How do You handle this?

[optiboarder]

:( As a professional believing in educating my patients, I try to explain them the pros and cons of products.

This guy walks in with Rx asking for rimless. Of course, I tell him about Poly, AR, all the advantages and benefits. No charges are mentioned yet. The guy leaves his Rx and tells me he’ll return the next day with his wife. HE DID NOT RETURN.

2 months later, the guy shows up with brand new pair of rimless: Poly, AR… just as I recommended to him. The best is… HE WANTS THEM ADJUSTED. He tells me that I really sounded professional and he wants me to adjust his glasses.

My question is: how much do you really have to tell customers so they don’t take what they’ve learned from you someplace else?

[hcjilson]

You can't stop that from happening ..........but you can charge for your time to adjust the spectacles. If your auto mechanic was doing it, his charge would be about 65$ dollars an hour and also for any part of an hour. Your customer is well aware of that so I would tell the customer that you would be happy to adjust the glasses but you will have to charge for the time. I would adjust specs all day long at 65 bucks a pop.

[karen]

I'd tell him I would adjust them for free this time if he will tell you why he purchased them somewhere else...

I would have done the same thing you did. If you don't tell them about the good stuff someone else will which makes you look bad. But the time you spent with him deserves an explanation so I would ask why. I have a theory about where he went but would love to know where if you find out.

[drk]

Give the guy the benefit of the doubt, this time. You never know what happened to make him buy elsewhere, or how his experience went. The main thing is that he now has a relationship with you. Next time he needs glasses, recommend the best and close the sale.

If he pulls some kind of stunt the next time, you know what you're working with.

[CME4SPECS]

It's hard to tell why you were unable to close the sale.

I've had this happen on several occasions and I've handled it differently each time.

You could have said, I see you got a pair of glasses like I recommended! That makes them squirm a little! He'd then no doubt offer a little info on where he got them and why he didn't get them from you. If he didn't volunteer the info...ask him point blank. Why didn't you get them from me? There's some valuble info there that wouldn't cost you anything. Maybe you had garlic breath that day and he just wanted to get out of there! Who knows!

His answer would determine which direction I'd go. I've told them that since they are new that they should return to the place that they got them or I've charge them $10-$15, it really depends on the situation.

Fix them for free and you have a customer for life...one you'll never make a nickel from!

[rsandr]

Fix them for free and you have a customer for life...one you'll never make a nickel from!

Or his frame could break.

[For-Life]

Some people have no intentions on buy from you when they come it. They would rather go to Walmart and get them cheaper. I know you didn't tell him the price, but there are a lot of people that are so brainwashed that Walmart is cheaper that they do not even compare prices. So they come into your store, get the information that Walmart couldn't give them and then go to Walmart. They might of also bought from a friend who also couldn't give them the product knowledge. Another case is that I have had OD's here say that if you get the model number and the information that I will do it for cheaper.

Either way, charge him and mention that you only do free service on your work.

[Eddie G's]

I'd say please go back and get them adjusted where you bought them from...

Then I'd pause and let them tell you some info...

Then I'd cave in and do the adjustment!

:angry:

Finally, I'd throw in a few comments about the eyewear that they purchased (either good or bad depending on the job and price paid).

They always come back!
:D

[karen]

Wouldn't it be funny if he paid more wherever he went than you would have charged him! :hammer:

[LENNY]

In my woods the correct statement would be:

Wouldn't it be funny if he paid less than it would cost you to manufacture this job!!!:angry:

[optiboarder]

Hah-hah-hah!!! You guys made me feel much better. I still believe in educating the customers and now I know I’m one of many. Thank you for your replies.

[Johns]

This does not sound like the kind of guy that is prone to "squirming". I used to take it personal when they'd buy somewhere else, but some folks just don't get it ! I think that some consumers think that opticals are geverment agencies designed to be there when they need free adjustments, repairs and information - an optical library ! If they come back for an adjustment that they bought somewhere else, I charge them. I won't adjust them if they bought them at a (the) discount place (you know...). I explain to them that the chance of them breaking is just too high.

[Luckyshot]

This does not sound like the kind of guy that is prone to "squirming". I used to take it personal when they'd buy somewhere else, but some folks just don't get it ! I think that some consumers think that opticals are geverment agencies designed to be there when they need free adjustments, repairs and information - an optical library ! If they come back for an adjustment that they bought somewhere else, I charge them. I won't adjust them if they bought them at a (the) discount place (you know...). I explain to them that the chance of them breaking is just too high.

I know exactly the kind of customers you mean! I provide free nosepad replacements if you bought the frames in my shop or have already bought a pair of nosepads from me. If I don't recognise the frame I ask if they bought it from me. One day I asked a customer if she'd bought the frame from my store and she said no. When I told her that I'd have to charge her $2.06 for the nosepads she sniffs at me, "I could have lied to you, then I'd have gotten the nosepads for free." I just said, "Yes mam, you could have", then took them into my lab, attached the nosepads and charged her the $2.06. It amazed me though that this 60 something women, there with her husband of 40 years (guess), who'd probably been to her Baptist Church the day before thought her word was cheap enough to be worth saving a measily $2 :P

On another subjest in your post . . . I imagine that the "discount place" you're referring to is my employer, and I have to say that I find that funny as the situation is exactly the opposite here. I work in a Licensed state where the Drs (who own all of the private optical shops) don't have to have Licensed Opticians but the retailers do have to have Licensed coverage. This means that everyone on my staff is always being trained and encouraged to take their ABO and NCLE (and given nice raises if they do) in hopes that they will eventually be able to provide additional Licensed coverage. So I end up seeing dozens of jobs a week from private optical shops brought to me for repair and often get to steal customers due to the sad training state of my "competitors" staffs. However, I wouldn't personally buy glasses from my employer in a non-licensed state, so I'm not bitter :)

[Johns]

LuckyShot:

I guess it would be more fair to say that I don't want to fix junk. regardless of where they bought it. If they don't pay for quality the first time, they sure pay for nose pads at my place.

[Luckyshot]

LuckyShot:

I guess it would be more fair to say that I don't want to fix junk. regardless of where they bought it. If they don't pay for quality the first time, they sure pay for nose pads at my place.

I won't argue that there is some "junk" in my store. I don't understand wanting to pay so little for the one piece of "clothing" or "jewelry" that you will be wearing every day for the next 1 to 5 years anymore than I understand buying the cheapest lense you can get when you're a high myope (like me). However, there is a large segment of our great Nation that want the cheapest of everything and all I can try to do is explain to them why it's stupid. I also serve to smarter, more fashion conscious (or perhaps just more wealthy) patients that buy my flex steel or titanium frames with Seiko high index or Nikon lenses that are going to look just as sharp, be just as happy, and enjoy their frames just as long as your patients. When I fix "junk" from my competitors (or 10 year old frames), I just warn them that I'm not responsible if the frame breaks in the process and after I successfully fix them I tell them they need to replace them soon and invite them back.

[Texas Ranger]

Is there something wrong with telling that you only adjust and service eyewear that YOU made for them, since that is part of the price of the glasses, the service that goes with the product; to buy a product from someone that you don't have confidence in servicing them, is not a good purchase...there is always "after the sale" service, on everything. Comes with the sale. product knowledge is great, but the skills to properly fit the glasses is not universal. Just say, "I'm sorry, but I don't adjust other shops' products, I'm familiar with the quality of our frames, and I can stand behind them..., and by the way, I sincerely wish you had trusted me to make them for you.."

[Luckyshot]

There's certainly nothing wrong with it, but I think you're missing a chance to win a new customer. Show him your expertise goes beyond the verbal into the practical and he might buy his next pair from you. You also might find evidence that the job was poorly done, or learn about the service/warantees your competitor offers. I rather liked the suggestion that you offer a one time only free adjustment. You've proven your skill and now he wishes he'd bought from you :)

[Homer]

Our practice is in a destination location. We see lots of out of town people.

I used to be a believer in never charging for adjustments and small repairs - - - when I worked for someone else.

15 years ago, starting my own business, I began to charge for repairs and then adjustment - it actually helped to build my business.

Starting over, as I am accustomed to do, about 6 years ago in this community, I charge for everything, even (god forbid) doctors change of Rx.

I would charge anywhere from $5 to $25, depending upon the time it took to "fix" it. More extensive repairs such as cleaning, replace nose pads, weld on a pad arm and realign their PAL lenses could run in to even more money. I'm building a business again. I have even used the conversation that surrounds these encounters to "educate / sell" other optical solutions. I have people who are yearly visitors bringing their Rxs from their home states to have them filled here.

Each person who walks in the front door is an opprotunity. Meet their needs and charge a reasonable price for you time. Only the stupid ones won't come back ............... and you didn't want them for customers anyway!

[rwallner]

In my experience, I have found there is nothing gained by "pointing out" poor quality made at the competition. Chances are the patient already knows it and feels buyers remorse. What is gained from intimidating a potential customer? only the gaurantee that they will not feel comfortable returning to your shop.
I think if you have any talent in adjusting glasses, and explaining features, benefits and solutions to your potential client, that portrays a much more positive image of your establishment. People love to feel like they are dealing with a "freind". Make them feel comfortable now (free advise and adjustments) and all the other factors that influence a buyers' decision will steer them back into your door the next time.
I let the competition work on their "negative campaigning" while I work on "positive". Just make sure every job (whether it is an adjustment, repair, or new glasses) is the best you could have done. It gives the competitors very little edge. Leaves only price to beat. Educated consumers (arent we all) dont mind paying a little more when they learn why. Just my humble opinion.

[Luckyshot]

Only the stupid ones won't come back ............... and you didn't want them for customers anyway!

Yes actually, I do! My opinion of the average person's intelligence isn't very high (though I treat everyone with respect), so I wouldn't want to lose my "dumb" customers either!