Originally Posted by
Johns
You seem to be preoccupied with current trends, the competition around you, and other outside forces. If you are the best at what you do, and really enjoy doing it, people (customers and staff) will flock to your practice, and the money will follow.
You can't MAKE anyone buy one pair, let alone two pair from your office, nor can you keep them from shopping around simply by limiting access to their Rx. Educate them, and they'll buy. Give them the Rx, let them shop, and if you're good they'll come back.
After 3 Saturdays in a row with record numbers of customers, we just hired two more part-time opticians to work the floor. This past Saturday, between 8AM and 1PM, we had 9 eye exams scheduled. We saw 57 people, and sold 31 pr. of glasses. We had a family tell us that they'd come back when we weren't so busy. Most of the Rxs that we filled were from chain store ODs and ODs that have their own dispensaries. They probably think their patients are going online. They're not...they're coming to our office. This is all in an office that's 1200 sq ft. Not very big. We did more revenue in 5 hours, than my slowest store does in 2 weeks. Why? because my staff (myself included) loves what they do, have a great time doing it, and makes the customers feel great to be there.
If you've reached a plateau being an optician, ask yourself why. Is it because of where you work, how you work, or for whom you work? Is it because of your co-workers? Maybe it's time to open your own place and make it the best place in town. Don't worry about the internet. Anything you can buy in a store you can buy online, but Apple stores are still some of the most profitable in the world. Don't worry about the big boxes. McDonald's isn't putting steak houses out of business.
Maybe you're just burnt out on optics. If that's the case, find something you're passionate about and start doing that (after you find a way to make money doing it). Just because the ODs you know don't seem knowledgeable, and you could make it through the program doesn't mean you should do it. You should do it because you've always wanted to, or because you really enjoy refracting.
To be honest, many of the ODs that I've worked with, have, at one time or another,expressed to me their a certain remorse at their career choices. Some thought it would be more challenging, while others thought there would it would be more lucrative. Others were disappointed that they were relegated to working in a mall, eating their meals in food courts. One of my best friends quit to go into IOL sales, and is loving it.
30 years old is young enough to do anything you want. (Actually so is 48!) I would really take a long look at your motivation before seriously considering any change.
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