I am restructuring the optical incentive program for our opticians. I am interested in learning what other offices, shops, etc are using. We were incentivizing select upgrades for a flat dollar amount per. What are you doing out there?
I am restructuring the optical incentive program for our opticians. I am interested in learning what other offices, shops, etc are using. We were incentivizing select upgrades for a flat dollar amount per. What are you doing out there?
Flat percentage of gross collected divided by position, seniority and hours worked.
Incentive is for everyone from receptionist, pre-tester, optician, lab technician and biller.
Thanks for the idea.
We work on a group based commission. We have a goal set for each month of the year. If we make month we each get $XXX added to our next paycheck. It comes out to about $2-3 more per hour. This is just for the optical staff that is selling. We work as a team, we sell as a team, we get rewarded as a team. We also have a "stretch" goal. Its about 9K more than our monthly goal. If we make stretch we get to pick our own reward. This month it is a "happy hour" for the optical staff that is being paid for by the boss. Other rewards are a set # of hours of extra PTO. For sake of comparison our monthly goal is about 80-100K a month.
Individual commission here. A dollar to five dollars per premium option.
Nothing here. I get the same whether I sell nothing, 10 Medicaid, or 200 cash-sale premium lenses.
All lab/vendor incentives go straight to the doctors.
No incentive aside from the paycheck.
A lack of planning on your part DOES NOT constitute an emergency on mine!
As it should be, kick backs to the employees are very shady and disreputable to the company paying them directly to the employees.Originally Posted by bob_f_aboc
It was always my aim to provide my employees with the highest standard of living possible. I never found commissions or spiffs to be an effective methodology to accomplish this goal. My goal as a business owner was to provide all of my employees with whatever they needed to fulfill their professional goals. Wages are but one component in the life of a fulfilled career.
A high base wage will attract the highest quality employeesand eliminate a lot of the problems associated with a high turnover rate.Paying commissions (or playing other games) will accomplish neither.
I wholeheartedly agree. This is the first position in over 30 years in this business that I make commission on sales and I was not keen on it. However the powers that be would rather pay a lesser wage and let their employees try to make up for it in commission.
We recently restructured ours. The employees go ta raise (covers about half their previous commission), and their commissions are only on items we make extra profit on. So the more we make, the more they make.
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I was on a $5 spiff for premium products at my last optical. At my current I am a flat hourly regardless but it is higher and I don't feel like I am "pushing" patients and instead looking out for there best interest bot optically and financially.
Thanks for the input. What we have done is similar to what you were saying, DragonlensmanWV. We provide a good wage but make it possible for the opticians to suppliment their salary not with a commission but an incentive. The incentive is only on what we make a profit on as long as the office is making a profit. We want the opticians to be incouraged to make sure that the optical is successful thereby making them more successful. As far as lab/manufacture lenses our doctors have chosen to split these amonst the staff. The lions share is distributed to the opticians, a lesser portion to all the front office, ophthalmic tech, and accounting staff.
personally I dislike commissions, I feel like I should be paid to give the patient/customer what will give them the best vision not what will make the most money for the buisness.
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We get to keep working. We use mostly premium products, 85% arc. I also dislike commissions & spiffs. Yes all lab/vendor incentives go to the dc.
We don't do spiffs on products here (I'm the only full-time Optician anyway), but even if we did, I probably wouldn't try to "upsell" more premium products. The last thing I am is a salesperson, and my first concern is the best interest of the patient. Occasionally, our lab will run a promotion with trivia questions and prizes, etc, and that's open to the whole office, not just myself. We do participate in those.
At a previous office, the company provided profit-sharing bonuses. Each quarter was compared to the same quarter of the previous year. However much greater the profit over last year, the employee would receive 10% of that difference. I'm not sure company-wide who all was included, but I know within our Optical department, only ABO certified opticians were eligible. That in itself was kind of an incentive to pass the ABO (we also got a 10% raise upon passing the test). I kind of miss that bonus check every three months. . .
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.
We do this but we evenly split 25% of the difference between the six employees of the office. Last quarter we added a new doc to the practice and my bonus was more than my paycheck for the first time. I'm hoping the end of September looks as good!
Just a paycheck... oh wait this poor ******* doesn't even get that. Never mind!
- Optician
- Frame Maker/Designer
- Teacher of the art of crafting handmade eyewear.
i think the most effective incentive is always pay them what they earned and reward what they extra worked,let your employees feel it's very worthy to work for you.
I would just love to know what to ask for salary wise as an optical manager in an optometrists office who edges and manages the dispensary and lab? In Alabama, that is.
In Chicago a manager that can control costs, increase revenues, manage a staff of 5-10 opticians and oversee general operations starts at $65K + profit based incentives and benefits.
Obviously Alabama will be different but the first question to ask is, "What is your value ad to the practice." Why should I as an owner pay you more than a staff optician? A title doesn't imediately grant you greater wages. What you bring to the table to justify and offset your wages will make me think your worth more. Certifications, degrees and licensure are all halmarks of ability, but past performance and reputable and verifiable referal sources are greater weights in the wage debate.
- Optician
- Frame Maker/Designer
- Teacher of the art of crafting handmade eyewear.
Alas, this is a one woman show at this time. I am a previously ABOC optician, and did manage optical shops back in the 90's. I am up for review and wanted an idea of a range to consider. Thanks for your input
We offer the usual: sick days/vacation days and health benefits after 6 months of probation
Hi SnoOne. I just wanted to say I was privileged to live in the beautiful mountains of north Alabama for a few years. It is God's country to me. Welcome to the board!
/personal topic hi-jack :)
The more you take, the more you make!! Its real simple. Performance pay! It weeds out all the weak links!!
I am very interested in this structure for my staff. Would you be willing to send me a message with the specifics? I am trying hard to be fair to my staff and want to reward them fairly for working hard. Thank you for your time.
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