How do you respond?

[Bejeezus]

Here's a good topic for discussion..
The Dr. hands a patient off to you, you greet them and introduce yourself and before you get a chance to look at their paperwork, they state firmly "I'm not going to get glasses at this time"

We've been working with an outside business consultant specializing in optics who has some what I consider to be very pushy advice for us as to how to handle these patients.... I'd like to see what ya'll think?

On the one hand, as a 19+ year optician, I recognize the fact that every change to an rx no matter how small should be considered necessary for the best possible vision. On the other hand, I'm a low pressure saleman. I became an optician because I hated selling cars and or vacuum cleaners... I have no issue with the "upsale" ie; AR, High index, etc because I know the benefits and believe ALL patients can benefit from better vision. I just hate to sound pushy or even patronizing.

[Uncle Fester]

;)
Send “Razzle Dazzle” Ringtone to Cell Phone

Bailiff:
Mr. Flynn, his honor is here

Billy:
Thank you. Just a moment. You ready?

Roxie:
Oh Billy, I'm so scared!

Billy:
Roxie. You got nothing to worry about. It's all a circus, kid.
A three ring circus. These trial - the whole world - all show
business. But kid, you're working with a star, the biggest!

Give 'em the old razzle dazzle
Razzle dazzle 'em
Give 'em act with lots of flash in it
And the reaction will be passionate
Give 'em the old hocus pocus
Bread and feather 'em
How can they see with sequins in their eyes?

What if your hinges all are rusting?
What if, in fact, you're just disgusting ?

Razzle dazzle 'em
And they'll never catch wise!
Eh Eh Eh Eh
Ah! Ah! Ah!
Give 'em the old razzle dazzle

Billy and Company:
Razzle dazzle 'em
Give 'em a show that's so splendiferous

Billy:
Row after row will grow vociferous

Billy and Company:
Give 'em the old flim flam flummox
Fool and fracture 'em

Billy:
How can they hear the truth above the roar?

Billy and Company:
Throw 'em a fake and a finagle
They'll never know you're just a bagel,

Billy:
Razzle dazzle 'em
And they'll beg you for more!

Billy and Company:
Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah!
Give 'em the old razzle dazzle
Razzle dazzle 'em
Back since the days of old Methuselah
Everyone loves the big bambooz-a-ler

Give 'em the old three ring circus
Stun and stagger 'em
When you're in trouble, go into your dance
Though you are stiffer than a girder
They let ya get away with a murder
Razzle dazzle 'em
And you've got a romance

Give 'em the old
Razzle dazzle

Billy:
Razzle dazzle 'em
Give 'em an act that's unassailable
They'll wait a year 'til your available!

Billy and Company:
Give 'em the old
Double whammy

Billy:
Daze and dizzy 'em
Show 'em the first rate sorcerer you are

Billy and Company:
Long as you keep 'em way off balance
How can they spot you got no talents?

Billy:
Razzle dazzle 'em

Company:
Razzle dazzle 'em

Billy:
Razzle dazzle 'em

Billy and Company:
And they'll make you a star!

[harry888]

Response: "Did the Dr. show you the improvement in vision you'd get with the change?"

Putting trial lenses over the present specs (overrefraction) should often be done outside the exam room to illustrate the change. Then it's the patients choice.

Myself, as the OD, I do it as I escort the patient out of the room.

Harry

[kaypaula]

Because our boutique looks like we are uber expensive, really.. we are not. So I get that some people are intimidated by that and automatically assume we are too expensive for them so they give me the.. I'm not ready for glasses yet, OR, I don't have time today etc etc. I have a very low pressure salesmanship, but I do make sure I give them a bit of info before they leave.

PT: I don't have time today, can I just take a copy of my RX?

ME: Sure, let me print that out for you. Do you have any questions, or would you like to get some prices while you're here?

PT: Sure.


I give some basic pricing, and I also tell them about any specials we have. I invite
them to come back anytime they are ready to look at glasses and not worry
about needing an appointment.

I find that at least 60-70 percent of the time, this kind of patient will go ahead and start looking at my frames then, especially if money was the main issue and they hear about my "specials", they almost always end up buying right then. That's how I know they had preconceived ideas about our pricing that was incorrect.

[MikeAurelius]

Why push it? Maybe he can't afford new eyewear at this time, maybe offer just replacing the lenses instead of buying a whole new frame.

[racethe1320]

Here's a good topic for discussion..
The Dr. hands a patient off to you, you greet them and introduce yourself and before you get a chance to look at their paperwork, they state firmly "I'm not going to get glasses at this time"

My reply is/would be, "That's okay, you might not actually need glasses just yet. Perhaps just new lenses (in the case of someone currently wearing them) or at the very least, just some really good insight and options......and I won't charge you anything for that" ....said with a smile.

I then ask if they have a few minutes to talk. Just very casually ask and they will more often then not, sit down to listen. From there I go into my routine of finding out what their needs are and what they would be needing glasses for.......

I usually start with second pair options. I find that if I start with the specialty pair such as sunwear or computer glasses that they perhaps haven't even considered, more often then not, they walk away with two.

Point of purchase sales for us have been great. Very rarely do patients leave without something.

[DragonLensmanWV]

All too frequently the customer feels that they can see just fine with their current pair (never mind why the went to the doctor), or they feel the change will be too little. So the demo of how much their vision has changed is a valid one. People also tend to think that their Rx stays stable for decades. We all know how wrong that is, but we all know people like that.
As kaypaula said, then you want to give them some pricing info, lest they think that you may be too expensive.

We had a guy once who came in and his glasses were over 25 years old, with no new exams since then. Of course he wanted to use his frame (corroded halfway at least through the frame), which we refused, but told him about our frame special. Then of course, his Rx had gone from +3 to +5 and he couldn't adjust to the Rx difference. And also, of course, he thought no one here had any idea on how to make glasses. However, he did at least listen to me as I explained how his vision had changed over the years and even he had to admit that he could really see thngs better with his new Rx, but they just looked strange. Haven't seen him back, so if we're all still here 25 years from now, we'll see him back.

[NeGlassesGirl27]

Why push it? Maybe he can't afford new eyewear at this time, maybe offer just replacing the lenses instead of buying a whole new frame.

Speaking to a patient about their insurance, or asking to price something out for them to be AWARE that not all glasses are $1,000, is hardly pushing anything. If someone flat out tells me they don't want any, I will say, "Certainly, I understand. You have VSP (or whatever insurance) I'll gladly go over what they cover so you're aware for when YOU COME BACK to look at frames" Then they kind of have an idea. Sorry, but I like to educate my patient rather than the "Ok, here's your RX..have a nice day"

I always discuss a 2nd pair option with every patient I work with. That doesn't mean I am pushing anything. Again, it means I discuss the possible need for a computer/task specific lens and polarized sunglasses. Mike, you live in Minny so you know how blinding the snow accompanied with sun..correct? Well here in Nebraska, it's the same thing. So, why not discuss the need for sunglasses to reduce all that blinding glare?

At dispense after someone picks up a new pair, I will then suggest that they could always put their new updated RX into their old frame for a back up pair and I always get the "Oh, I never thought about that" statement. It's all in educating the patient...

[chip anderson]

Legally "the doctor can't hand off the patient to the optician." Legally the prescription must be given to the patient in his hand at the time the Rx is written by the prescriber. The patient must have the option of going into your shop of his own accord or taking his Rx wherever he wants to go with it.
Don't you guys even read EyeGlass One ? Do you have a clue how much the fine is per patient for not doing so?
It's been posted on Optiboards so many times you can't even begin to claim ignorance of the law.

[Bejeezus]

Legally "the doctor can't hand off the patient to the optician." Legally the prescription must be given to the patient in his hand at the time the Rx is written by the prescriber. The patient must have the option of going into your shop of his own accord or taking his Rx wherever he wants to go with it.
Don't you guys even read EyeGlass One ? Do you have a clue how much the fine is per patient for not doing so?
It's been posted on Optiboards so many times you can't even begin to claim ignorance of the law.

Well technically, I'm the one printing the rx out so it's all above board :) Dr. hands them off, I go over the options and all that while pulling up their chart on the computer < paperless office here> and the office, optical shop are all owned by the optometrist himself... but back to the original subject....

I'm talking about the person who literally word for word says "I'm not getting glasses at this time" period, end of sentence. Keri has what I think is the best response so far. I'm all for covering ootions, imfroming the patient etc etc. But when they make it plain at the beginning, I'm going to respond exactly how I'd like someone to respond to me when I make a statement of that kind.

Now if someone says, I don't think I can afford them, I always say, " I'm positive I can find something really nice that'll fit your budget" That's an easy one.

Say they state that they want to come back later. in that Case I'll schedule them a time and actually give them a card to come look.

[MikeAurelius]

I'm talking about the person who literally word for word says "I'm not getting glasses at this time" period, end of sentence.

No means NO. What is the problem with the patient saying "NO I DO NOT WANT GLASSES AT THIS TIME"? We tell our sons that when the girl says no, she means it, walk away. We tell our daughters to say no when they do not want something (be it attention or an ice cream cone).

No does not mean 'maybe'. No does not mean 'try to sell me something'. No does not mean "maybe I'll ask you about sunglasses". No means, "thank you, goodbye".

[MikeAurelius]

Well technically, I'm the one printing the rx out so it's all above board :) Dr. hands them off, I go over the options and all that while pulling up their chart on the computer < paperless office here> and the office, optical shop are all owned by the optometrist himself... but back to the original subject....

Actually, you are not covered or above board. The DOCTOR. MUST. HAND. PRESCRIPTION. TO. PATIENT. EG1 states this very clearly in no uncertain terms. The doctor should not be handing the patient off to you. At all. If you are not an OD or MD, you should not be giving the prescription to the patient, paperless office or not. That is not your responsibility.

As Chip says, the option of going into the dispensary must be up to the patient, and forcing the patient to go there to get his prescription is ILLEGAL. You need to change the way your office operates.

[NeGlassesGirl27]

No means NO. What is the problem with the patient saying "NO I DO NOT WANT GLASSES AT THIS TIME"? We tell our sons that when the girl says no, she means it, walk away. We tell our daughters to say no when they do not want something (be it attention or an ice cream cone).

No does not mean 'maybe'. No does not mean 'try to sell me something'. No does not mean "maybe I'll ask you about sunglasses". No means, "thank you, goodbye".

I'd really hate to employ you as an Optician with that kind of mentality. It's called educating and uneducated patient but then again that's what I get paid to do. How well do you think it would fly with the OD's I just said Ok! Ok! Ok! to every patient that said they didn't want glasses. That's part of my job to educate the patient. I am not understanding why you think it's being pushy??

I don't hold a gun to their head. If you or anyone else wants to fault me from talking to the patient about options and doing my job, etc..that's not my problem.

[MikeAurelius]

When I tell someone no, I mean it. I expect that they will respond to that and stop trying to sell me something I do not want. If your patient does not want education, you cannot force them to sit there and be educated. You are wasting your time, time that could be spent on another patient that IS interested. Why don't you get that?

I'd never walk into your office if I was going to be given the hard sell from the time I crossed the threshold.

If I want to buy something, I'm willing to listen and be educated. If I'm not interested, I say so and I expect the sales person to walk away. Is that so hard to understand?

[Bejeezus]

no means no. What is the problem with the patient saying "no i do not want glasses at this time"? We tell our sons that when the girl says no, she means it, walk away. We tell our daughters to say no when they do not want something (be it attention or an ice cream cone).

No does not mean 'maybe'. No does not mean 'try to sell me something'. No does not mean "maybe i'll ask you about sunglasses". No means, "thank you, goodbye".

omg!!! You give ice cream cones?!?!?!

[chip anderson]

Has it crossed anyone in your office's mind that when the patient says: "I'm not getting glasses at this time." He is politely telling you he wants to go somewhere else to get them? Doesn't matter why, he's just trying to be polite. He may want someone he trusts (a lot of people don't trust doctors who fill thier own Rx's.) or someone lower priced, or more sophisticated, or without an ear ring or whatever. It's his Rx and he can do, fill, burn or whatever he wants with it.

Chip

[kaypaula]

Actually, you are not covered or above board. The DOCTOR. MUST. HAND. PRESCRIPTION. TO. PATIENT. EG1 states this very clearly in no uncertain terms. The doctor should not be handing the patient off to you. At all. If you are not an OD or MD, you should not be giving the prescription to the patient, paperless office or not. That is not your responsibility.


Not doubting you, but I would like to look into the legality of this and read what it says. I want to make sure our office is not doing something we are not supposed to be doing. Could you tell me where I can find this info? And what is EG1?
Thanks

[CCGREEN]

[QUOTE=Keri_Leigh27;376910] I am not understanding why you think it's being pushy??

Now would I ever love to be a door to door sales person selling you goods. Sounds like you are a guaranteed push over to anyone who wants to sell you something. Bet even car salesmen love to see you coming.

[CCGREEN]

Legally "the doctor can't hand off the patient to the optician." Legally the prescription must be given to the patient in his hand at the time the Rx is written by the prescriber. The patient must have the option of going into your shop of his own accord or taking his Rx wherever he wants to go with it.
Don't you guys even read EyeGlass One ? Do you have a clue how much the fine is per patient for not doing so?
It's been posted on Optiboards so many times you can't even begin to claim ignorance of the law.

Now lets narrow this down real quick......are we talking state or federal law? If state, which state? EXAMPLE HERE.... State of Florida cannot tell New York OD's, Opticians or MD's what they can or cannot do. Now if we are talking state, is it a state statue or a Optometry Board rule that Optometrist have to abide by. Now if it is federal law......well we know what we have to do.

[NeGlassesGirl27]

[QUOTE=CCGREEN;376929]

I am not understanding why you think it's being pushy??

Now would I ever love to be a door to door sales person selling you goods. Sounds like you are a guaranteed push over to anyone who wants to sell you something. Bet even car salesmen love to see you coming.

That's funny. You couldn't be the furthest from the truth. I'm Italian, I'm bull-headed and stubborn but no where NEAR being a push over. :bbg:

Back at the subject at hand..the person wanted to know how I would respond and that's how I would take to a situation like that. I think you must think I hold a gun to their head. I understand not every single patient is going to get glasses, I work in an office that is about 90% contact lens patients..

[chip anderson]

CCGreen: It's a Federal Law as you know well, as your "doctor" knows well and the law is called Eyeglass One (1). Why do we have to go through this silly debate every year or two with a few greedy individuals claiming that they never heard of this this?

[MikeAurelius]

Actually, you are not covered or above board. The DOCTOR. MUST. HAND. PRESCRIPTION. TO. PATIENT. EG1 states this very clearly in no uncertain terms. The doctor should not be handing the patient off to you. At all. If you are not an OD or MD, you should not be giving the prescription to the patient, paperless office or not. That is not your responsibility.


Not doubting you, but I would like to look into the legality of this and read what it says. I want to make sure our office is not doing something we are not supposed to be doing. Could you tell me where I can find this info? And what is EG1?
Thanks

Read what Chip Anderson just wrote. It is an FTC Federal Law called Eyeglasses (1). Do a google search, you will find it there. The doctor who does the exam is required by FEDERAL LAW to hand a written prescription to the patient. The dispenser CANNOT be involved in this part of the transaction AT ALL. The patient CANNOT be forced to visit the dispensers side of the facility to get their prescription. There can be no direct or indirect coercion directing the patient towards an in-house dispensing area.

[MikeAurelius]

I think you must think I hold a gun to their head. I understand not every single patient is going to get glasses...

From the way you are writing, it does indeed sound like it. You don't seem to understand that no means no, and yet you would keep trying (and wasting your time) with someone who has made it very clear they are not interested.

Why are you wasting your time? Aren't there other patients more important than someone who does not want to buy what you are selling?

I've been in stores with "sales people like you"...and I immediately turn around and leave, never to return. That's what happens when you force yourself on those who are not interested in what you are selling. You turn them off and they leave never to come back again.

[Bill West]

Here's a good topic for discussion..
The Dr. hands a patient off to you, you greet them and introduce yourself and before you get a chance to look at their paperwork, they state firmly "I'm not going to get glasses at this time"

We've been working with an outside business consultant specializing in optics who has some what I consider to be very pushy advice for us as to how to handle these patients.... I'd like to see what ya'll think?

On the one hand, as a 19+ year optician, I recognize the fact that every change to an rx no matter how small should be considered necessary for the best possible vision. On the other hand, I'm a low pressure saleman. I became an optician because I hated selling cars and or vacuum cleaners... I have no issue with the "upsale" ie; AR, High index, etc because I know the benefits and believe ALL patients can benefit from better vision. I just hate to sound pushy or even patronizing.

#1 The "doctor" did not get it across to the customer that they needed a change while they were in the chair.
OR
#2 They had already decided that they would shop around before making a decision, maybe even the internet.

[Bill West]

Legally "the doctor can't hand off the patient to the optician." Legally the prescription must be given to the patient in his hand at the time the Rx is written by the prescriber. The patient must have the option of going into your shop of his own accord or taking his Rx wherever he wants to go with it.
Don't you guys even read EyeGlass One ? Do you have a clue how much the fine is per patient for not doing so?
It's been posted on Optiboards so many times you can't even begin to claim ignorance of the law.

GOOD TO SEE YOU BACK CHIP.

I have stated many times on here that,"THIS IS THE LEAST ENFORCED AND THE MOST VIOLATED FEDERAL LAW EVER."