Bad mouthed optometrist

**doglas** · 10-07-2011, 04:36 PM

i'm seeking some guidence here, so what to do?...if anything, i have a retail optical that's being in operation for over 20 years now, & never in my past had any problem with an optometrist before....until now, he is relatively new to the area, maybe 2-5 years, but this guy is constantly bad mouthing us, eg. "that place would be the last place i would go" "he doesn't have a clue of what he is doing" ect. i get about 2-6 compaints per month from my customers, telling me this, so if it's happening this much, the bad mouth must be a daily practice for him, now do i have recourse? can i complain to their board? does their board care? or it's a different industy so who cares, can i complain to my board, or is it something they would say to me, no jurisdiction & get over it, is there someone else to contact?
or should i just make myself an appointment, & pay him a visit....i have never come across anyone with such an attitude before....& it's not like i'm taking his business, i'm about 4 miles from him.
the reason i'm posting this is because it happened again yesterday, & while he is discussing me with one of our customers, another customer pipes up in the waiting room & tells the optometrist, that she would go know where else but to me...but the stories just keep going on & on.
thanks' for your thoughts about this,
doglas

**Imakeuc** · 10-07-2011, 04:53 PM

I understand it seems like we (Opticians) are always being badmouthed by 2 of the 3 O's. My advise is don't do anything he has a much stronger Board behind him. I would send him some flower's with a note saying thanks for your guidence & referals & all the kind words you say about Me!

DJ

**LandLord** · 10-07-2011, 04:54 PM

make an appointment. Get your eyes examined. Ask if if you can send some patients to him. Show your competence. Make him like you. No one bad mouths a good referral source.

If that doesn't work, slash his tires at night.

**chip anderson** · 10-07-2011, 07:38 PM

Get used to it. All the doctors who send me artificial eye work (we have no ecconomic ties) tell the patient I'm the best they have ever seen.
The one doctor in the area who has people come in his office and make prosthetic eyes (I suspect they split fees) tells the patients: " Chip Anderson's not worth a ****." In exactly those terms, but for those patients who don't have enough money for his fees, he sends them to me. It's probably not personal, probably not an evaluation of your skills, probably just greed.
However remember if you try to do anything about it, they have all the power. They don't need you.

Chip

**Judy Canty** · 10-07-2011, 07:43 PM

Don't fill his rx's and tell the patient why you made that decision.

**rbaker** · 10-07-2011, 08:01 PM

Sounds like slander to me. Hire yourself a savage lawyer and sue the baastad. Yes, it is true that you can "suck it up" or "get used to it" but by hauling him into the courthouse you may just end up with a nice new bass boat. In addiition, he will probably quit bad mouthing you.

**RIMLESS** · 10-07-2011, 09:06 PM

Man up and just ignore it. That's a no win, slippery slope to be on if you plan to go tit for tat. I deal with the same verbage coming from some ophthalmologists. Just do the best you can do to take care of patients and remember sh-t tends to runs downhill (MD--OD--OPTICIAN)

**MakeOptics** · 10-07-2011, 10:47 PM

Nice C&D letter from your lawyer should put an end to it, any further action should be taken to court.

**uncut** · 10-07-2011, 11:34 PM

Do not.....I repeat.....DO NOT stoop to his level. Be professional, and when faced with stories from your customers, simply say "It is unfortunate that you had to experience that display of professional misconduct." and smile! Pause, and add "He must feel threatened by my presence"................then move on to your professional task at hand, taking care of your customer.

**MakeOptics** · 10-08-2011, 01:56 AM

My belief is that to let it go could be considered unprofessional. At least consult with the businesses lawyers often a simple C&D letter can be drafted an sent for little charge and should suffice.

**eyemanflying** · 10-08-2011, 07:21 AM

Double sided coin here....

First, is this a 'dispensing' practice'? If so, his/her retention rates may be low due to your successful capture? If this is the case, you wouldn't be complaining and they would be.

If it is a refracting practice only, they shouldn't give a hoot where the patients end up unless the Rx's are not being filled properly? Are you a 3 for 1 type operation? Is your business reputation a professional one? Are you providing sight testing and now competing? Did you drink too much at a past convention? Did you date his/her spouse in high school? The reasons are endless...

It's highly unlikely and extremely rare that 'innocent' people end up with a target on their back. You've obviously hit a nerve with something - envy, jealousy?

The Canadian optical grapevine is extremely small and even the small incidents with patients/colleagues will travel. In the meantime, you need 'hard' evidence that in fact this is actually happening.

I'm no lawyer (thank goodness) I'm guessing a few patient affadavits would be required - good luck obtaining! If you do manage to get them, as Phitrace noted, a good ole fashioned C&D letter ought to take care of it.

**haliopt** · 10-08-2011, 08:39 AM

The guy is a jerk, very insecure and unprofessional. This dude needs a lesson. He/she are not in school any more. Public,high,university,optom. I would have called him up as soon as this started. This guy is bashing your baby and driving money away from you and your family. Man up. Get a lawyer, he will hire a private investigator. The P.I. will get his eyes tested, record the O.D. slandering you. Your lawyer will send him a letter. Poof, problem gone for $ 600.00 to $1,500.00.
Would you put up with some dude bad mouthing your wife, mom,kid? I can't believe the other post saying ignore, don,t do anything. The same thing happened to guy I know and that's what he did. The letter also told the Optom not to speak to other Optoms about him or his store. The Optom crumbled like a house of cards and was taught a very important life lesson. Give your boys a squeeze and call the lawyer Tuesday.

**LandLord** · 10-08-2011, 10:42 AM

The best way to destroy an enemy is to make him a friend. -Abraham Lincoln

**haliopt** · 10-08-2011, 12:19 PM

How did that work out for Abe anyway? How about " the best defense is a great offense " Vincent Lombardi.( he didn't get shot.)

**Happylady** · 10-08-2011, 12:43 PM

I would visit his office and see if you could talk with him. Tell him what your patients are saying he is saying. Ask him nicely what his problem is with you. Did you offend him some how? Did he have a patient or two who got glasses from you that had problems? There has to be something.

Be pleasant and stress how you want to solve whatever his problem with you is.

At the best you will learn what is causing him to bad mouth you and solve his concern. At worst he is now aware that what is is saying is getting back to you and will hopefully stop.

He must be doing it a LOT if you hear about 2-6 times a month. You need to do something.

**RIMLESS** · 10-08-2011, 04:38 PM

The people blabbing to get a lawyer have either never dealt with lawyers or have watched one too many episodes of Matlock. You can't C & D someone from expressing an opinion contrary to yours....and that's what it boils down to. BS lawyer letters are exactly that, BS. I thinks that most of the other posts offer the
most suitable advice for the situation. Don't let the dude get your Mojo :)

**haliopt** · 10-08-2011, 05:18 PM

Rimless....I am sure that doglas knows a lawyer. He can talk to him/her and get an opinion. Thanks for your two cents. Oh, did I mention that I have seen this before? And that I saw a good out come. Doglas............please respond.............if the lawyer handles this correct, and in my experience they are very smart( lawyer jokes aside) this can all go away and you can get on with it. Hay Rimless, what would you do? Instead of a dude insulting your business, he says you are a child molester? Just ignore? What?

**RIMLESS** · 10-08-2011, 06:59 PM

Hay Rimless, what would you do? Instead of a dude insulting your business, he says you are a child molester? Just ignore? What?[/QUOTE]

Foul, now you're changing the circumstances and conditions of the situation being discussed. This is about someone voicing a trashy opinion, per se. To say the food at a restaurant stinks is not the same as saying the cook is a crack dealer. I think you logic is flawed. You need to pick your battles wisely. You can't legislate or control what people say in the US maybe Canada is different??

Actually LandLord might have the best solution so far. LOL

**haliopt** · 10-08-2011, 07:29 PM

So sorry rimless.......what is your best advise. Remember this jerk optom is saying he thinks your 20 plus old old business is crap and do not go there. Try and make him your buddy? Also I do think that
In Virginia State Pharmacy Board v. Virginia Citizens Consumer Council, 425 U.S. 748 (1976), the Court overruled Valentine and ruled that commercial speech was entitled to First Amendment protection:
What is at issue is whether a State may completely suppress the dissemination of concededly truthful information about entirely lawful activity, fearful of that information's effect upon its disseminators and its recipients... [W]e conclude that the answer to this one is in the negative. You are way out of your depth.

**RIMLESS** · 10-08-2011, 07:38 PM

Me thinks haliopt needs a hug. Are you an optician or a frustrated lawyer ?

**haliopt** · 10-08-2011, 07:41 PM

You know......this whole thing burns so much that I can only say.....I am glad this is not happening to me. I would make this guy regret and think twice about saying anything negative about any thing. " how was the soup?" awesome. Of course I would more likely shave 10yrs off my life stressing about it. Of course, there is always karma. Guy used to bad mouth every optician in Barrie ,Ont. Canada. He's still in prison for what he did to little boys. The Ontario guys know this story.

**haliopt** · 10-08-2011, 07:51 PM

Me thinks your are correct, I do need a hug! But what in your opinion would you do, if such a tragicomic would befall thine self? Where in an esteemed college wouldst spread odorous and deceitful comments upon thy self. Would thou seek his friendship? Or would thou slapdash his facetious? I bee sch ye to comment.( born and raised in Stratford,Ontario,Canada,Home of the world famous Stratford Shakespearean festival)

**RIMLESS** · 10-08-2011, 07:57 PM

I agree with you 500%., This is never a pleasant situation for one to be in. Maybe on second thought, if you have disposable $$ the legal route may make sense,
who knows. It always comes down to $$. BTW please don't take offense to anything I've posted. We are all in the same boat. Peace :)

**Fabian Corio** · 10-08-2011, 08:01 PM

Try putting this sign outside your retail optical "If you need an eye exam go elsewhere but there".

**haliopt** · 10-08-2011, 08:06 PM

Thanks rimless, It does, unfortunately come does come down to money. Maybe its me. I almost got into a fist fight today......last fight 37 yrs and 55 pounds ago. Haha