Do I REALLY NEED that?

[tx11]

Whats the most balked at product (because of the additional expense) that you offer? AR? Higher Indexes? Photochromics? Aspherics? Digital Technology? High quality and/or fashion frames?

[Barry Santini]

+1.50-100 x 180 OU DV Rx - "don't see the need"

B

[tx11]

Funny Barry! What's the distance VA 20/25-1?

[AngeHamm]

We really don't have a lot of people balking at lens products because of prices. For one thing, we offer digital progressives at our "Standard" tier, and the managed care plans we see the most of do digital progressives at such a great bang for my patient's buck that they're a no-brainer (Varilux Comfort DRx with EyeMed and Comfort Enhanced with VSP). We do have some occasional balking at AR, but not much; we were at 92% AR last month. The most common price balks are for higher-end frames and higher-end AR options.

[Robert Martellaro]

+1.50-100 x 180 OU DV Rx - "don't see the need"

B

About 30% of the folks that I trial frame with that type of Rx will say holy crap, another 30% say hmm, that really does look better, and the rest say so what?

A .25 D cylinder power change makes me smile. I guess it depends on the individual.

http://serinet.meei.harvard.edu/facu...daptation.html

[tx11]

Thanks AngeHamm. To sell AR at that level are you having to sell some at the lower and middle tiers and not all premium (no copay-just 20% off U/c)?

[AngeHamm]

Actually, we sell mostly Crizal Avance, with a little Easy and a smattering of Alize and Sapphire. It all starts in the exam room; if the doctors preach the importance of AR, patients believe it more than when the opticians do the same.

[Chris Ryser]

Interesting conversation, everybody makes big sales in AR coatings and lots of money doing so. No investment in equipment, let the others do that, but you are paying for it by the product costing you a bundle.

My involvement in the AR coating industry started in the early 1980's with the development of easy to apply Hydrophobic coatings and AR strippers with a low non dangerous acid content that do their job in seconds.
We have had steady users of these products for many years either on the manufacturing or retail side.

What is puzzling these days that suddenly the usage of AR strippers has gone up sky high. Customers that used to order 1 bottle at a time are now going for 10 and some that purchased 10 bottles now are going for 100 and more................and this is not in one geographic area it is a world wide phenomenon.

I am looking for an answer which so far I have not found. Business is good in that product, but why such an increase in a short time?

[BP3]

Interesting conversation, everybody makes big sales in AR coatings and lots of money doing so. No investment in equipment, let the others do that, but you are paying for it by the product costing you a bundle.

My involvement in the AR coating industry started in the early 1980's with the development of easy to apply Hydrophobic coatings and AR strippers with a low non dangerous acid content that do their job in seconds.
We have had steady users of these products for many years either on the manufacturing or retail side.

What is puzzling these days that suddenly the usage of AR strippers has gone up sky high. Customers that used to order 1 bottle at a time are now going for 10 and some that purchased 10 bottles now are going for 100 and more................and this is not in one geographic area it is a world wide phenomenon.

I am looking for an answer which so far I have not found. Business is good in that product, but why such an increase in a short time?

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headline...and-sanitizer/

Perhaps the same for AR Stripper?*



*- Tuesday is my joke day

[Paul Smith LDO]

Whats the most balked at product (because of the additional expense) that you offer? AR? Higher Indexes? Photochromics? Aspherics? Digital Technology? High quality and/or fashion frames?

In order:
1) Photochromatic, most have had it and did not like it even when the insurance picks it up.
2) High quality and/or fashion frame; is this a trick question, all my frames are high quality. They like Alain Mikli but settle for Lafont or Masunaga.
3) FFSV
4) AR
5) High Index
6) Ashperic, all my SV is aspheric

[EyeManDan]

Frame Allowances

[NCspecs]

I'm not a sales person. I will make recommendations based on my experience and expertise but ultimately the patient decides what they "need". Sometimes they don't "need" to be fitted for glasses by me but then sometimes they "need" me to fix someone else's laziness or incompentence.

[tx11]

I'm not a sales person. I will make recommendations based on my experience and expertise but ultimately the patient decides what they "need". Sometimes they don't "need" to be fitted for glasses by me but then sometimes they "need" me to fix someone else's laziness or incompentence.

Are there certain products you recommend, that many customers decide they do not "need" in your optical?

[EyeManDan]

I always suggest a product such as TD2 for kids glasses for the 2 year warranty most parents don't want it till their in 3 month later with destroyed lenses

[NCspecs]

Are there certain products you recommend, that many customers decide they do not "need" in your optical?

Nope. I don't get a ton of push back. I've cultivated a relationship of trust with my patients. They know that neither the OD's or myself are going to take them for a ride.

When I meet a patient for the first time, we sit down, I introduce myself, I explain my recommendations to them, and also explain our customer service policies and how they differ from turn & burn Optical retail. The people who chose to allow me to fit and dispense to them rarely stray from my recommendations. I don't ask them what they want, I tell them what they need because I'm the expert. I explain, in clear language, the reason behind my suggestions.

People who want cheap and fast aren't in my demographic, I'll let them go because I frankly don't need the heartache associated with dealing with a person who doesn't perceive the value of my services.

[NCspecs]

Thanks AngeHamm. To sell AR at that level are you having to sell some at the lower and middle tiers and not all premium (no copay-just 20% off U/c)?

Nope, all premium here and the same numbers.

[Flux3r]

Digital technology is our hardest sell.

[Robert Martellaro]

I don't ask them what they want, I tell them what they need because I'm the expert. I explain, in clear language, the reason behind my suggestions.

That's the only way to get consistently good results. On average, it takes me 15 to 30 minutes to get to the point where I'm confident that my eyewear recommendations are in my client's best interest.

Digital technology is our hardest sell.

For most folks, a free-form surface, in of itself, even when optimized to various degrees, offers very little if any improvement in visual acuity or comfort for the average single vision lens eyeglass wearer, compared to traditionally generated lenses. Nevertheless, when the price is essentially the same, I'll choose FF to help the labs pay for all this new equipment, keeping in mind that in five years, semifinished PALs will be as rare as a 2014 Blockbuster video store.

[AngeHamm]

Nope. I don't get a ton of push back. I've cultivated a relationship of trust with my patients. They know that neither the OD's or myself are going to take them for a ride.

When I meet a patient for the first time, we sit down, I introduce myself, I explain my recommendations to them, and also explain our customer service policies and how they differ from turn & burn Optical retail. The people who chose to allow me to fit and dispense to them rarely stray from my recommendations. I don't ask them what they want, I tell them what they need because I'm the expert. I explain, in clear language, the reason behind my suggestions.

People who want cheap and fast aren't in my demographic, I'll let them go because I frankly don't need the heartache associated with dealing with a person who doesn't perceive the value of my services.

Exactly.

[tx11]

People who want cheap and fast aren't in my demographic, I'll let them go because I frankly don't need the heartache associated with dealing with a person who doesn't perceive the value of my services.[/QUOTE]

NOT SERVICES....Products

[himmeroo]

Davis Vision. When the scratch Warranty was $20 everyone bought it. Now it's $40 and nobody wants it. Also, why isn't the Essilor Crizal Avance warranty honored by Davis without paying an extra $40.

[Tallboy]

In my shop the term "digital" now really just means "I had to get the lenses surfaced"

[chaoticneutral]

Hardest sell in our office is Transitions. If the patient has not tried it they are turned off by the transitions inability to turn dark behind a windshield. If they have tried it, they find some reason or another not to purchase it again. If transition could figure out how to activate behind a windshield they would rule the world! perhaps a Photovoltaic option?

[EyeManDan]

I do no try to sell transitions to the patients, I educate them about the product. tell them the good and the bad. Let them make the decision. Only product I do this with. I do this because a previous optician here would sell them as the greatest thing in the world, and I would have to be the one to take on the angry patient when they don't work as good as they were lead to believe. Best way to solve a problem is to prevent one.

[CCGREEN]

I do no try to sell transitions to the patients, I educate them about the product. tell them the good and the bad. Let them make the decision. Only product I do this with. I do this because a previous optician here would sell them as the greatest thing in the world, and I would have to be the one to take on the angry patient when they don't work as good as they were lead to believe. Best way to solve a problem is to prevent one.

Oh lord where is the HUGE?like button for this one.

Corporate optical does not like this though. It can prevent a product from being sold. And we know exactly how corporate thinks......sell sell sell sell sell and ALL COST sell sell sell. Does not matter if they need or want it.....sell sell sell sell. And by golly if you don't your job is on the line. Does not matter if the product does not perform in the manner that the consumer expects or wants it to.....sell sell sell sell.
For us who have been in the business for a while corporate would rather skip over us and find some fresh sales meat to train and think their way. NOT care for a patient.

Ok I have vented. Hoping off my stump now.