how to increase sales of safety glasses?

[DrNeyecare]

I'm curious to hear from members, of how you have succesfully contracted with companies to provide their employeess with safety eyewear?

[Chris Ryser]

I'm curious to hear from members, of how you have succesfully contracted with companies to provide their employeess with safety eyewear?

Federal Contracts to SAFETY GLASSES USA, INC, FY 2000-2007, summary16 Apr 2008 ... The contracts database is compiled from government data last released on ... Contracts to SAFETY GLASSES USA, INC (FY 2000-2007). Searching. ...
www.fedspending.org/fpds/fpds.php?parent_id=247017&detail=-1 - 117k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this

[Fezz]

I have all but given up chasing that dragon. I found that the amount of work, the amount of complaining, the time invested, and the headaches were just not worth it.

Oh yeah, I use to believe that by doing safety work, that I would get that patient and hopefully the family and friends to buy street eyewear from us. What a crock!!!

Of course...YMMV!!

[DragonLensmanWV]

I have all but given up chasing that dragon. I found that the amount of work, the amount of complaining, the time invested, and the headaches were just not worth it.

Oh yeah, I use to believe that by doing safety work, that I would get that patient and hopefully the family and friends to buy street eyewear from us. What a crock!!!

Of course...YMMV!!

We do safety glasses for several plants around here,contracted through Essilor Labs. They furnish us with the frame styles, we measure and fit, collect $20. Not much money there, but the time spent is short, and since they're local companies, we do get some families and friends in for regular glasses, so I guess it's better than break-even.

[chip anderson]

:(I have done some work for the VA and some for the railroad, and my experience has been much the same as Fezz sez. Patient would come in to get whatever the VA or railroad supplies. Then they would get the feeling that the poor quality frames (usually Kenmark, bottom of the line) and the slow lab work (3 days to 4 weeks) was indicative of what we did for our regular opthalmic work. They would go somewhere else for thier "real" glasses.
The fees for this type work sure weren't worth your time without having the patients buy thier "real" glasses from you.

Chip

[ezrich]

we stopped contracted safety eyewear 18 yrs ago. complete waste off time, money.

[Johns]

I do a fair amount of safety, and we do pretty good with it.

The key is to limiting the styles, charging enough, and offering them tangible discounts on their street wear.

-I only use the Safety First line, which (thankfully) has no spring hinges, and pretty good styling. If they want the OnGuard (a total rip now), they will pay dearly for it, as they cost a lot more than the SF.

-We make a decent amount on each one by giving them the frame for free, and charging normal retail on the lenses. (It's easier for the opticians to figure the pricing that way)

-When we do a safety program, we hand out discount cards (Vision Plan) cards;) to each member, and also a small gift like a ceramic mug w/ our logo, or a key/chain flashlight that they can take home. They seem to remember you when you give them something. (I have to admit though, the last few we were out, and they're still coming to us.)

-On the "fitting day" we often buy an armload of pizzas, and take them to the break room. It draws them like flies, and you're not sitting there all day. (I got a deal at a local shop for $5 pizzas)

I refuse to do the safety programs where they give you the $20 for your time and for handing your customer over to them.

Like Fezz, I have often stepped back and thought it wasn't worth the hassles, but that was back when the temples were 5" thick, and there was no such thing as a real adjustment on those things. Plus, 90% of the multifocals are progressives, and those are better profit centers than the FT28s.

Now sports eyewear ? That's a different story....I'm still looking for a product that isn't in bed w/ WM, and can give us enough room on the price to make a few dollars!

[HarryChiling]

I do a fair amount of safety, and we do pretty good with it.

The key is to limiting the styles, charging enough, and offering them tangible discounts on their street wear.

-I only use the Safety First line, which (thankfully) has no spring hinges, and pretty good styling. If they want the OnGuard (a total rip now), they will pay dearly for it, as they cost a lot more than the SF.

-We make a decent amount on each one by giving them the frame for free, and charging normal retail on the lenses. (It's easier for the opticians to figure the pricing that way)

-When we do a safety program, we hand out discount cards (Vision Plan) cards;) to each member, and also a small gift like a ceramic mug w/ our logo, or a key/chain flashlight that they can take home. They seem to remember you when you give them something. (I have to admit though, the last few we were out, and they're still coming to us.)

-On the "fitting day" we often buy an armload of pizzas, and take them to the break room. It draws them like flies, and you're not sitting there all day. (I got a deal at a local shop for $5 pizzas)

I refuse to do the safety programs where they give you the $20 for your time and for handing your customer over to them.

Like Fezz, I have often stepped back and thought it wasn't worth the hassles, but that was back when the temples were 5" thick, and there was no such thing as a real adjustment on those things. Plus, 90% of the multifocals are progressives, and those are better profit centers than the FT28s.

Now sports eyewear ? That's a different story....I'm still looking for a product that isn't in bed w/ WM, and can give us enough room on the price to make a few dollars!

Johns,
That's some golden info. We've just started a program recently, like everyone here has mentioned most offices are sick of it and most employers have abused all the local shops to their breakign point so now their is a niche we need to fill. I posted a while ago our catalog we put together, we're using the Uvex (Titmus) line exclusively, we've worked out a good deal with a lab and we're handing out info to local businesses. I love the idea of the pizza's I bet it's effective. We're also have available to our store (Pearle) the healthy views program which looks and feels just like an insurance program, so while we provide them the safety we aslo give the HR the pearle views site. www.pearleviews.com and the HR dep[artment is able to administer the plan and sign new employees up and have cards sent out to them without any cost and that ends up locking them into our office since they now go where they take their insurance and the HR looks like heros since they saved the company and employees money with a free vision plan.

We're still in the infant stages but it's going pretty good so far.