Do you charge for nosepads?

[opticianbart]

we charge $5 for nosepads about 70 % of the time....mainly because about 70% of our customers have medicaid - which barely pays for the glasses. People who decide to spend the money for the better frames we will do it for free some of the time. It really depends on the situation -for example if someone is going to get a new pair we don't usually charge for the nosepads on the old pair.

but after having delt with medicaid the other insurances don't seem so bad.:shiner:

[Barry Santini]

Like so many other things in optical...

I've found that charging for:

adjustments
minor repairs (sometimes major too)
screws (even in street vendor rimless suns and OTCs)
Cases
Nose pads and temple covers
etc.

has far to much potential "political downside
and...
has a far greater potential political upside.

I think this is so in optical because so much about eyewear is, at its root, a negative for John Q.

So *any* perceived negative in piled into the already bulging bag of negativity

And *any* positive shines (disporportionately, perhaps?) like a beacon of light in the dark.

So much for my opinion...

Right, Chris?

Barry

[regional_manager]

The bottom line is CUSTOMER SERVICE. Whether you are changing pads for an existing customer or a potential new client, free pads is the standard.

[Mr.Goggle]

I worked at a place that starting charging for nose pads. It lasted about a month. We would say "When you buy a new car, and you wear out the tires, you don't expect the dealer to give you free tires!" But there are 2 problems, one, the place down the street is not charging for them. And two, it is a certain argument every time. Its not worth it, and to put your employees through that is a hardship for them. They have enough crap to deal with.

[Barry Santini]

I worked at a place that starting charging for nose pads. It lasted about a month. We would say "When you buy a new car, and you wear out the tires, you don't expect the dealer to give you free tires!" But there are 2 problems, one, the place down the street is not charging for them. And two, it is a certain argument every time. Its not worth it, and to put your employees through that is a hardship for them. They have enough crap to deal with.

Again, it's easy:

People want cars.
They don't want *glasses*.

See? Their negative attitude colors everything about how they think about eyewear.

Barry

[conor]

I charge for everything including simple adjustments . Only a very small
% of consumers complain . What other business does something for nothing ?
Time to get real folks .

[regional_manager]

I charge for everything including simple adjustments . Only a very small
% of consumers complain . What other business does something for nothing ?
Time to get real folks .

Sounds like a good way to lose customers.

[conor]

They are not customers if they aren't spending money .

[regional_manager]

They are not customers if they aren't spending money .

I guess. I just know that if asked someone to pay for nosepads they would most likley ask for their records and go to the next shopping center to get their free nosepads.

[conor]

Cheapskates , good riddance !:D

[regional_manager]

Cheapskates , good riddance !:D

Your customers may be saying the same of you for charging for nosepads.

[conor]

Yes , if they are cheapskates they may think like that .

[Happylady]

I charge for everything including simple adjustments . Only a very small
% of consumers complain . What other business does something for nothing ?
Time to get real folks .

Maybe it's done differently in Ireland.

[conor]

Fair point Happylady !

[obxeyeguy]

Maybe it's done differently in Ireland.

Fair point Happylady !

Yeah, opticians there don't give things away for free, like they do here as if its the norm.:hammer:

First a pair of pads, then a free adjustment because the optician at the "big box" doesn't do it right. A free cleaner or microfibre here and there, heck, next thing you know people will actually WANT glasses just because of all that free service. Yeah, right.