LensCrafters associates please read

[Amber]

I know this will strike a chord with alot of people on the board (I know LensCrafters isn't the best liked place on here),but this goes out to LensCrafters associates...What does everyone think of CustomEyes? I don't really mind doing it,but I have trouble sticking to the model.I tend to leave out some of the verbage that I know we are expected to do,but sometimes it seems really difficult,especially when customers steer you off track.This change in the company has,by far,been the most difficult adjustment for me.I have worked at LC for 4 years.Does anyone have any "success stories" or pointers for me? Honestly,almost all of my associates have some difficulty with CustomEyes.

[Chris Ryser]

Honestly,almost all of my associates have some difficulty with CustomEyes.

How about explaining to the rest of the forum visitors what CustomEyes are ?

[GOS_Queen]

How about explaining to the rest of the forum visitors what CustomEyes are ?

CustomEyes is basically a sales format. LC folks are supposed to be saying certain phrases and asking questions a certain way. They are sending in secret shoppers to ensure compliance. Managers are supposed to watch associates and make sure they are compliant. It is sales scripting, basically. Supposedly, if you say the words and phrases in a certain order, a customer will buy 10 pairs from you because you are "meeting their needs" :p


Can anyone say "sales and service process redux" ?? ;)

(FYI ... "sales and service process" was another format we did about 10 years ago or so ... that's when they introduced accufit and we had a script to go by)

[ziggy]

This stuff crackes me up, I have never seen a "sales format" like these work. Every one sounds like a robot...(use your best robot voice) "what kind of hobbies do you have???" Amber, just strike up a conversation with your patients and you'll find out what you need to know to best serve them.

ps. dont forget these systems are, most of the time, developed by and aproved by people who wouldnt know a diopter from a dip stick. They are just comming up with stuff to justify the job they have.

[rj_gonzales]

ps. dont forget these systems are, most of the time, developed by and aproved by people who wouldnt know a diopter from a dip stick. They are just comming up with stuff to justify the job they have.

My favorite was the giant C clamp they put on my head to tell me what size I was and then told me to look for frames sizes 9,10, and 11.

[Johns]

Hey! Don't knock the "C" clamp, it is very effective if used properly. The most important thing to do is not use it on the head, but on the patient's waist. When the "C" clamp is tightened just right, you can in many cases, get the customer's wallet to pop right out of their back pocket ! After you deduct your service charge, you simply return the wallet, and the customer is truly pleased.

[Ed_Optician]

There are too many of these corporate marketing geniuses. Unfortunately they do not spend enough time working in the field implementing their own program. I would love to see the day where these wonderful people spend a week in the stores working as a frame stylist trying to recite the script as written and not sound like a robot.
In my days at LC we often swapped jobs with the floor people (I was a Lab Rat) just so that we could see the pproblems the others faced in their daily work. I even took a doc and had him make himself a pair of glasses from start to finish. When retail people wanted glasses for themselves annual freebie included they made them under the supervision of the lab staff as a learning experioence. I even taught a DM how to cut laps on the old Coburn lap cutter
I suggested to the administration of the one college I taught at that the president, Vice President and deans all teach one section of a class once a year just to get to know the difficulties the instructors face. THe one dean often taught American History and a section of remedial math because he enjoyed doing it

Ed

[For-Life]

Scripted selling?

Hmm, you are not telemarketers.

I can see LC making sure that certain things have to be focused on and that you need a more personal touch, but through a script?

I am not only in the business and have been selling for years, I also have a university education and we took selling. It was not recommened to go the script route.

[Aarlan]

Although it is difficult to adhere to completely, they cover all the things a good independent normally does (hobby, vocation, work conditions etc.). They are just doing what we do, but trying to standardize it. Now, most of us that have a few years (decades) under our belts know how to approach most patients, but LC does a reasonably good job of boiling it down to teach it more quickly than the years it would take normally. Is it perfect? Of course not, but what they are doing must be working since their stock keeps going and going, and they keep growing and growing. They must be doing something right.


AA

[Blake]

As soon as they can teach a robot to carry a man-purse, it's all over for LC sales associates! :D They learned a long time ago that if you water it down enough, anybody can be a "frame stylist".

The Accu-calipers were a bit of inverse logic for most customers. If you tell them to look for sizes 9 or 10, they'll find a size 7 they just LOVE (until they bring it back a few days later complaining of the massive headaches you warned them about).
The whole "fashion forward" approach may go over well in New York or Los Angeles, but in the South, Farmer Bob is either going to get that new len for his trifocals, or he ain't, so you can just put your fancy paper away.

[chip anderson]

Actually they didn't start the Giant C clamp. Many, many years ago Ralph Drew told me that in Europe this devise is used. Measurement given on Lab Order and the frame comes back adjusted for 5mm less than C clamp measurement above ear. Or course our labs destroy any pre-adjustment done to frames when mounting the lenses anyway.


Chip

[Ed_Optician]

I dont know how many times someone has come into my shop Where are the size 7 frames. I explained that LC created this device and it is their device no one else uses it. Fitting frames is an art not a mechanical process. I can take a 3pc mounting and order the lenses 2mm larger or smaller if needed just by eye or ask my lab to increase the B measurement by 2mm just to make a semi rimless or drilled rimless work better for a patient. You cant do that at LC
I always ask about hobbies computer usage etc. I dont need no stinkin script

Ed

[Hawthrn]

I was a lab rat for about 4 years at LC and there for the custom eyes change over. After my shock therapy treatments, I thought it was quite a boon for customer service, and with the marrige of the Ready When Promised program, it was spectacular. It took some time for me to learn the clever scripting, which lulls customers into a false sense of security. It makes them feel like your sincerely interested in building a relationship with them. The robotic, calculated movements of the checklist help guide you through the customers entire human experience to assit the customer with choosing the right eyeware for all of thier needs. Of course every customer needs a $300 Antireflective high index lense with a $250 Armani frame, coupled with a $200 Rayban frame with $180 polarised AR sunglasses. So from the information that the customer provides us with, we have an agreement from them that these items are exactly what is missing from the eyeware void in thier lives. :shiner:

But seriously, I know that LC wants to be the RETAILER OF THE CENTURY and, folks, toghter.......they roc, but they really need to humanise thier aproach to people. I was a non sexual theraputic licensed certified massage therpaist for about 5 years, and during that time I got to work with alot of people on a very human level. The very best thing IMHO that came out of the Custom eyes program was the inital contact greeting. Looking the customer in the eyes, intorducing your self, asking thier name, and shaking thier hand. People, in general, like that.

[icyou]

LC isn't the only corp. that does this. I work for a optical Corp. that has mystery shoppers every month and we are graded on our visit. We must mention our current sale, ask for a script or offer an exam, have a name tag on, promote transitions, and mention special sale on 2nd. pairs. I have been a darn good optician for many years but I can't seem to "pass" their test. For some reason my sales are still going up by 10% each year. All I do is offer great customer service to each individual customer! Individual being the key word.

[rep]

Sorry to disagree with those who are knocking script selling.

1. Every sales position has some scripted points to cover or else you can't present the features and benefits of any products.
2. Every acting role on screen and stage starts with a scripted role.
3. The difference is the professionalism of the person presenting the script.
4. Many of the LC personnel posting are quoting the benefits of scripted selling which I am sure those rolling their eyes are missing entirely.
5. My bet is that LC is reaping huge benefits by making sure each customer is treated in a consistent manner, and presented with the most popular (and profitable) options on prescription and sunwear.
6. I see first hand every day independent offices totally blowing sales because they failed to offer alternatives even when consumers/patients specifically asked for them.
7. Is the fact that premium products cost more than generic products bad for the consumer as some seem to imply? Especially when the consumer/patient is asking for them?

Rep

[ziggy]

Although it is difficult to adhere to completely, they cover all the things a good independent normally does (hobby, vocation, work conditions etc.). They are just doing what we do, but trying to standardize it. Now, most of us that have a few years (decades) under our belts know how to approach most patients, but LC does a reasonably good job of boiling it down to teach it more quickly than the years it would take normally. Is it perfect? Of course not, but what they are doing must be working since their stock keeps going and going, and they keep growing and growing. They must be doing something right.


AA

LC, like all other large retail chains do this so they dont have to hire quality trained opticians,, we just cost too much money. The C-clamp and scripts are a great tool when hiring from Chick-fil-a.

[Aarlan]

LC, like all other large retail chains do this so they dont have to hire quality trained opticians,, we just cost too much money. The C-clamp and scripts are a great tool when hiring from Chick-fil-a.

Perhaps, but they probably have about 900+ stores and about $1.3 Billion in sales more more than you and I combined. I am just saying that in regards to the big chain opticals they seem to have the best training for their new employees and the best marketing. Are they perfect, or even as technically knowledgeable or experienced as many of us privates? Probably not, but from a strictly business sense, what they do seems to work extremely well. They don't want to be master opticians, they want to be a successful retail establishment that happens to sell eyeglasses. And they do it quite well.

AA

[RGC_man]

Scripts.

Much as I hate to quote Enoch Powell:

Barber: How would you like your hair cut?

Powell: In absolute silence.

:)

[Blake]

... They don't want to be master opticians, they want to be a successful retail establishment that happens to sell eyeglasses. And they do it quite well.

AA

What's that sound? It's a nail, being hit on the head!

[Johns]

.

1. Every sales position has some scripted points to cover or else you can't present the features and benefits of any products.

Rep

EVERY ? Huh? Give me a toilet seat and I can list 5 features and benfits without the luxury of a script. When someone asks you how you enjoyed your meal, do you pull out a script ? I believe that if you know your products inside and out, there is no need to have a script, nor to sound scripted. If you are just reciting features and bennys, then you're nothing more than a talking head!!

:hammer:

[Judy Canty]

Every acting role on screen and stage starts with a scripted role.

So they're acting like what? Opticians? Sales Clerks?

I'm sorry, that was just too good to pass up.

[Amber]

I have to say that,at the LC where I work,our GM ecourages us to do CustomEyes in a "conversational" manner.As long as we hit on all the key points,we're ok (he gave us a copy of the mystery-shop checklist so we knew what they were looking for).I don't mind doing it,after all,it is my job,I just don't really see it helping in any way.I started at LC 4 years ago,and we were ALWAYS told to ask lifestyle questions,so I'm not sure what makes CustomEyes so much different or better.That's funny about the AccuFit,because we STILL get people (I just had one yesterday) asking me what size they wear.In my short time at LC,I've seen many many changes,and my associates and I have predicted that CustiomEyes will go the way of AccuFit in a few years.

[rep]

EVERY ? Huh? Give me a toilet seat and I can list 5 features and benfits without the luxury of a script. When someone asks you how you enjoyed your meal, do you pull out a script ? I believe that if you know your products inside and out, there is no need to have a script, nor to sound scripted. If you are just reciting features and bennys, then you're nothing more than a talking head!!

:hammer:

You must have a photographic memory to know all of your products inside and out without at least sometime looking at a printed page

So let me get this straight....you don't see any use in reciting features and benefits because that makes you a "talking head".

I specifically stated that only the unprofessional sales person would have a sales presentation that sounded scripted.

Rep

[rep]

So they're acting like what? Opticians? Sales Clerks?

I'm sorry, that was just too good to pass up.

Professional actors (as was posted) use scripts on screen and stage and they don't sound scripted. It is always the professionalism in any occupation that results in the sucess or failure of any individual.

Nice job of taking things out of context.

Rep

[Judy Canty]

I don't see myself as a salesperson any more than a doctor who recommends from the exam room does. Advice? Yes. Recommendations based on needs and wants? Yes. Sales? No. If I have to "sell" a client/customer/patient on a product, that's a clear indication in my mind that it's something they neither need nor want. And while we're in this debate, what's the difference between a doctor recommending from the chair and an optician recommending from the dispensing table?