Please

[Judy Canty]

Can we stop trying to impress each other with our vast knowledge of PD measurements, wrap angles, optical formulae, years of experience and level of education long enough to consider the actual threats to our professions?

We are being eaten alive by frame amd lens vendors, insurance programs and online retailers. We continue to be distracted by shiny objects in the form of slick marketing, freebies, spiffs and outright bribes. Isn't it about time to stop fighting among ourselves and concentrate on the other forces that are benefiting from our desperate need to be the smartest ones in the room.

I believe that it is time to force our professional organizations to work TOGETHER to strengthen us all without the "help" of vendor money.

Whew.

[c@leb77]

Amen

[MEB]

Well said.

[jonathan barber]

+1

[Chris Ryser]

Can we stop trying to impress each other with our vast knowledge of PD measurements, wrap angles, optical formulae, years of experience and level of education long enough to consider the actual threats to our professions?

We are being eaten alive by frame amd lens vendors, insurance programs and online retailers. We continue to be distracted by shiny objects in the form of slick marketing, freebies, spiffs and outright bribes. Isn't it about time to stop fighting among ourselves and concentrate on the other forces that are benefiting from our desperate need to be the smartest ones in the room.

I believe that it is time to force our professional organizations to work TOGETHER to strengthen us all without the "help" of vendor money.

Whew.

Very well said, .................... this well meant thread has gone nowhere so far, and the few post's that proposed some solution got totally ignored.

Could it be that not enough business owners that are the real decison makers in their businesses are participating in this forum ?

How do we force opticak associations to do anything in this matter, which a mushroomed over the last few years ? If any of you have followed the Canadian Forum were some OB members have spent hours and weeks writing to convince others to force the associations to take action without much action from either side.

OptiBoard is one of the best communication tools this profession has ever had, but is not taken serious by many and only used for filling in time and or having fun.
Professional magazines are influenzed by advertsiers and can not and will never be neutral.

Isn't it about time to stop fighting among ourselves and concentrate on the other forces that are benefiting from our desperate need to be the smartest ones in the room.

Anybody has some proposals in the way of words and not an anonym ....................+1..............+ 1..............+1

[AustinEyewear]

Very well said, .................... this well meant thread has gone nowhere so far, and the few post's that proposed some solution got totally ignored.

Could it be that not enough business owners that are the real decison makers in their businesses are participating in this forum ?

How do we force opticak associations to do anything in this matter, which a mushroomed over the last few years ? If any of you have followed the Canadian Forum were some OB members have spent hours and weeks writing to convince others to force the associations to take action without much action from either side.

OptiBoard is one of the best communication tools this profession has ever had, but is not taken serious by many and only used for filling in time and or having fun.
Professional magazines are influenzed by advertsiers and can not and will never be neutral.




Anybody has some proposals in the way of words and not an anonym ....................+1..............+ 1..............+1

Just want to assure you Chris, as someone who went from poverty to investing my entire life savings in said related business, I take all of this VERY seriously. Ditto goes for my partner.

[Java99]

I was very excited when I heard about ORBA, because I thought that would be an organization that would really help. But they seem to be either not around anymore or not doing anything.

So I guess the question now is: what can we do?

[Judy Canty]

Begin by saying NO to vendors who own your competition? Attachment 8469

[MakeOptics]

I'm not familiar with my competition, maybe this thread can elaborate?

[Chris Ryser]

Essilor owns " http://www.framesdirect.com/ " the largest on-line optical, you biggest competitor.

[Java99]

I'm not familiar with my competition, maybe this thread can elaborate?

Luxottica owns Lenscrafters. Eyemasters is owned by the same company as Davis Vision, I believe, allowing them to dictate pricing, which is a problem.

[gmc]

Luxottica owns Lenscrafters. Eyemasters is owned by the same company as Davis Vision, I believe, allowing them to dictate pricing, which is a problem.

Also Lux owns Eyemed. VSP owns Marchon.

[MakeOptics]

I can beat Lenscrafters prices all day everyday, so they are welcome to compete against me. Eyemasters can't shine my shoes their customer service is horrendous. Framesdirect gives me access to many frames that I did not have access to in the past, yes I have actually bought and resold frames from them, plus I use their database for frame color and sizing.

[Robert Martellaro]

Careful with the boycott talk...at least one highly respected OB'er had to take a vacation because he advocated boycotting, and named names. Personally, I don't believe a boycott will do any good- most vendors will sell to anyone, anyone that pays their bills on time. Moreover, there are ethical concerns- do I take products off the table because I disagree with their business practices, even when I know it is the best product for the client?

As much as I agree that opticians need to be educated to a much higher level, the other side of the coin says that consumers need an education as well. I tell my clients that opticians in Wisconsin are not regulated, that there are no educational requirements, that anyone can fit and sell Rx glasses without restrictions. Their responses have been, without exception, surprise and bewilderment.

Maybe we need a national level PSA campaign, but I suspect the cost would be prohibitive, unless the vendors and the three O's join forces. Regardless, I'm willing to support similar initiatives, as much as I can with my limited resources.

And remember when consumers could ask questions here? To be sure, it would have to be handled differently, but it was a good opportunity to reach out and provide good information for those who needed it the most, eyeglass consumers who have been getting bad information about optics, and what opticians can do to improve their visual lot in life.

[RIMLESS]

I can beat Lenscrafters prices all day everyday

Ah stop braggin, just about anyone can beat LC prices. The trick is making people aware of it. They've spent huge $$ building that brand and like it or not they do suck up alot of the higher $$ sales. Unfortunately as we all know the public at large are like mindless sheep. Personally I find it hard to capture their customers. If you have any tips plz share.

[MakeOptics]

Ah stop braggin, just about anyone can beat LC prices. The trick is making people aware of it. They've spent huge $$ building that brand and like it or not they do suck up alot of the higher $$ sales. Unfortunately as we all know the public at large are like mindless sheep. Personally I find it hard to capture their customers. If you have any tips plz share.

To start with stop called them mindless sheep. It all starts with how you treat your clients and if your talking junk behind their backs and think they don't get that hint of condecension in your voice when you are dealing with them then your going to miss the boat.

Plus I consider you all here as my competitors, other opticians willing to go above and beyond for their clients. Not interested in making you stronger only exploiting your weaknesses.

[Johns]

We continue to be distracted by shiny objects in the form of slick marketing, freebies, spiffs and outright bribes. Isn't it about time to stop fighting among ourselves and concentrate on the other forces that are benefiting from our desperate need to be the smartest ones in the room.

As a founding member of the ABE club, as well as a co-founder of the Fezzjohns UnExpo, I think the main problem is that there are no more than a handful of professionals that are willing to put their money where their mouths are.

You and I have met most of them.

Everybody thinks they have a solution to the problem. But sadly, most aren't even aware of what the real problems are.

[Robert Martellaro]

Yet ah, why should they know their fate
Since sorrow never comes too late
And happiness too quickly flies.
Thought would destroy their paradise.
Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise.

-Thomas Gray 1742

[RIMLESS]

Plus I consider you all here as my competitors, other opticians willing to go above and beyond for their clients. Not interested in making you stronger only exploiting your weaknesses.

Hey Phi...give me some of whatever you're smokin !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MakeOptics]

Hey Phi...give me some of whatever you're smokin !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Interesting because I don't agree with you I must be smoking something. I know the comment was in jest but look around you the people that are taking real sales from your office are not onliners they feed on the bottom of the barrel which I assume you are not actively pursueing. The high dollar, service provided for product sold sales are being taken away by local competitors, I make sure everyone knows they are buying me not the glasses and I always do my best to get them whatever they want. In another thread I refered to myself as an optical ***** and you would really need to buy a pair of glasses from me to understand the true meaning of that. Yes I will deliver them to your office within reason, yes I will deliver them to your home, yes I will order two frames and send the job to two labs to see which one comes back faster when you absolutely need them, plain and simple I say yes when other people say "no". I can twists any set of policies to work within my favor or the patients favor and I do.

Me and my clients work in conjunction to get the maximum dollars from their insurance company and from my vendors. I am loyal only to the patient, I will burn another professional, I will burn my vendors, I will burn the insurance companies. You want my tip there you go, I don't fight my patients they get anything they want but I will also charge them accordingly.

[RIMLESS]

I will burn another professional, I will burn my vendors, I will burn the insurance companies. .

That's nothing to brag about either. What goes around comes around.

[TLG]

I'm not familiar with my competition...

(HINT: it's not us)

. Framesdirect gives me access to many frames that I did not have access to in the past, yes I have actually bought and resold frames from them...

Plus I consider you all here as my competitors... Not interested in making you stronger only exploiting your weaknesses.

Why did you join this forum if you are not interested in helping others?

I will burn another professional, I will burn my vendors, I will burn the insurance companies...

Interesting posts, especially in light of the fact that the first words The Cat printed to start this thread were "Can we stop trying to impress each other..."
Just to be clear - you consider US your competition and FramesDirect your 'partner'...AND you would think NOTHING of 'burning' any of us for your own gain. Interesting.

[AngeHamm]

Why did you join this forum if you are not interested in helping others?

+1. Do you understand what OptiBoard is for????

[optilady1]

When I was a waitress, I worked with quite the crazy crowd. College kids, retired folks making mad money, 'professional' lifers. There were plenty of fights between your coworkers, but whenever any waiter went to another restaurant, they always respected the other waiters, typically over tipping. I will never understand the why we can't all get along here.

[B101875]

And STOP PICing on me b/c I can't spell and do not know grammer.