training

[jcmnbogey]

I have been given the task of working up a training program for our clinic. I am looking for some resources for making up some training packets....any ideas? Where do I start AND keep the cost down?

JC

[Framebender]

who you are training and what are you training them for? Are you trying to teach them to be lab rats, techs, front office staff or what??

Good luck to you!!

:cheers:

[jcmnbogey]

Mainly for new hires, but also a tool to have current staff all on the same page and consistent thruought...To cover basic optical: dispensing, adjusting, measuring. anatomy of the eyes, terminology, frames, contacts, lenses. etc...

Jc

[cocoisland58]

The least expensive way would be to write your own manual and print it up. I did that once years ago and I found it better to use than anything else since I controlled what was in it. You already know the categorys you want to cover so do a little research, make a rough draft and then clean it up. All it takes is your time so if you don't have much, go on line and print out what you need from articles, vendor sights, etc.

[HarryChiling]

Don't say I never did nothing for ya.

http://www.2020mag.com/Supplements/V...1/Default.aspx

The Opticians Hanbook - Third Edition
Was printed in the VEE 20/20, the subjects covered in the supplement are:

1. Improving the Patient Experience - Communication and Telephopne Etiquite
2. The Prescription - Powers and Lens Appearance
3. PD and Segment Height - Dissimilar Segs, Vertex Distance, Tilts
4. Techniques and Technology of Frames - Delivery, Glazing, Bench Alighning
5. Lenses A Material Choice - Lens Materials
6. New Precision for Progressives - Digital Progressives and their Designs
7. AR Lenses - Covers New Ar's
8. Computer Lenses - Covers Computer Lenses
9. Photochromic Lenses - Eye Pathology, Photochromic Performace
10. Choose and Use Sunwear More Effectively - Sunwear Lenses, Coatings and Merchandising
11. Putting it all Together - Marketing, Verification, and ANSI Summary
12. Resources Guide - Various places to get resources with company information, websites, and contact info.

I thought it was a well put together piece and would be a great place to start in putting a training manula together. I would recommend adding to it what you see as necessary and subtracting what you think does not fit your business model, but with much covered it should be a cake walk to personalize and polish off a professional office manual. Good luck and if you need any more information you could always check out:

www.technicalopticians.org

[k12311997]

Don't say I never did nothing for ya.

http://www.2020mag.com/Supplements/V...1/Default.aspx

The Opticians Hanbook - Third Edition
Was printed in the VEE 20/20, the subjects covered in the supplement are:

1. Improving the Patient Experience - Communication and Telephopne Etiquite
2. The Prescription - Powers and Lens Appearance
3. PD and Segment Height - Dissimilar Segs, Vertex Distance, Tilts
4. Techniques and Technology of Frames - Delivery, Glazing, Bench Alighning
5. Lenses A Material Choice - Lens Materials
6. New Precision for Progressives - Digital Progressives and their Designs
7. AR Lenses - Covers New Ar's
8. Computer Lenses - Covers Computer Lenses
9. Photochromic Lenses - Eye Pathology, Photochromic Performace
10. Choose and Use Sunwear More Effectively - Sunwear Lenses, Coatings and Merchandising
11. Putting it all Together - Marketing, Verification, and ANSI Summary
12. Resources Guide - Various places to get resources with company information, websites, and contact info.

I thought it was a well put together piece and would be a great place to start in putting a training manula together. I would recommend adding to it what you see as necessary and subtracting what you think does not fit your business model, but with much covered it should be a cake walk to personalize and polish off a professional office manual. Good luck and if you need any more information you could always check out:

www.technicalopticians.org

thanks for the link Harry I could use that in our office

[HarryChiling]

I actually grabbed 10 or so copies when in NY during the VEE, and handed it out to the staff in our office. I have been thinking of modifying it for our officce into a training manula by adding more of the products and style we use and taking some of the stuff away, but it's a great backbone for a training manual.

[Snitgirl]

Thanks for the link bud!!:cheers:

[Fezz]

I actually grabbed 10 or so copies when in NY during the VEE, and handed it out to the staff in our office.

Darnnit Harry. Thats the reason I couldn't find a copy!

[jcmnbogey]

That's exactly the kind of info I was looking for to get started. Thanks

Jc

[Pamela Girling]

Hi,
This is getting popular in the UK, with copies also being sold to South Africa, Europe and Canada.
One of the main UK industry publication book retailers is selling it or you can order direct from the publishers
http://www.buymyspecs.com/

http://www.otbookshop.co.uk/tke28222...-Specs/c-1-85/

Enjoy
:cheers:

[HarryChiling]

Hi,
This is getting popular in the UK, with copies also being sold to South Africa, Europe and Canada.
One of the main UK industry publication book retailers is selling it or you can order direct from the publishers
http://www.buymyspecs.com/

http://www.otbookshop.co.uk/tke28222...-Specs/c-1-85/

Enjoy
:cheers:

Nice, plug. Can you give us an idea of what's in your book? I haven't heard anyone from the UK that I know mention your book, when did it come out?

[Pamela Girling]

Hi,
it was published in January.
Already being used by independents and multiples at individual and corporate level.
OT bookshop is selling it plus direct from the web http:www.buymyspecs.com

If you check out the web you can read the forward, introduction and chapter one on-line
x

[Pamela Girling]

Almost forgot, some of the members of theoptom forum also have read it
Here is a review link
Please feel free to spread the word if you like it.

http://www.theoptom.com/viewtopic.php?t=3065:cheers:

[Pamela Girling]

Dear colleague in optometry.
Forgive the unsolicited approach which is made with good intention to introduce you to "Buy My Specs, an effective guide to patient and practice team management, increasing staff motivation and sales".
Since publication in January 2007 we have been thrilled and humbled by the interest and level of sales from all over the world. Please visit our website at http://www.buymyspecs.com/

The optician magazine wrote this review in June http://www.opticianonline.net/Articles/2007/06/29/18848/Buy+My+Specs.html

One of our UK based clients is Dollond and Aitchison, and we were delighted to receive this quote from Andy Cole,Head of Learning & Development at The D&A Academy

"This book is a personal story, a management handbook, a guide to sales and above all a guarantee of service. If we "teach" anything about service led retailing to our clinicians at D&A, it's that personalised service counts the most. Pam's book underlines this. It's so important that "Buy My Specs" is in the back pocket of all our graduate pre-reg optometrists before the end of their first week!
I recommend it to you."



We hope this is useful, and forgive the blatent plug. Our intentions are good because the information in the book really helps people.
We will not plug again
Very best regards
Nick Girling &
Pamela Girling
MCOptom

[Diane]

Dear colleague in optometry.
Forgive the unsolicited approach which is made with good intention to introduce you to "Buy My Specs, an effective guide to patient and practice team management, increasing staff motivation and sales".
Since publication in January 2007 we have been thrilled and humbled by the interest and level of sales from all over the world. Please visit our website at http://www.buymyspecs.com/

The optician magazine wrote this review in June http://www.opticianonline.net/Articles/2007/06/29/18848/Buy+My+Specs.html

One of our UK based clients is Dollond and Aitchison, and we were delighted to receive this quote from Andy Cole,Head of Learning & Development at The D&A Academy

"This book is a personal story, a management handbook, a guide to sales and above all a guarantee of service. If we "teach" anything about service led retailing to our clinicians at D&A, it's that personalised service counts the most. Pam's book underlines this. It's so important that "Buy My Specs" is in the back pocket of all our graduate pre-reg optometrists before the end of their first week!
I recommend it to you."



We hope this is useful, and forgive the blatent plug. Our intentions are good because the information in the book really helps people.
We will not plug again
Very best regards
Nick Girling &
Pamela Girling
MCOptom

Out of 6 posts, all I see are plugs for your book. I'm sure it may be good but would you have something else to offer on this forum?

Diane

[Dot the Eye]

The independent member labs of Global Optics can offer you a great training program called Jumpstart http://www.jumpstartyouroffice.com/

Dottie

[rbaker]

Spanning the world from training packets to jumpy training CD’s. Well, all nice efforts but can someone get real and discuss the possibility of SCHOOLING. Must be that all of the EDUCATORS are out on summer break and away from OptiBoard.

You really can’t elevate the craft unless you are taught to some standard of performance by a TEACHER in a SCHOOL or by sitting at the feet of a true GURU for a couple of years. If we think that a few hours listening to a record or reading a book will train an optician than the craft is dead.

Long live the craft.

[Cindy K]

Mainly for new hires, but also a tool to have current staff all on the same page and consistent thruought...To cover basic optical: dispensing, adjusting, measuring. anatomy of the eyes, terminology, frames, contacts, lenses. etc...

Jc

Don't get me wrong, I'm not faulting you for a task you've been assigned by your employer.You can't possibly expect staff to learn the craft and trade of opticianry from reading a manual!!:drop: What you're looking to create are self-taught pseudo-opticians! No, wait, let me rephrase that. Eyeglass salespeople. Sales staff in the same category as the people who flog used cars, commisioned electronics 'associates', and telemarketers. Get it? One cannot learn how to properly adjust a frame without being taught the fine points of facial anatomy and frame design by an experienced person. And contacts and lenses!

You really can’t elevate the craft unless you are taught to some standard of performance by a TEACHER in a SCHOOL or by sitting at the feet of a true GURU for a couple of years. If we think that a few hours listening to a record or reading a book will train an optician than the craft is dead.

Long live the craft.

Halleluja rbaker, we're on the same page. Great response. Our craft is not dead but there are those out there who are trying their best to kill it. We know who they are. I'd be curious to know if there is at least one optically educated and experienced individual (aside from the OD) at this office to act as the 'mentor' and 'supervisor' for the sales staff.

We have a 'frame stylist' where I work. Her impeccable style and aesthetic
sense is invaluable to us. But the fact remains that she's not an optician and performs NO dispensing nor duties; just frame selection. This frees me up to do the things in the dispensary which I was educated for. Although she's 'picked up' much through exposure, her responsibilities end at the clients' side of the dispensing table and I'm still highly involved in providing the frame selection criteria when such is required.

Sorry for the long rant but we see some pretty bad stuff coming into our office from elsewhere, and though there's something to be said about the poor service from other dispensaries only serving to give our office a greater client base, I still feel that, as does rbaker, it reflects negatively on our industry when there's no education involved in 'selling glasses'.

[tmorse]

I have just purchased your 'plugged book' through PAYPAL and am happy to give it a try. This book may also help those working in the non-licensed US States, so Good Luck to you... and plug away.

[optigrrl]

Don't say I never did nothing for ya.

http://www.2020mag.com/Supplements/V...1/Default.aspx

The Opticians Hanbook - Third Edition
Was printed in the VEE 20/20, the subjects covered in the supplement are:

1. Improving the Patient Experience - Communication and Telephopne Etiquite
2. The Prescription - Powers and Lens Appearance
3. PD and Segment Height - Dissimilar Segs, Vertex Distance, Tilts
4. Techniques and Technology of Frames - Delivery, Glazing, Bench Alighning
5. Lenses A Material Choice - Lens Materials
6. New Precision for Progressives - Digital Progressives and their Designs
7. AR Lenses - Covers New Ar's
8. Computer Lenses - Covers Computer Lenses
9. Photochromic Lenses - Eye Pathology, Photochromic Performace
10. Choose and Use Sunwear More Effectively - Sunwear Lenses, Coatings and Merchandising
11. Putting it all Together - Marketing, Verification, and ANSI Summary
12. Resources Guide - Various places to get resources with company information, websites, and contact info.

I thought it was a well put together piece and would be a great place to start in putting a training manula together. I would recommend adding to it what you see as necessary and subtracting what you think does not fit your business model, but with much covered it should be a cake walk to personalize and polish off a professional office manual. Good luck and if you need any more information you could always check out:

www.technicalopticians.org

You should charge....That's excellent information.

[dcdwn]

Hey,
You might ask the lab that you do business with . I know Walman has training matrial. Pech optical also.

Just my 2 cents.


Don

[fvc2020]

In my previous life, before being a serious optician, I wrote a training manuel. It was a hard copy of information that the customer services people could reference when needed. Now it was precise and correct. Did it make people better customer service representatives? No, it was a start. Knowledge is power, and if you have wrong knowledge what good is it?

All I'm saying is, it is great to have a training(standards)book in the office. You have to hands on training for what we do. A teacher, examples, patients etc. What a training manuel does is help, when additional information is needed. I also see the need for people to learn on their own, through trial and error, and a good training book helps with that.

So keep the book and start training your staff yourself. Have them prepare questions for you from their book. I do this all the time, and when they don't come up with a good question, I can't help but say "Did you do your homework?"

I also want to give a shout to those who wrote the book...:)We need as a whole an addition to our beautiful blue book(Sytems for Opthalmic Dispensing-as we call it in my office). I have wanted to do something similar for long time.

Good Luck
Christina