I had a customer who about a year ago made an appointment with our optometrist (we have a side-by-side operation) but was a no-show.
He came into the store yesterday and announced that he got his new glasses! (Not from us). He also wondered why it was that they were crooked on his face and also were sliding down?
I'm interested to hear what others would have done in this situation.
Regards,
Golfnorth
tell them that the store he got them at did not fit them properly
And then fix them.
He may have have a good reason why he had to cancel that day, either way, always take care of the customer, it might be future business for you and the Dr. nextdoor.
or more future business for online suppliers who love the fact they can undercut your prices by having you do all the skilled work for them, for free.
A really well done adjustment, especially for a new fit, takes a lot of time and skill. It used to be a way to bring new customers to you, but its a new day. The free adjustments need to go, and people need to recognize that service takes time, skill, and is worth compensation. When the eyeglass adjustment becomes recognized as a skill worth paying for, people may wonder how online glasses have any value, since even the dimmest consumer will know there won't be a dispensing service with an online spectacle purchase.
Does your dentist work for free? How about your chiropracter? Does your plumber, or mechanic work for free? Do they fix and adjust your car or leaky sink for free when you had the work done elsewhere or by somebody else?
This Dude is not a patient now, nor will he probably be in the future.
As long as we as group continue to devalue and give away our expertise, we will never gain the repect that we deserve.
We obviously need to loook at the 'Internet threat' as a wake-up call.
Our training and expertise has obvious value, yet the Internet crowd is expecting us to give this expertise away at no charge.... go to your Optician and get these measurements....
FEZZ is right... it's time to charge for our time, effort and expertise. We may not be able to stop Internet dispensing, but we don't have to devalue our knowledge base and work against our best interests.
He might not have gotten them on the internet, he might just have gone someplace else.Originally Posted by tmorse
If he was wondering why they were crooked and sliding down I would just tell him that they need to be adjusted and to go back to where he bought them, that it should be free.
Oh, Fezz is always right. :D
I can't believe we are getting so proud of ourselves that we won't help people who didn't buy from us.
I see maybe 50 -75 people or more a year that stop by for adjustments that I never saw before. Not all but quite a few come in eventually wanting new glasses or have a new Rx and say you've always been so nice I'm gonna give you my business.
Maybe you people have doctor and a "capture rate" and can afford to alienate potential clients. I can tell you that in the real live world where one must compete to make a living it ain't that way.
Now if it's something really involved and requireing a lot of skill and time like fixing a bad prosthesis made elsewhere, make them bring out the check book.
But to replace a screw or bend a temple, get real. We didn't go to medical school, we aren't little white gods.
Chip
When can'[t or won't do something to help a fellow human being out of the goodness of my heart, I'll hang it up.
I adjust glasses for people all the time that didn't buy them from me. I try to do the best job I can and do it with a smile. But in the case above I would probably not volunteer to adjust them. However, if asked I would.
We get no shows all the time. People get busy, they forget, etc. We call them and try to reschedule. In this case I would critique and fix, shaking my head and tsk tsking the whole time. They get it. They get it and they come back most of the time to purchase. In any case it is always amusing for me to see what constitutes a proper adjustment elsewhere. 90 degree temple angles are usually good for a laugh.
You can't win 'em all. Depeche Mode said it best...'People are people'.
But to replace a screw or bend a temple, get real
There was a time when business was doing well with competition only in service and quality, not in pricing ..........and that was until the late 1950s.
Then suddenly a wave of cut price opticians popped up and it was just about a similar situation as today's on line Opticals.
The old established opticians continued to give free adjustments and service and after a few years won out because at that time non of the discounters grew into a sizable business, just continued to exist. They made a sale and then lost their customers. Maybe it could work again.
I also charge for adjustments. I did one for $5.00 this morning also replaced an eyewire screw and locktited them for $2.00 for another person (notice I didn't say customer).
So in the post that I started this thread with I told the guy (with a look of astonishment on my face), "Why would you come here and tell me that you got your glasses? You should have gotten them from me!" He sheepishly told me that he was just in the area and dropped in. I then referred him back to wherever the glasses were made for all the neccessary (and time consuming) adjustments that he probably needed.
Regards,
Golfnorth
Wow, great service...he will definitely not return for his next purchase.
Actually both guys asked me how much their respective repairs cost and were most appreciative and handed me my fee without reservation or question. The $5.00 adjustment guy also purchased a case on the way out.
So sorry but I don't work for free.
Regards,
Golfnorth
GolfNorth:
I know both sides of this argument. I have won many customers because of free adjustments,free nosepads and screws and kindness . I have also offended and lost some because of not charging .
My gut feeling is that you are doing the correct thing . People have been conditioned by bank service charges , that nothing is free and they realize that there is a cost of doing business.
We should be charging too . It will help the profession in the long run .
Offer to sell him a good pair.
Good for you... no professional gives away his/her knowledge. its's time to change our mind set. :cheers:
If it was a good day I'd find out what burger joint the guy worked at and then bring him a filet-o-fish from another burger joint. I'd then tell him the bun wasn't properly toasted and would he mind putting it under the broiler for a few seconds. Could he also spare a few packs of ketchup, some napkins and a straw? I would gladly pay him a few cents for the straw.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device
I agree there are two sides to this coin, but nowadays especially (EVEN MORE now than the original date of this post) the economy changes are requiring us to rethink whether we charge for adjustments or not. That's why I am bringing this post back up...
We have had a customer who bought glasses online come in for an adjustment and we didnt charge, but are thinking we probably should have. He most likely bought them online to save money and WONT be buying from us anytime in the future.
We are feeling the effects of the poor economy more and more and need to pay our bills too!!! If we dont start charging for skilled adjustments and the parts we give away (screws, temples, pads, which all cost us plenty!) we wont be open much longer for the people to even consider coming back to for future purchases!!!
I think it is worth charging those patients who didnt buy their glasses from us (not just online, but even another office) a minimal charge for our time. Maybe even make it based on time taken and/or parts used... Most people with broken or crooked glasses are so grateful you helped them they are more than willing to pay $5 or even $10...
With the prices of frames, lenses going up, insurance reimbursements going DOWN, we are struggling... this would be one way to help our bottom line so we can continue to help our patients in the future!!
What do you all think, nowadays???
I'm still not charging...I have had a few people come back (and buy) because I didn't charge. Heck, the other day, I got a package in the mail from a lady in Maryland. She had made me a bunch of bookmarks with my office name on them to give out to my patient's. Seems she was here on vacation and her lens fell out and I fixed it up for her and she wanted to thank me for it.
I simply can't get my mind right about charging for minor repairs...maybe it's the town I live in...I mean, even our mechanic will "take a peek" at no charge when we are having car trouble. Granted, he may include that "free peek" when he does our repair, but he doesn't do it up front, so it doesn't feel like he's nickel-and-diming (sp?) us to pieces.
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If you condition people to believe things are free then they will expect them to be free . What do the online retailers tell people ? "Go to your local optician and they will adjust your glasses for free "
When you buy shoes , do they give you free polish or free laces for replacements ?
When you buy a car , do they give you free washer fluid when you run dry ? Free oil and gas ? free light bulbs ? Will they repaint the car for free when you scratch it ? How much did you pay for the car , was it substantially more than the glasses ? And you buy a new car every 3 to 5 years ?
Does the grocery store give you free food ?
Banks (2 for 1 sales on money) ? Hair dressers (free hair spray ?) Doctors (free diagnosis ?)
Can you name one other business that operates on freebies like opticians ?
Last edited by Refractingoptician.com; 08-19-2009 at 08:45 PM.
Actually Beemers new and used are starting to provide free service.
But then they have a quality product and quality service.
Chip
I know, you make terrific points. (LOL! I think the bank should really look into the 2 for 1 idea! ;))
I look at repairs and adjustments more like a free consultation....while fixing their glasses we talk about new frame styles, the age of their prescription, new lens materials, sunglasses, etc...and, lots of times, it's just general life stuff. In the end, they leave happy (and with a business card :D)
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