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Thread: Info on careers in retail vs independent...?

  1. #1
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    Lightbulb Info on careers in retail vs independent...?

    Let me start this post by saying I'm a newcomer to the optical industry. I've been working for a retail optical chain for a bit less than a year now, and I like the work, but I'm looking for a little more info about the advantages and disadvantages in working retail chains vs. an independent optometrist office. I'm not a licensed optician but I am taking online classes to work toward it.

    If there are threads covering this topic (I find it hard to believe there aren't any!), can someone point me to some good discussions?

    The question that has been nagging at me the most is... What's the selling atmosphere like in an independent shop? To be frank, I'm not overly impressed with how the higher ups at this chain look at customers. I don't enjoy having to recommend every upgrade to every customer, because I can often get a feel for whether or not a person is trying to keep themselves on a tight budget, and I would prefer not to upsell these clients. I know what it's like to be on a tight budget and pressing options on me is just going to tick me off.

    But every time I turn around, I've got the higher ups telling me to sell more of this or that - especially protection plans.

    Here's what I DO want.

    1. I DO want to use my professional judgement to make choices about what I do and don't recommend to customers. If they say they're on a budget, I want to honor that request without getting browbeaten later.

    2. I DO want to learn as much as I can about the products I am selling, so I can present the information to my customers as straightforward and simply as possible. I want to EMPOWER (not persuade or smooth-talk) them to make their OWN decisions.

    3. I DO want to stand behind the products I sell. If someone buys a high quality pair of glasses, it should be expected to perform for a reasonable amount of time. If it doesn't - I want to fix it without charging them an arm and a leg.

    4. I DO want to develop a reputation as someone who will not BS my customers. I understand all businesses have a bottom line and there are goals that we strive for. But my reputation is not for sale. I am more than happy to brainstorm for other ideas to help goals get met that don't involve finding a way to extract every possible dollar out of every customer.

    So.... break it to me, y'all. Am I in the wrong business? It's not too late for me to change career paths :-) I like working with people. I love learning about the properties of the different lenses and frames and available options. I can't stand to not know what I'm talking about when it comes to making recommendations to others, so I am always reading up on our product line so I can do a better job of explaining it to my customers. These things make me think I'm on the right career path. But doing the smooth-talk-sales just is not my personality. So maybe it's a bad fit for me.

    Thanks for any advice, tips, or links to good discussions.

  2. #2
    Master OptiBoarder
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    In my store there are no sales quotas of any kind. We still make the recommendations to achieve the best possible vision and we don't pre-judge our clients.
    I would be upset if someone was telling me that I should be selling more AR coatings etc.
    I think an independent office is a better fit.

    Regards,
    Golfnorth

  3. #3
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    I have worked both independent and chains for over 30 years. Working the chain has got me on a fast pace to retirement because I make a lot more money but my optician's heart will always be with the independents. My advice would be to learn all you can where you are now and then move on to an independent practice that can teach you something more and give you a different perspective. Only by comparing the two yourself will you know where you best fit.

  4. #4
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter Jubilee's Avatar
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    A lot of it is dependent on the local environment and your own personal goals/needs.

    I have worked both. Here is my take..

    While it is more common to have sales quotas in the chain environment, many independents have them too.Working for an independent, I have much greater control over what my patients get in terms of PAL design, coatings, frames, etc. It is easier to develop relationships with your clients, though this may be in part due to volume. While I would like to state I can take as long as I need with a patient, there are times when the docs I have worked for have been frustrated that selecting eyewear, even multiple pairs, have taken longer than they like, and perhaps caused an additional patient to wait. We used to honor all manufacturers' warranties, but now this have become a standard one year across the board. With the current third party scene, some days it feels like you are having to nickle and dime. Grooved lens on an Eyemed order? Don't forget to charge for a polish because they will automatically do it, and will charge the office. Even if your lab on non Eyemed orders does the polish free with grooving..

    With independents, finding good benefits can be hard. We do not offer health insurance. Fortunately I am on my husband's plan, but that is not the case for all my coworkers. I get little paid time off (handful of holidays if on a workday, one week vaca) however I can take additional time non paid. In fact some days I have to choose if I want to use my precious vaca days for times the office is closed, such as Black Friday, or go without pay. I do not have a retirement plan, pension, 401k, etc. All retirement contributions must be paid by me. No long term/short term disability either. Small businesses don't have to have the same level of benefits or follow the Family Leave Act.

    Personally, I still love the independent. I get to experience a broader section of the business. I still work with the more complex cases, but usually instead of being on the floor, I am working behind the scenes on either lab orders, or on administration. The variety in my day is what keeps me happy.
    "Some believe in destiny, and some believe in fate. But I believe that happiness is something we create."-Something More by Sugarland

  5. #5
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    Welcome, Vizi!

    Speaking as someone with no aptitude or personal inclination to 'sales' culture or mentality, I can tell you optics can be your dream job. When I was first interviewed for a position in retail optics, I was amazed and inspired that any customer could have listened in on that interview and been impressed that they weren't regarded as cattle. Customers aren't fools, and when you exude service and counsel in their interest, they know it. This is simply the best kind of sales.

    Believe it or not, that interview I had was for a corporate chain. Corporates or independants, they all have an unpredictable mix of people and even the best managment principles and mission statements can't ensure there aren't short-sighted bad apples in the mix. Still, compared to most other industries I've seen, optics and opticians truly 'get it.' It's just a hunt from time to time for the good guys to find each other in the same organization to make a stand. That hunt doesn't take nearly as long in optics as it does in most other industries.

    I will say getting to an independant optical or practice with like-minded colleagues and docs makes it far easier to find the culture you're looking for. The underlying truth of the matter is that lower price points with low profit margins necessitates urging every patient to buy. Healthier margins will mean you're not pressured to maintain a high capture rate, and you can be more relaxed and sound less "salesy."

    You'll always need to present a product with its best foot forward, but always quiz the patient thoroughly about the life of their glasses and shoot straight about the likelihood of their satisfaction with any feature. The most important thing you're selling is your own competence and trustworthiness. Competence is an ongoing education, but if you bring trustworthiness to the table--you're in the right industry. You should be proud of the attitude and vision you bring to the table--I'd sure be proud to call you a colleague if you stick around (and study like a fiend.) : )

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    A big thanks to all, for the helpful replies. :-) I'm going to continue to explore the differences and make a decision on what I want to do within the next year or so. I guess it does make sense that sales goals aren't necessarily a chain store versus independent office thing. They're just based on whatever the owner of the chain or office plans for. I've seen people take jobs that they thought they'd enjoy, only to be disappointed to find out the culture at their workplace just didn't match their personal values.

    I've got a pretty good boss right now. The manager above her is the one that really gets under my skin. My direct boss is very knowledgeable, a good teacher, and seems like a genuinely caring human being. That's something worth holding onto.

    And yeah... studying like a fiend is what I am doing with most of my free time right now! I can't sell what I don't understand. Literally. You know those people who can BS just enough to fill in the gaps in their knowledge and sound compelling? Sadly, I'm not one of them. If I don't know something, I just have to say "I don't know. But I'll find out." Since I don't enjoy giving that answer, I work hard not to have to. :-) Good thing I'm a nerd and I actually *like* to study.

  7. #7
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    I just left the LC for the third time (I feel like that guy in broke back mountain -why can't I quit you?) so I know all too well the atmosphere you are in. And it all depends on the leadership in the location you are at. My connecticut LC was like a family, although I will say quite honestly that I ran the show so I really didn't have anyone hounding me on the ridiculous things, but when I moved to Washington, it was a whole new animal and the management was just awful. Same too in independent places. If you are considering private and you need benefits, MD practices typically have more cash flow to provide benefits and vacation. However they also are bigger and can feel more corporate in their business practices. A single doctor OD Practice can be an opticians playground, and can give you total freedom unless the dr is super involved in the dispensary side of things. One thing for sure, there is usually more stress and more pay involved in the chains, so it can be difficult to walk away from, but you get a more well rounded view of the optics world in the private sector. Good luck and keep studying!

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