Do you charge for nosepads?

[HarryC]

I cannot think of any other type of store that you can walk into and get a free service like the nosepads I must give away day in and day out. Someone out there has got to be charging customers for this service. Are you charging for nosepads? If so, how much is a fair price? Do you only charge people who did not purchase the glasses at your location?
Are there any other types of stores you know of that offer free services like we do? lol

[BobV]

We have never charged for nosepads wherever I have worked, except for LC when silicone pads first came out.

We take it as a service that should be done. And, with the prices of pads as low as they are, it really isn't a strain. we might change five pair a week.

If someone charges for pads in the Kansas City area, they probably will not receive any business.

Bob V.

[hcjilson]

Part of our responsibility should be to provide whatever service is required to keep the spectacle frames we see in serviceable condition. Our pricing usually reflects that. I tell my customers that they are paying for that service up front, they might as well take advantage of it. I encourage them to come in at least once a year to change the pads.

When I am dealing with someone who is not a customer...depending on the circumstance I either charge a nominal fee, or NC.

If I told you you could obtain one new customer for the price of 10 pair of nose pads, wouldn't it be worth it???

hj

[Excel-Lentes]

If someone comes in who did not buy glasses from our store we charge $5. If they show interest in purchasing from us in the future, we will give them a business card with $10 off on their next complete pair of glasses.

For our current customers, we do not charge for nosepads. Not charging for nosepads (and other items & services) just cheapens what we do and does not assign value to our goods and services. Most people are very willing to pay us when they feel the big difference of new nosepads and a properly adjusted frame.

[CME4SPECS]

I'd like to know where all of you get those FREE pads from? Customers are willing to pay for things folks...YOU are afraid to charge for them! Some one finally comes up with a pad that needs to be replace from time to time and what happens, you turn it into an expense, instead of an opportunity to make a few bucks.
I'll never forget something I heard Bob Bieber say 20 years ago. He said somone finally comes up with a lens (CR-39)that scratches and needs to be replace once in awhile and you dummies put a coating on it to protect it! Think about that one!
Don't get me wrong I am the most service oriented people around, I just do not give things away. I have a store...I sell stuff!
Terry Agin

[hcjilson]

In days of yore I have been quoted as saying
A service given away for nothing is worth exactly the price paid!

HOWEVER,

In my cost to retail price ratio I factor in the cost of the service required when I do that. Most, according to the markups I've seen from one end of the USA to the other, do the same. I therefore have come to the conclusion that the customer has paid for the service already.

If you are low balling the product, I would expect you to charge for service, and so wouldn't your customers. If you get top dollar, deliver top service.

So I think the answer to the question posed in this thread is........It all depends!

[chip anderson]

I can't tell how many pairs of new expensive spectacles I have sold because someone stoped in and I replaced nose pads, adjusted glasses, made other minor repairs and spent time with the patent for free. Many of these patients will leave thier home town O.D. with the Rx and make one or more trips of some distance to see us because we were "nice."

Chip

[Joann Raytar]

We don't charge for generic nosepads; however, we do charge for manufacturer's nosepads or a nosepad we must special order. The same goes for temple covers.

[Ruth]

I'm in complete agreement with Chip. We don't charge for nosepads, adjustments, or even "spare parts" temples (you know, the ones we stripped off the broken frames when someone bought a new pair).

We get lots of people who come back to do business with us because "you were so nice". But if we only got one of those a year, that one sale would easily pay for all the nosepads we gave away.

Then there's the word-of-mouth we get from that satisfied customer, sending their friends, bringing their family.

So, if you're my competition, by all means, make your whopping profit off your nosepads...I'd rather wait for the real profits!

[dfisher]

CME4SPECS said:
I'd like to know where all of you get those FREE pads from? Customers are willing to pay for things folks...I have a store...I sell stuff!
Terry Agin

At the price of nosepads today, the actual time involved in entering the information at the POS computer probably costs more than what most of us would charge for replacing pads.

Just think of the marketing costs related to getting a consumer in your shop; yellow pages, coupons, newspaper, direct mail, radio and/or TV, etc.

When you offer a service that costs you so little, you are getting far more effective advertising and positive public relations than from any of the usual marketing methods.

And, finally, the one thing that makes an optical establishment stand out is Service...being better than the other guy and taking better care of your patients/customers than your competition.

[CME4SPECS]

So, Do you also give away tint?
It takes about the same amount of time to do a light tint, as it does to unscrew a pair of pads, and scrub all of the crud off of the pad arms, and pu the pads back on!

[dfisher]

Tinting lenses is usally a retail lens option rather than service on an existing product.

Have I ever given away a tint? You Bet!

I've never charged for touch-ups like darkening or lightening a tint. If someone complains about a mysterious glare or reflection, I offer a light tint @ no charge to see if it helps their problem. And sometimes I've even offered to tint a customer's old lenses when they buy a new pair to close a sale.

Bottom line is I take care of my customers and they take care of me by referring their friends and family.

[Judy Canty]

As a rule, I don't usually charge for minor things like pads and screws, however I do post a price list for those and other services so that I can charge if I need to and so that customers know that the service they receive has value. That being said, I did charge the gentleman who followed me into the store as I was opening. Not only had I never seen him before, he wanted new nosepads and "about a half a dozen more to keep at the house". He even bragged about "forcing one of those 1-hour places" to put new lenses in his rimless drill mount while he waited because he doesn't need to have two pair of glasses. He had to wait for 4 hours, but that was better than having to go a week with no glasses. Customers like that I'll charge just hoping they won't come back.

[Cindy Hamlin]

Judy Canty said:
As a rule, I don't usually charge for minor things like pads and screws, however I do post a price list for those and other services so that I can charge if I need to and so that customers know that the service they receive has value. That being said, I did charge the gentleman who followed me into the store as I was opening. Not only had I never seen him before, he wanted new nosepads and "about a half a dozen more to keep at the house". He even bragged about "forcing one of those 1-hour places" to put new lenses in his rimless drill mount while he waited because he doesn't need to have two pair of glasses. He had to wait for 4 hours, but that was better than having to go a week with no glasses. Customers like that I'll charge just hoping they won't come back.

Judy,
I wonder if this was my same No. Va. patient that came in every year asking me to commit insurance fraud? Sounds like his same old, same old.....

[Joann Raytar]

CME4SPECS said:
So, Do you also give away tint?
It takes about the same amount of time to do a light tint, as it does to unscrew a pair of pads, and scrub all of the crud off of the pad arms, and pu the pads back on!

Actually, we do give away free tints if you purchase a complete pair of glasses. We also do free touch ups. In the case of touch ups we use that opportunity to recommend getting polarized lenses next time around.

[Ryan]

I work in a mall and we used to change nose pads for no charge for everyone, but I don't anymore. We get a lot of people from out of town and want us to replace broken nose pads and who will never be back to buy glasses from us. It is so frustrating after replacing them for free, and showing them frames while they are waiting, and giving them their glasses back suggesting they should buy them here next time, and they say they are just visiting, but thanks for fixing my glasses! Or they usually get their glasses from LensCrafters, but that is just too far of a walk from where they are in the mall, so can you change them out for me? All of our patients that buy glasses from us we will replace them free, all the time. So we charge alot of times $5 for a pair of nose pads.

Next time you need to buy some shoe polish, just go into any shoe store and see if they would give you some for free. :finger: :

[Johns]

Advice to all:

It is a good idea to charge at least $5 a piece (or $9 a pr. to cut some slack). You'll make a lot of money, and the customers will think you're a savy business man/woman. You'll probably never see them again anyway, because they'll all be going to my place where I give them away for free. Heck, I give frames away for free. What good is $10 cash when I can capture a whole family.:D

[Refractingoptician.com]

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[chip anderson]

I don' t think nose pads or free service are all the issues here. Some of us still enjoy the work some of us are burnt out and should be retired or go into something else. And some us are just plain cheap and lazy.

We used to give a lifetime of free service including bi-annual slit-lamp exams, polish jobs any changes in fit needed that did not require a new lens with our contact lens fitting. Our contact lens fitting was $ 175.00 (1960 U.S.) and this the only fee the patient paid except for replacements and Rx changes that could not be accomplished on the existing lens. Unfortunately, the dispensing doctor arose and patient's would buy thier lenses from the doctor and expect us to manage and re-fit the problems. Some of them still try to do this (but my insuance said I had to see him and he made me buy my glasses and contacts from him). Before the "climate changed" we had the most successfull and profitable contact lens practice for 500 miles in any direction.

So it's all a case of ones perspective and what you think your customers will respond to.

Chip

[Joann Raytar]

Gary said:
Canadian Tire doesn't service my oil and filter for free even if I do spent thousands per year there.

Actually, I bought my first set of tires from Town Fair Tire. They rotate your tires and do any patching and refilling for free. If the tire is inside of its warranty and the patch doesn't hold, they will replace it for free as long as you had the tires rotated every 5,000 miles, also free. Since that time, I have bought two more sets of tires from them and I didn't price shop; I went back to them because of the service.

[Johns]

Gary:

-How can you "cheapen"a product that costs less than 20 cents a pair ?
(???)

-When I got my oil changed, they gave me a free keychain w/ a little flashlight on it. (Big deal ? -I went back)

-When I got my mortgage 11 years ago, the company gave me a gift certificate for a nice restaurant in my new neighborhood. When I built a new house 5 years ago, I went to them again.




These little things add up to big things. This morning, I gave away a complete pair of glasses (frame & lens), because 5 children out of 7 have gotten glasses from me in the last 2 months. They spent $1345, I gave the a package for free worth $189. It cost me $XX (you know). It felt great to be able to do it. They were overwehlmed with gratitude. I was happy they didn't go to Wal-Mart (where they also give away nose pads).

I also don't kid myself on the value of my products. They're not so much better than anyone's else. The value is in the awesome serevice my staff delivers. And no- we don't charge more for
great service either.

[Joann Raytar]

I agree with you Johns. Folks have tried to pay us, on occasion, for nosepads and minor repairs; then, when we don't accept the payment they try to tip us. Instead we usually thank them for the thought and then insist they "buy" lens cleaner or something comparable instead. Nine out of ten of these customers return to purchase glasses from us; that's well worth a pair of nosepads and a bottle of lens cleaner.

[Johnny T. Bender]

Charge for nosepads?

I always go back to the same auto mechanic because he gives my cars a once-over and tops off the fluids when I get work done.

My dry cleaner has yet to charge me for a new button, including the labor for sewing it on.

My bartender buys me a drink one in a while.

The local deli gives me a free cup of coffee of Fridays.

I guess it would be fair to say that I have made eyewear for all these people, and others in my community. I have recieved fresh veggies from people's gardens, had wiring done on my store, had my taxes and business cards done for free, even pet sitting services.

The point is, maybe a set of free nosepads doesn't always offer a finacial return. But sometimes the cost of kindness cannot be measured in dollars, only in gratification. ;)

Johnny T.

[Johns]

Johnny T:

Amen Brother !

[Refractingoptician.com]

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