"The study finds 21 percent of customers who went to an independent eye doctor for their eye exam later bought
glasses or contact lenses at a retail store, almost uniformly because of cost."
http://www.jdpower.com/pdf/2005169.pdf
I think too often we get a little too bent out of shape over price, both in our aquisition costs, and what we feel we can retail goods at. The above quote from the JDPower results I think is where most opticals (who aren't the least expensive) place their metric. I believe that this statement is incomplete. When browsing online (just google [or any other search engine] Costco Optical), I find that when patients praise Costco Optical, they are doing it for a few reasons. One is that their eyewear is satisfactory to them, i.e. - they can see well, they don't look too shabby in them as well. The second, and more important in my opinion, is that not only is our price lower than our competitors, it is CONSIDERABLY lower than our competitors.
"I bought mine at Costco Optical. Cheaper than Walmart.
At Walmart I paid over $300.00 for 2 pairs and the frames for 1 pair were free.
I got a cheap back up pair and a polarized nicer pair.
3 years later- last year...
At Costco Optical, I bought Cynthia Rowley designer I guess, but I liked the style and not the name.
They are plastic frames but the ears are metal and have flexibility.
I also got the scratch protection and glare reducer and polarized too.
For the back up pair I bought some plastic cheap clear glasses.
I had a coupon for 60.00 off too.
My total came to 159.00 for 2 pairs.
The main point to get across when figuring out why this patient bought glasses from Costco is not because they were $159.00; it is because we were almost 50% lower than Walmart. If independants focus on value, not simply end price being the metric to evaluate (and hopefully continue to reevaluate) themselves on, you cannot help but thrive.
Being a very young optician, I get offended pretty quickly over being stereotyped, simply because it happens quite often to me, and I have to admit that I started to get a little peeved when assumptions were made as to the quality of an employee based on the end price a member paid for their glasses or contacts. I appreciate others coming in and sticking up for the idea of judging someone on their own merits. One fact that should have put an end to it (at least in my licensed state) is that Costco here will only hire already licensed opticians. That being the case, where do you think they started out at? By definition, some optical other than Costco, and by sheer percentages, a decent amount came from the private OD/MD sector. That being the case, would those opticians have more knowledge/ability/experience at Costco, or their former employers office?
(Sorry, I hope I don't sound bitter)
I really don't know what more to say. I'm much better at answering direct questions than just adding to the fire (whether it be fuel or suppresant). I 100% welcome any questions about either Costco Optical (keep them appropriate :finger: ) or the differences between them and the previous 5 years in managing a private OD's office.
One thing I didn't want to leave alone was the comment about Costco's wages. Costco will establish a wage for an entry level employee, for example a cashier, or food court employee. Part of our contract with Costco is that, in exchange for doing the best darn job we can (at whatever we do), we get the best darn wage we can. My pay schedule shows me getting a guaranteed raise every 6 months until I have reached an established maximum, wherein I will receive a periodic raise to keep up with inflation, and then, once I hit my 5 year mark, receive a $2000.00 bonus every 6 months. This same formula works for every hourly employee at Costco.
What makes me most proud of working for Costco is the exemplification of a idea I heard from Marcus Buckingham.
"...there is nobility, prestige, and respect due for any role done with excellence.
'You don’t pay a hotel housekeeper as much as you pay a CEO. But what if a housekeeper is so good that guests demand to stay in her section? If she is good enough to dramatically affect the customer experience, then she is the Michael Jordan of housekeepers. That’s brilliant and tremendously valuable. '"
http://www.managementconsultingnews...._interview.php
Okay, time for me to go to bed.
Thanks for listening (or reading, I guess)!
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