Swamped with FREE eyeglass adjustments!!!

[varmint]

I'm considering trying a charge of $15.00 for eyeglass adjustments & fitting for eyewear not purchased from us, as our market has thousands of seasonal visitors who pack our office looking for free services for 6 months of the year. It makes it very hard for us to complete a single sale without a dozen interruptions for these services. Here is what I'm considering posting on a sign outside our door:


EXPERT EYEGLASS
ADJUSTMENTS & FITTING
$15.00
Includes a free bottle of lens cleaner
and a discount card toward
new eyewear purchase.

What does anyone think? I've also considered adding the service would be free with ANY purchase.
Anyone have any thoughts, ideas, or suggestions?

[Chris Ryser]

I'm considering trying a charge of $15.00 for eyeglass adjustments & fitting for eyewear not purchased from us, as our market has thousands of seasonal visitors who pack our office looking for free services for 6 months of the year.


Free adjustment have and are done on a world wide basis. The opticians markup takes care of that. Some customers more often and other not al all.

When the patient from you town goes somewhere on holiday's and has his glasses adjusted another optician in another part of the world can say the same thing as you just did.

The minute you start charging for this service you should lower your price at the point of sale because your selling price includes this universal after service.

If you are so swamped with adjustment customer you could set a certain time frame when adjustments are done.

Charging has been tried many times over the years in every country and was then abandoned again because customers did not like such a policy and bought the next pair of glasses somewhere else.

[chm2023]

I'm trying to think of any other business with this "free adjustment/service to all comers" policy. Are there any?

[varmint]

Many of these Pt's are surprised when we tell them n/c after spending time refitting their newly purchased eyewear that look as if the optician handed them to them out of a box. After doing about 5 or 6 of them while a pt sits & waits for us to show them frames or write their order I begin to feel this service has gotten out of hand. I actually think some of these pt's would rather pay a fee than feel as if they used your time & expertise needlessly.
There will always be some who feel they shouldn't pay, but thats why I thought I could include some cleaner or accessory to give them some extra value.
I know there are some services offered free in other industry, but I don't believe it rolls over to any & all suppliers in their field.

I may be wrong, but since I have the ability to make my own signs, I think I'm going to try this as an experiment. If I can make their eyewear fit better than they ever did, I would think it would be appreciated. The sign may even bring in a Pt walking by.

[edKENdance]

How about a suggested charge? The same way internet developers make money with freeware software. A lot of customers we have feel "strange" that the service is free. I've actually had people slip me a fiver or more after simple adjustments.

[soontobeopti]

Where do you work varmit? At Wal*Mart we have free eyeglass adjustments and repair. I guess I can't imagine charging someone $15 to adjust their glasses. How many pt do you usually have in your office a day for adjustments?
I can understand that adjusting a ton of glasses everyday can take a lot of time. But I don't think someone would be willing to pay $15 just to get their glasses adjusted. We have pts complaining all the time when other stores wanted to charge them $2!!

[varmint]

Well my office is almost accross the street from a Walmart and they don't do any repairs. They actually send me pts to get adjustments on eyewear that were recently purchased from them. I have seen anywhere from 5 to 20 pts a day asking for this. After 10 or 15 freebees in a row, it sure begins to make you feel abused. Tell me Angela, how long does it take to do a proper adjustment & fitting?

[Judy Canty]

this is the sign posted at my dispensing table:

"The following services are provided to our customers at no charge:

Optical Consultation $10.00
Frame Adjustment $ 5.00
Verifying Prescription $ 5.00
Lens Insertion $ 2.00
Replace Screw $ 1.00

Due to a significant increase in requests for these services, all others will be charged."

This gives me the option of charging or not charging. My choice, not theirs. A friend of mine toyed with the idea of a punch card that when completed was good for a discount comparable to the total of services paid for. He passed away before he was able to try it.

[CME4SPECS]

Try this: have a nice sign made that is visible to everyone that walks in your store what ever you call yours.

We gladly adjust your glasses that were purchased from YOUR Optical free of charge. Their will be a nominal fee for glasses that were purchased elsewhere.

I do not do this as it is not a problem for me, but, I've seen it done, and it does work.

I did work for an optician that charged $5 for an adjustment and ultrasonic cleaning. We had a stamp that we stamped the receipt with and it was as good as cash on future eyeglass purchase. Some people did save them and would return for glasses when they needed them.

$15 is very steep! You'd scare me off...for good!

[varmint]

Thanks fro the good input. I was only thinking of $15.00 to make it a better value as a discount toward a future purchase. How about $5.00 fee then give a $10.00 discount coupon. I just figured a $5.00 off coupon wouldn't be enough incentive for them to save for toward a purchase.
Judy, I like your idea. What services do you consider optical consultations?

[chip anderson]

Now days when there are fewer and fewer ethical (non-dispensing) opthalmologist for a referral base. I would say that 80% of our spectacle sales are people that come back after having an adjustment or repair and say: "You were so nice when I was in trouble, I decided to give all my business to you. Here is my new precription."

Are you ready to give this up.

Chip

[paw]

I also think $15 is too high, even if you give away a freebie.

We charge $2 for minor repairs and adjustments on frames not purchased in our office. It reminds people that our time and expertise is worth something, although at such a nominal amount we are also sending the message that we are doing this as a courtesy, in that we are not charging more...such as $15!

It also gives more value to our own patients who get this service at no charge.

[hcjilson]

you have to stop looking at people in your shop as freeloaders. For most opticians this is difficult. We all know how much we pay our other service personel....physicians, car mechanics,etc etc, for routine maintainence....so we bristle when we are asked to provide free service.

When I ran a few shops I tried to get my staff to look on each customer as an opportunity to make a sale. After all, they came into your shop for a reason. When they are in your shop, they are not at LC's, WM's PV's or Sears.....they're in YOUR shop. Who cant use lens cleaner $4- who couldn't use a Luminex $6 Clip ons $15-$60?

What are you doing with your time thats so valuable?I'll tell you why most opticians don't sell to their adjustments, but you aren't going to like the answer. The reason is simple, the person behind the counter is too lazy to make the effort. Certainly the opportunity for a sale is there.....don't complain about it, take advantage of it!

I mean this post in a positive way so please don't take it personally. Them's the facts and sometimes the truth hurts.

hj

PS you'll get a lot more mileage out of a pickle jar with a couple of bucks in it and Salvation Army written on the side (or the charity of your choice) than you will the occasional 15 bucks for something they can get for free anywhere else. They're in your store to begin with because they trust you not to whack them......not a good idea to start whacking them! thoughts from the Cape tonight.

hj

[LENNY]

Judi said A friend of mine toyed with the idea of a punch card that when completed was good for a discount comparable to the total of services paid for. He passed away before he was able to try it.
I am sorry but i think (at least in my area ) that if your friend would have time to use this idea he would still pass away before anybody would come back to him to purchase eyewear with any large amount(more than $10)
I am sorry again but this has n othing to do to this unfortunate thing that happened to your friend.
In my area everyone wants everything for free!
I adjust glasses from VA hospital that i think just mails their patient frame and lenses as a puzzle unassembled. They have to figure out themselves how to use and wear them.
The Medicaid people come in and wqant their glasses adjusted.
Charge my Medicaid card they tell me. Ye Ye

Ok I got some patients from giving free adjustments about 1% of the total!

[varmint]

I'd like to respectfully thank everyone for their input on this. Based on everyones views, I've decided to make a sign offering expert eyeglass adjustment & fitting for $5.00 and include a bottle of lens cleaner along with a $5.00 discount coupon toward eyewear.
If any pt balks at this, then I really think they would be buying their glasses down at the 2 for $39.00 store anyway.
In my particular situation, I have many, many Pt's who would not purchase eyewear no matter what I give them for free. I have been in my location for over 10 years and never charged for any services, except soldering, and most never return except for the free adjustment on the new eyewear they purchased elsewhere because, "you are they only one who can adjust them to fit comfortably"
A few do return as I do sit them down and take time to do a proper fit and explain new products, technology, etc while I work with them. It does take more than a few minutes if I want to give the service I think they deserve & need.
hj, I didn't take your comments personally, and I actually appreciate your input & ideas, but I think I have a slightly different situation than a lot of offices in that most of these pt's are visitors in my area, have newly purchased eyewear, and many will never be around when its time for their next purchase.
Most of my time today today was spent between doing free services and writing here on the forums, and I'm they only one behind the counter in my office. Hope tomorrow isn't this way.
This is prbly the logest pst I ever made anywhere, so I'm done now. I need a beer.:cheers:

[harry888]

Great thread, something I feel strongly about.

Any service given for free is perceived as having no value.

"Professionals" don't give away their services.

Harry

[Johns]

Have you ever had anyone make the "fake draw" for their wallet for a repair, and when you call their bluff they say "Oh I'll have to go to my car for my money?"



I love Judy's idea.

Varmit, I'm with you brother. Especially given your location.
You need customers, not traffic !!

[Mikef]

I'm a Rep now But!

In our store we had a jug for charity! We asked people to donate $5!

Also you could charge a small fee, then give then a gift card for that amount for their next pair! (Then its free)

I don't see many people that charge though!

2cents

[Stopper]

Varmint,
great thread and I think you have received some great input and I think your resolution is very reasonable. My suggestion goes along with what Hcjilson was saying and looking at them as potential customers. Look for an opportunity to sell them a service or product if not today but for the future. For example,
After you adjust there glasses and collect your fee and explain your policy you can politely say. " I hope next time you need a new pair of glasses that you purchase them from me so that I won't have to charge you for any adjustments" nothing wrong with coming right out and asking for their business. OR you can suggest that on there next pair that " An AR coating would be a good choice for yor next pair of glasses" They might ask you about it and you can explain and show some more expertise and they might remember that the next time they need anew setof glasses. Or as you look at the ccorroded temples suggest a titanium frame and show them a pair.

[soontobeopti]

wow I can't believe the Wal*Mart won't do adjustments! Thats just crazy, esspeically when the pt buys the glasses from there!!!

I have had some adjustments that take less than a minute; just a croocked temple, or out of adjustment nosepad. Then I have had some adjustments that I work on for 20 minutes. Some repairs, like a popped out lens take just a second, then some take quite a while.
But even for the ones that take a long time, we still don't charge them. That is a free service we have, no matter how long it takes.
But then, that is just us!

[CME4SPECS]

Ok this is a good thread, although it is not a topic that we have not discussed before.
I have a challenge for each of you: No matter what you current beliefs are on the subjuct are. The next time someone comes into your office (probably Thursday am) and wants you to adjust a pair of glasses for them tell them that you'd be happy to do it and that the charge will be 5 bucks. Be nice, say it with a smile just like you do when you do it for free!
Report what happens! I'm really interested to see what REALLY happes! Who is really expecting it do be done for free...you or them! Come on! How about it? CHICKEN?

[Chris Ryser]

"The following services are provided to our customers at no charge:


"Optical Consultation $10.00
Frame Adjustment $ 5.00
Verifying Prescription $ 5.00
Lens Insertion $ 2.00
Replace Screw $ 1.00:


For the ones that want to charge, from all above mentioned suggestions this one sounds superb and lets you do what you want.

And if it is Wal Marts, Lens Crafters or EL CHEAPO GAUCHOS customers you can charge them if you want.

It is a very elegant solution.

[hcjilson]

but very professional. Great idea Chris!

hj PS to varmint.
You don't have any more visitors to your town than I get in mine! :D ( there are markedly less however, at this time of year!)

[Judy Canty]

are sort of like that "other duties as assigned" on a job description. It can be anything from troubleshooting someone else's work to measurements for glasses to be ordered on-line. But my time, skill and knowledge is at least as valuable as anyones. No one that I have charged has balked and many have returned as customers because my advice was sound and honestly given.

[varmint]

hcjilson said:
but very professional. Great idea Chris!

hj PS to varmint.
You don't have any more visitors to your town than I get in mine! :D ( there are markedly less however, at this time of year!)

hj,
Chris' idea was a quote from Judy's post which she stated originated from Diane Drake.

And I've already posted this on my dispensing areas, thanks, Judy & Diane.

The population in Apache Junction, Az goes from 19,000 in the summer to over 120,000 in the winter, however the demographics have begun changing over the last 2 years.