Originally Posted by a1vo
Why not raise the price of your lenses by 1 dollar so that when the 1 in 25 customers that wants to use their own frame comes in you don't have to worry about charging them.
Why not raise the price of your lenses by 1 dollar so that when the 1 in 25 customers that wants to use their own frame comes in you don't have to worry about charging them.
Lets just clear that phrase right now.
Let the customer "Believe" they are always right. Those of us who have spent any time dealing with the public know that the public is NOT always right. Just always let them believe it.
Kind of like my other pet peeve, "Money is the root of all evil" soooooo wrong. If that was so then all societies that use any form of currency would collapse.
Proper way to say it is, according to the bible, the LOVE of money is the root of all evil.
OK there, I feel better now that I have refreshed everyones mind. I will now go, get on the motorcycle and have a aw-some weekend. Thunder Beach event here in Panama City next week.
With very few exceptions, I believe in the hackneyed phrase "the customer is always right". If the customer wants to use his old frame and it is in good condition, then by all means, put new lenses into the old frame.[/QUOTE]
The man that coined the phrase the customer is always right died penniless is a debtor's prison.
Hot topic, huh?
IMHO, It is a pain dealing with POFs, with rolled and unsymmetrical eyewires, stretched nylon wires, dryrot from sweat, etc. We do add $10 for SV and maybe 20 for a multifocal, and we do screen them for cracks and defects before starting. We don't tell the patient we are charging extra, we just feel this nominal charge covers the extra care we need to take to make up for deficiencies in the frame.
But when you get down to it, if a patient is giving up an old pair of lenses that are in fairly good condition except the Rx is off maybe 5%, just to save the cost of a frame, does it make sense not to keep the old pair as a backup? And if the old lenses are trash, isn't the frame usually not far behind? I just can't see popping out a pair of poly progressive transitions where the Rx is off a mere 5 or 10% when the patient can keep them as a spare. That's doing the consumer a disservice.
Now if the patient has a brand new Prada, it may be a different story...
We keep a supply of discos at a low price to dissuade patients from making the wrong decision.
It is my opinion that this collective "charge everybody a little more" attitude is what is wrong with our industry......it causes a higher price for the simplest product, and a long term higher cost of operation. I am more inclined to say the industry should consider moving away from the free everything and free services and adopt a more user pay system.
$12 ea, all day long.
Actually, I can prove mathmatically that women are the root of evil. (but only in jest ladies, so don't beat me up ;) )
Bart Smith, continuing to be awesome since 1982 so that you don't have to.
Love is a duet, each voice complementing each other and making them sound better than they would alone, each voice at times stepping back and letting the other shine. We've got a pretty good duet going Tina.
On April 28th, I'll be marrying my best friend. I can't wait!
now ...now...now....careful there :)
Mike,
I just saw your quote above saying that in 25 years you have only had 3 customer's frames fail. You chalk that up to your prowess and training which is all well and good, but as much testament to the quality of the frames you were working with. I too consider myself careful, and well trained, and I heartily agree with the statement that you are extremely lucky if, in fact, that is true. I have more than twice as much time in this industry than do you, and while it doesn't happen often, it happens more often than once in every eight years.And you can take that to the bank.
I agree that you should let the customer "drive" the business by telling you what they want (using their frames) but I also think a disclaimer absolving the optician in case of breakage is smart and prudent. I think you are within limits to charge for the service you give. You can't get it done at most big box retailers....which is probably the reason they are asking you to do it.!
Actually I would let fjpod take the lead on this......the older he gets the more he sounds like me! :):)
Last edited by hcjilson; 09-28-2010 at 04:57 PM. Reason: Addendum
"Always laugh when you can. It is a cheap medicine"
Lord Byron
Take a photo tour of Cape Cod and the Islands!
www.capecodphotoalbum.com
I break about one pof in adjustments a year.
Now our own frames... I break two or three a year, because I'm more willing to take risks and do crazy things with them while they're still on my bench and I can get a new one fairly quickly without the pt finding out... and not have to buy them new lenses, either. LOL
Oh, and yes, we have a POF fee.
(And before you ask, no, no one in my shop has control over that)
It's (wait for it, waiiit for iiiit....)
$75.
:drop::shiner::drop:
The scary part is that some pts actually pay it!
I about died when I started working at this shop and found it out... well, it's not exactly a "POF" charge, it's a "Non Store Frame" charge. If it's a pof from us, we don't charge. Obviously.
Apparently last year it was $25 and TPTB changed it out of nowhere.
What sort of "risks" and "crazy things" are you doing with a patients own frame? I'm just curious, I've never heard anyone say that before.
Well, I'm NOT taking crazy risks with the pof.What sort of "risks" and "crazy things" are you doing with a patients own frame? I'm just curious, I've never heard anyone say that before.
The main one I had in mind while writing this was when a woman (she was insane) at dispense complained about never having enough panto, ever (when she had initially ordered, she had just said "oh, I like this amount of 'pan' on my glasses, is that okay with this frame?" and pointed to her existing) and was doing the "smash frame into face at a 90 degree angle" to demonstrate what she wanted. I must have ended up putting 45-50 degrees of panto on that sucker before finally having to tell her that what she wanted wasn't effing possible.
Would never have done that with an old crusty pof.
What? An insane optical patient...I don't believe that! :bbg: :bbg:The main one I had in mind while writing this was when a woman (she was insane)
I heart the frame smashers :bbg:and was doing the "smash frame into face at a 90 degree angle"
After having two other opticians try to explain to her that what she wanted simply wasn't possible, after spending a total of four hours on adjustment (two with me, one each with the other two) I offered to either staple them to her face or give her her money back.
Never been so happy to give someone $300 in my life. Frame was obviously ruined, too *sigh*
we all have been there but I like the staple the stupid things to her face part
No, we dont cahrge for it, and rarely ever have to worry about it.
we do at most maybe 5% pof orders.
a previous office would charge if it was a drill mount since we paid more through the lab for it.
We charge $25 for any POF not purchased from us. The reason is time, I have to pay an associate to edge it, that cost me money. We also explain to the customer that we clean, replace the screws, nose pads and temple tips.
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind!"
- Dr. Seuss
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