Optimizing Optical

[Devan Z Rainier]

So I had a thought.

As it's nearing the end of the year, I find myself knee-deep in inventory and it has come to that time where I've plowed half-way through lab invoices and patient accounts trying to clean up the numbers in order to straighten things for the next year. I have also taken a good look on office efficiency, optimizing optical, and the like, almost like a self-review. So I have to ask, what do you do to improve performance and service in the optical?

[Paul Smith LDO]

So I had a thought.

As it's nearing the end of the year, I find myself knee-deep in inventory and it has come to that time where I've plowed half-way through lab invoices and patient accounts trying to clean up the numbers in order to straighten things for the next year. I have also taken a good look on office efficiency, optimizing optical, and the like, almost like a self-review. So I have to ask, what do you do to improve performance and service in the optical?

Dale Carnegie's, " How to Win Friends and Influence People " I've read it cover to cover several time and like to review it at least once a year. I find it an invaluable resource.

[Chris Ryser]

Paul Smith is right.

I have taken many of these Dale Carnegie courses and can only recommend it.

Check it out at: ==========>

http://www.dalecarnegie.com/ebook/se...FYqPHwodMCkFfA

[Uilleann]

SIMPLIFY.
BE CONSISTENT.
CHOOSE REASONABLE QUALITY OVER LOWEST AVAILABLE COST.

You're welcome. You can mail my overpriced consultant fee payment check to my house. ;)

[rbaker]

First of all, a good accounting application properly administered would free you from these year end chores and allow the business owner to make knowledgeable business decisions throughout the year. An honest and thorough examination of your business process by the business owner on a continuing basis is also necessary particularly in these turbulent times.

[colem84]

Don't order new inventory from mid-november until year end, and start a 50% off sale in december like we did :)

[Paul Smith LDO]

Control your inventory, we are a small optical and I am the frame buyer but I enlist the aid of my other optician along with my office manager when I bring new product into the shop. I do this so that the people at the front have a clear understanding of what we sell and the philosophy behind it. I also want my front people to be able to handle questions over the phone. I don't expect them to be opticians but it is nice when everyone is on the same page. During the Holiday's I like to have a larger selection of the higher end product, as people who have VCP or HSA/FSA like to get more for themselves. If you are not known for higher end, perhaps think about bringing some in next year just don't sell something that the staff is not comfortable with.
Education for everyone is important. Maybe bringing in some outside help would prove useful. Self evaluations are very helpful. When I taught, I enlisted the aid of the video department and had them tape several of my lectures throughout the year, to critique my performance. You might have someone in the office do the same with a cell phone or some other digital device. It can be extremely painful at first but it is a great tool to measure your strong and weak areas.

[Carranco-Lunettes]

It is great your realizing you need to audit. Having audits is key to finding these gaps you have stated. Making your office/practice become a robust system will help clean up some of the noise you are seeing. Since this is such a broad question I can only give you broad answers. Improving performance has to be a holistic approach. You have to view every decision within your enterprise this way. At the core this is how you achieve the goals you have laid out for your business.