Just a simple question. I wanted to know if any of you out there are charging to measure people so they can buy their glasses off the internet.
We are starting to get more people asking us to do this and as of now our policy is to not charge.
I'm wondering if this is why we are starting to see more people with this request.
Thanks ahead for the input.
MOJO :cheers:
I suggest not to give out the measurements as you can be held responsible.
I am NOT an attorney.
Diane
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
Why don't you also assist them in selecting a frame they like out of your inventory, do the measurements and advise them on lens selection. Why not have them then come in with the finished glasses so you can check the rx, pd and adjust the finished glasses for them.
My sister in law's boyfriend bought a pair of specs online. That company had him print out a paper pd ruler, and my sister in law measured him. They came to my store, and he said he felt like he was in a fishbowl etc....I measured his PD, and checked his glasses. I got him at a 64.5, and the glasses were at like, a 73!!!!
I was like...........NO WONDER YOU CANT SEE WELL!
That's why we have the policy of not charging because so many people are not happy when they get their glasses we are hoping they will come and buy a pair from us because we were so nice to them.
MOJO :cheers:
I charge through the nose for PD's, seg height etc.
Just bad news all the way around.
Charge them a fee for your time and know-how, and let them know, if they are not happy with the on-line specs you will make them a pair and credit the charge for the measurements. That way you get paid for your time and are "planting the seed" to come to you for a GOOD pair of glasses.Originally Posted by Mojo
Ps:or you could just smack the crap out of the for being stupid and rude.
Paul:cheers:
Just a thought to respond to the tongue-in-cheek response from Dave Nelson...
Obviously, what Dave has done is extracted all the professional services that go into dispensing opticianry.
What if....
You don't offer an "a la carte" service of "pd measurement" for $5, but you offer the whole kit and kaboodle of professional services as a package?
For example, let's say your normal frame and lens wholesale cost is $1.00, and you normally charge an extra $0.49 for the expenses of retailing and another $0.49 for the involved professional services, so that the normal retail cost of a pair of glasses in your office is $1.98.
Now, if the online customer wants to have their own "wholesale lab" make the glasses, why not charge them $0.49, your usual and customary charge for your professional services? Make sure that you don't sell them a *******ized version, though, just the full service.
This is ultimately no different than using a crappy wholesale lab, with an untrained person doing the order's data entry, and having it delivered by a penny-pinching courier...
I know that sounds radical, but getting paid expressly for one's professional services isn't a bad concept.
I have not yet been asked to supply any information for someone wanting to purchase on line Specs. If I do get asked I suspect I would politely decline to assist them and remind them that what they're trying to purchase on-line is a sophisticated medical device which not only requires careful fitting and measuring before use but may also require careful adjusting and follow-up care by a qualified Optometric technician after they are "dispensed". That is after all what we pride ourselves in providing to our patient's( and charging for ) a combination of quality product and the professional advise on how to make it work. Would that same person ask their dentist to suggest which on-line place to get their dentures from and help with some measurements too?? I suspect not.
RX Forms..
Now, I'm assuming that they got their eyes checked where they had an Optician (or tech) take these measurements: But, when I get an Rx from some other doctors office that wandered in, they (usually) have PDs on the RX form. Aren't they supposed to have that info on the Rx anyway? Now, SEG hts are different. Bifocal, trifocal, EVERY PAL are different. How would those be handled?
A PD is not a part of a prescription per se. It is a physical measurement that can be done at any point in the exam-spec purchase process. I don't include it on my written prescriptions.
According to the online guys, they have a "foolproof system" for selecting seg heights. :hammer:
[quote=ziggy;151245]Charge them a fee for your time and know-how, and let them know, if they are not happy with the on-line specs you will make them a pair and credit the charge for the measurements. That way you get paid for your time and are "planting the seed" to come to you for a GOOD pair of glasses.
quote]
Exelent Idea ziggy. I've gotten so many long term patients over the years that came in the 1st time needing an adjustment or screw repalced (bought glasses elsewhere..). I may not even remember these people, but they come in some months later telling me I was so nice and helpful that they remembered me when they got their new Rx.
P.S. Ory.....That "foolproof" system has to be "seg--5 in and 5 below." I swear, I did so many layouts of those numbers back in my wholesale lab days, it was a thrill to get a trifocal in so you could layout 5 in, 2 above...:)
I personally frown upon providing any service to any person intending on purchasing their eyewear online, whether paid or unpaid. Really, do we want to assume any responsibility for their eyewear? Do we really want them bringing their problems in to us after the fact? Not likely. although some will argue that there is potential for a consumer who has an unfortunate experience with an online eyewear retailer to return to a 'flesh and blood' dispensary after the fact for their next pair.
Think about the reasons why people buy online. #1- Price. #2- Price #3-Price. I can't think of any other reason someone would buy their eyewear online.
I have no reason to prove that I'm a "nice guy" by giving away my services so that the so called "customer" can go online.
Absolutely not.
I used to be Mr. nice guy to many ###crafters, or P### Vision customers, they need a screw, the frame is crooked or anything, I did it free for them for a while, none of them came back to me as customer because I was "nice" to them, they knew they could't get service from those stores, and they are smart that they know many of us assume we can get their business if we are nice to them. but it didn't happen to me, what happened is that everytime I spent good 10 or 15 minutes and and gave free of my experties and sometime the hardware I paid for.
then I started charge people, they paid me and thanked me everytime.
I am a customer myself to mechanics, carpenters etc, I don't think myself a good customer if I only get service and don't want pay them.
If someday someone come to me asking for measurement so they can buy glasses online, I'd be glad to help only to charge them my profit as if they have bought the glasses from me.
I am also sick tired of being asked by other stores for my patients' contact lens information( lens type, parameters etc), If you don't know how to fit the lens, better close your door! I should tell them to xx off, what do you guys think?
What about my radical idea?
What essentially this points to is the optician as a professional services provider, above and beyond the medical device supplier.
Is it not perhaps a good idea to get paid expressly as a professional? If they have problems, then more cash in your pocket for another "consultation".
I would guarantee you'd get the materials supply next time, too, especially if you itemized the spectacle sale this way:
Supply of materials: $1.49
Optical design and measurements, quality control, fitting of ocular prosthesis: $0.49
Your frame and lens price would look pretty close to them durn internet sites.
It's what we do with contact lenses, in our office.
*please delete
I do not believe this, we give away screws, nosed pads, temple tips etc. and most important our time. If you give out measurements ( if paid for or not ) expect to be earning a lot less than you are now. The on-line co. will win the will take those measurements and make the money while you will have your hands full doing adjustments replacing screws and making nothing. Oh you could charge for that service yes! But you will not because they may buy from you the next time!
When the next time rolls around you will not be around!
All opticians to protect their lively hood should NEVER give those measurement out.
Here is the thing. If I gave any optician, OD, MD, or non-licenced practioner a job of -4.00 -4.00 x 180 OU they can match that and match that dead on without a problem. The problem is not matching the prescription to the prescription, it is getting he patient to see. For that things like PD's, fitting heights, frame fit, and even lens type, panto, vertex distance and base curves make a major difference.
If you give away that information then most likely the patient will see much better out of his or her online glasses, and therefore, have no need for you. Now if the frames are not adjusted the patient will feel confident that you can adjust them for the patient at no charge.
So what you are doing is you are not helping the patient, you are helping the online company, and you are doing it at no charge. Yes you will get returned sales and yes you will get referrals, because the patient will now know that he or she can come to you for free fittings and buy them from an online company for less.
Oh, and if your measurements are wrong, expect the patient to be screaming at you and blaming you. Heck, even if they are not wrong and the patient still cannot see, you will probably take the blame.
However, I much rather do free measurements than ever have to find a tiny whiny, itsy bitsy screw for one of those five dollar rimless sunglasses that I am bombarded with.
Charge him..............
How about you guy's realizing that you can not kill the internet optical peddlers.
Therefore if you would start a policy of chrging the customer who wants the measurements take a fee.....that includes the measurement, a check of the RX and the positioning of the lenses compared to the Rx and measurements. (if they are wrong you advise customer) Charge him $25.00 -35.50 for this service.................... payable in advance when taking measurements.
Online glasses company will never but hugely prominate. We see successful products take off on the internet such as TV's, computers, DVD's and so forth. But there have also been failures, and one has been clothing. Growth in online clothing purchase has really not increased, and that is the way it will be with glasses.
Come on Chris yes will not kill the internet optical peddlers but you don't have to help him either.
Good quality, properly made spectacles cannot be made by online companies, and opticians who stand for quality, skill and exellence in providing those services should, on principle, refuse to participate in propagating the decline in the profession in any manner. I expect to get slammed for saying this, and thats fine with me.
What a fantastic statement. I applaud you sir, and raise a healthy toast!
I truly could not agree more!
Fezz
:cheers:
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