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Thread: Opticianry in the 21st Century??

  1. #26
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    Phi,
    There are a good number of independents and small chains who are using digital systems and WOWING customers. As an optician, mentor... I am most WOWed by the ability to train current and future opticians on how to take their skills to the next level. Imagine having a fill in optician or a newer one who has a remake on a PAL. Instead of only having the "numbers" on the order form to figure out where they measured the pd-height, you could have a digital picture to pull up and analyze where the measurements were taken. Not only will it make processing the remake potentially quicker, but now you can view the picture with the optician and discuss why the original measurements did not work. Hopefully you do not have many of these opportunities to teach from, but when you do, the more info the better for the current customer and the future ones.
    I do not sell these systems, but I am passionate about what they can do to help opticians prove their worth in the dispensary.

  2. #27
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    Redhot Jumper I will not be around in the next century and most of you will not be either..........

    Quote Originally Posted by CuriousCat View Post

    ...and they have allowed lens manufacturers determine what their "education" should be.

    What good argument............these same manufacturers that today own and operate your largest competitor on the market "Frames Direct", have been educating the optical world and still are.

    This discussion is turning again into the educational bickering which will be going nowhere as have other threads instead of finding a practical solution for the present situation which steamrolling ahead and is belittled by most.

    One of the major retailers has recently, and without publicity closed one of five of its five lab operations, of which each have been doing between 5,000-6,000 jobs per day. Can anyone tell me that better education by their retail staff would have saved them in one lab 36,000 jobs per week or 1,872,000 jobs per year which they lost. By that calculation sales must have gone down 20%.
    Those are news that do not make the news..............and there are probably more of them.

    The lens and frame suppliers are not loosing a cent, as the business has just been shifted to another corner of the market which sells for a lot even.
    You can totally ignore these facts as most of the previous posts indicate, or blame it on education which takes years to aquire.

    As Johns says in his above post macaroni is macaroni and in this case it is ----------------------> glasses are glasses and lenses are lenses, and the consumer decides where to get them.

    I will not be around in the next century and most of you will not be either, and neither will be the trade, or as you prefer to call it the profession, because you did not seriously recognize the virus that has been planted through the internet on the future of opticianry as it exists today.

  3. #28
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    I don't think the "digital dispensing" visio-office-type system vs a pd ruler and a china marker debate is relevant to the future health of privately owned opticals. while these are probably fine marketing tools, in my experience it is not what consumers are looking for in our practices. Seems to me, in no particular order, that frame selection, location, ambiance, quality of staff (competence, personality, disposition), pricing are of way more importance. A smart renovation, good lighting and updating the overall visual appeal (both from the street and the interior) of your shop may be a better spend. It's also not about whether you offer the latest non-sense overhyped digital bs (with a non-measurable wider field than the competitions bs) - the lens giants are distracting us with pseudo science and their own marketing wizardry when there are far more important matters for you to deal with vis-a-vis the customer's experience.

  4. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chris Ryser View Post

    This discussion is turning again into the educational bickering which will be going nowhere as have other threads instead of finding a practical solution for the present situation which steamrolling ahead and is belittled by most.
    A practical solution is exactly what we should be focusing on. Maybe part of the reason we can't get there is that so many of us are in different business situations. What an optician in an OD office needs to focus on is different from an OMDs office, independent optical, wholesale rep, manufacturer, chain employee or small chain owner. I don't mean to say we should divide our discussions, but there are just so many areas of focus I think ideas get lost in the fray.

  5. #30
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    Chris:

    This is the 21st. Century already. Both you an I are still alive in it.

    Chip

  6. #31
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    Chris,
    What are the five best steps (in your opinion) for an indepentent B&M optician/optometrist to do to keep his practise alive, over the next ten years ? Here are my examples;
    #1 Create an online website for the sale of eyeglasses & contact lens.
    #2 Increase the technical equipment, in your office, to impress your B&M clients and to improve your website
    #3 Private label all of your eyewear and contact lenses.
    #4 Group package all complete eyeglass sales, in complete package pricing. IE: SV Rx lens+Frame+plus coatings etc= $$$.00 Prog Rx $$$.00 etc
    #5 Establish remote khiosk,in several local shopping centers,to display try-on frames and info. They would offer discount when purchasing at the local office.

  7. #32
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    O-mensch
    We can all remember years ago when CR39 was not going to make it (scratches, optics...), then it was poly (too yellow, scratch, optics...), then it was progressives (reading area to narrow, too expensive, who is that vane...), AR (peels, cracks, scratches off...). But years later we see that many of these products were or still are a piece of the backbone for many practices to be healthy financially and helping to create repeat customers.
    I believe you are wrong about what the digital systems will do for a practice when it is used correctly. Correctly equals: training your opticians to bring their optician skills up to the next level (pro golfers, football, baseball, basketball players use video and pictures to improve their game all the time, why not our industry?), helping your customer to "see" in an image why they're measurements are unique and why pre-fitting is critical (cannot get either from the internet), using simulations on the computer screen to show how the advantages of a lens will meet their optical needs... the list goes on and on. Remember, many of us learn in different ways, hearing, seeing, touching, doing... The consumer also has many ways to learn to understand what you are offering and the visual digital display fills a void. This is relevant for those who will look to the future and differentiate themselves.

  8. #33
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    Quote Originally Posted by coupe View Post
    Chris,
    What are the five best steps (in your opinion) for an indepentent B&M optician/optometrist to do to keep his practise alive, over the next ten years ? Here are my examples;
    #1 Create an online website for the sale of eyeglasses & contact lens.
    #2 Increase the technical equipment, in your office, to impress your B&M clients and to improve your website
    #3 Private label all of your eyewear and contact lenses.
    #4 Group package all complete eyeglass sales, in complete package pricing. IE: SV Rx lens+Frame+plus coatings etc= $$$.00 Prog Rx $$$.00 etc
    #5 Establish remote khiosk,in several local shopping centers,to display try-on frames and info. They would offer discount when purchasing at the local office.

    A simpler approach: Do everything you can, to be better than everyone else.

    1. Better service - Faster, friendlier, "righter" (make it correct the first time), admit your mistakes and fix them on the spot.

    2. Better products - Mix private label with Loser labels to show the vast difference in price, and the similarities in quality.

    3. Be convenient: 9 to 5 ? You might as well quit now.

    4. Constantly reinvest in your employees (pay,education, moral, trips) Give raises before they ask for them.

    5. Constantly reinvest in your office - When we had carpet, I changed it every 3 years. Now we have hardwood floors which I have dry mopped daily, and wiped down every other day. It costs, but it's worth every penny. Change the furniture...for a few grand, you can get an awesome look that will keep your place looking fresh.

    6. Keep one step ahead of your competition by having the latest products (we used the Chemistrie clips 2 years before anyone in our area had them). This will make you the "go to" optical.
    Ophthalmic Optician, Society to Advance Opticianry

  9. #34
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    Quote Originally Posted by coupe View Post

    Chris,
    What are the five best steps (in your opinion) for an indepentent B&M optician/optometrist to do to keep his practise alive, over the next ten years ? Here are my examples;
    #1 Create an online website for the sale of eyeglasses & contact lens.
    #2 Increase the technical equipment, in your office, to impress your B&M clients and to improve your website
    #3 Private label all of your eyewear and contact lenses.
    #4 Group package all complete eyeglass sales, in complete package pricing. IE: SV Rx lens+Frame+plus coatings etc= $$$.00 Prog Rx $$$.00 etc
    #5 Establish remote khiosk,in several local shopping centers,to display try-on frames and info. They would offer discount when purchasing at the local office.
    1) Websites if properly done and targeted to your local area, and updated on daily basis with lots of link exchanges so that the site will get a good ranking very fast is a good idea. (I have a small website that made it to No 16 of optical suppliers listed on my listing page).
    An on-line selling website is good if you advertise what the consumer is looking for.

    Actually just look at the most successfull on-line optical websites and follow their pattern, you can not go wrong, they are attracting consumers. You have in this case a definite adventage over them, by also offering the hands on services of a B&M home office. My personal opinon is that an optician should charge for the services and with that technique you can also welcome the ones who purchased on-line a producvt that is not finished and needs the final touches.

    2) Latest technical equipment visible to customer makes an impression. You have to make up your mind which way you want to impress them. latest equipment is expensive however customers might also look at it and think that they have to pay for it. There are 2 sides to this one.

    3) All of your products should be your product label without exception. Even if it has a brand name on it it is an un-finished rproduct that might look awful an somebody without the finishing touches.

    4) to group them in a complete package lets no choice to a consumer who wants to buy what he can afford. The one who just won 60 millions in the lottery will give hoot about pricing while the one that just lost a job will want to get something that is basic and he can afford.

    5) Good idea, but expensive if they don't offer a service right there

  10. #35
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    Quote Originally Posted by Johns View Post
    A simpler approach: Do everything you can, to be better than everyone else.

    1. Better service - Faster, friendlier, "righter" (make it correct the first time), admit your mistakes and fix them on the spot.

    2. Better products - Mix private label with Loser labels to show the vast difference in price, and the similarities in quality.

    3. Be convenient: 9 to 5 ? You might as well quit now.

    4. Constantly reinvest in your employees (pay,education, moral, trips) Give raises before they ask for them.

    5. Constantly reinvest in your office - When we had carpet, I changed it every 3 years. Now we have hardwood floors which I have dry mopped daily, and wiped down every other day. It costs, but it's worth every penny. Change the furniture...for a few grand, you can get an awesome look that will keep your place looking fresh.

    6. Keep one step ahead of your competition by having the latest products (we used the Chemistrie clips 2 years before anyone in our area had them). This will make you the "go to" optical.

    +10000000000000000

    Having the latest and greatest anything means nothing if you don't have a great foundation to sell it from. Having plain old fashioned great customer service will keep people coming back. Everyone who sells anything other than Apple products is going to suffer a little from the internet, but losing the $8 frame patient isn't neccesarily a bad thing. In my mind, we are a service industry, and comparing optical to tires, cars, computers, suits, or anything else makes no sense because we are unique in everything we do.

  11. #36
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    Quote Originally Posted by Johns View Post
    A simpler approach: Do everything you can, to be better than everyone else.

    1. Better service - Faster, friendlier, "righter" (make it correct the first time), admit your mistakes and fix them on the spot.

    2. Better products - Mix private label with Loser labels to show the vast difference in price, and the similarities in quality.

    3. Be convenient: 9 to 5 ? You might as well quit now.

    4. Constantly reinvest in your employees (pay,education, moral, trips) Give raises before they ask for them.

    5. Constantly reinvest in your office - When we had carpet, I changed it every 3 years. Now we have hardwood floors which I have dry mopped daily, and wiped down every other day. It costs, but it's worth every penny. Change the furniture...for a few grand, you can get an awesome look that will keep your place looking fresh.

    6. Keep one step ahead of your competition by having the latest products (we used the Chemistrie clips 2 years before anyone in our area had them). This will make you the "go to" optical.
    This, without reserve!!!

  12. #37
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    We are kind of a hybrid between service and a commodity industry but sorry to say that in my mind we are very similar to the tire bizz. Opticians tell you what's best just like the fat guy behind the tire counter. We have machines to cut and edge lenses they have machines to mount and balance tires. I do exams they do alignments. They probably get paid more for that service than some vision care plans pay for my services. We do adjustments, they rotate and fix your flats. We work on people they work on cars owned by people. They get their hands dirty, we deal with some mean patients from time to time. Dirt washes off.
    Last edited by RIMLESS; 04-03-2012 at 04:07 PM.
    90% of everything is crap...except for crap, because crap is 100% crap

  13. #38
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    I am sure you are right that the digital system can be integrated in a way that is practice-building, as can other electronic/techno tools. Digital fundus cameras, slit lamps and computerized eye charts (both in the exam room AND in the dispensary), ipad etc.. all useful tools. We use lots of technology here and we've got a big screen/apple mini mac set up in the dispensary that we use for marketing and demonstrating a number of things.
    In the recent past I've done some major re-investing in a number of areas in our practice. None has been more positive and provided a better ROI than lighting, layout and store front. Same location, same frame selection (which was always quite good). I have most of the digital gadgets (except the dispensing system) an optical guy would want and really none has yielded the same $$$ results.

  14. #39
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    what does everyone think is going to be the future of opticianary? There are the programs that take a height and a pd for you!!!!!!!! As it is, it is difficult for a well qualified optician to find employment and a decent salary. I have the feeling that the optician will become obsolete very shortly. All ready the attitude seems to be that there is such a thing as an unlicensed optician. I do not hold such a belief. If you are not licensed, you are not an optician. You may be well versed at the job skills but, optician--not! (Am I being snotty in that attitude??) And with that senitment permeating the industry the salaries are sure to plummet and experience will work against you! Yes, specializing can be one way to make sure you are still valuable but there is only so much room in the specialty marketplace. For those of us who are not business owners, what do we do?????

  15. #40
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    Quote Originally Posted by cocoisland58 View Post
    You have forgotten one very important thing. The majority of full time eyeglass wearers still want to try on frames and not just virtually. You can't do this at a kiosk or "service station" because you need a large space and many frames, mirrors, lighting, so how would it fit in?
    Nail on the head there coco...

  16. #41
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    Quote Originally Posted by kerinstern View Post
    I have the feeling that the optician will become obsolete very shortly....
    I would kindly digress, I think the role of the optician is improving and expanding. I think we will be more valuable as lenses become more advanced. The " lens expert " Optician has a very bright future in my opinion.

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