My only concern was the population of less than 15,000 people.

http://www.albertafirst.com/profiles/statspack/20370.html

Age demographics look fairly slim for seniors. There are less than 1000 total seniors(if I bump the totals from 2004). Wouldn't they be your primary customer? I guess there must be a fairly large surrounding area though, or perhaps you can always drive into any of the towns close by.
This is a great business you can ease into from part time, to as full time as you wish.

Good Luck!!:cheers:

[keithbenjamin]

In case you haven't thought of it yet... for your research pleasure:

http://www.google.com/search?q=mobile+optician&hl=en

-Keith

[CME4SPECS]

Before you all get to excited, check your state laws to see if this type of practice is allowed. In California there are some laws that restrict opticians from going door to door. In Ca. an optician's license is tied to a particular location. You may go to a facility that employees 25 people on a temporary basis. But you must be at your permanent location more than 50% of the time. (my numbers may not be accurate, but you get the drift)
When Cheryl Shuman started, a bunch of opticians claimed she was not operating legally. Some changes have since been made to the laws.

[Chris Ryser]

Are there any other people doing the same thing? I would love to hear from you.


When I was young working in fathers business we had a service going to outside patients.............doing cataract lens fittings in hospitals.........doing the curcuit of catholic nun;s and brothers, closed convents and some prisons. This would always result in a few hundred pairs ogf glasses per year.

[netinfant]

Try to setup a personal website about what you're doing and carrying. That helps a lot.