Standing out within a highly competitive optometric world requires more than just providing basic eye care products and services. Leading practitioners across Australia and New Zealand are finding bold and innovative ways to differentiate their practices while maintaining high standards of patient care. Through conversations with successful practice owners and industry leaders, several key strategies emerge for creating a distinctive presence in the market.
At the heart of any successful practice is its people. The importance of nurturing staff potential and creating a positive workplace culture cannot be overstated. And this is a rule that 1001 Optometry’s management team lives by.
“Our optometrists and support staff are some of our strongest assets,” said Dr Margaret Lam, Head of Optometry and Professional Services for 1001 Optometry. “They are highly skilled, and united by a shared passion for delivering exceptional patient outcomes.”
To foster this passion, 1001 Optometry invests in regular training and mentoring programmes for the optometry and dispensing teams, regularly benchmarks performance, and maintains an open line of communication between the business owners and staff.
“Eddy Lee, our retail and optometry director; Dylan Oblein, our General Manager; and James Lee, our CEO, are all very unexpectedly hands on. They work closely with the retail and optometry teams so feedback can be heard and implemented for smoother operations and to deliver the smoothest customer and patient journey possible,” Dr Lam said.
John Nguyen, optometrist and co-owner of Zoom Optics, also believes the significance of treating staff as valued individuals must never be dismissed, even as practices grow.
“It sounds corny, but I treated my employees as a family member,” he recalled of his early days in business. As his practice has expanded to seven locations, including franchises, Mr Nguyen has adapted his approach but still maintains the same commitment to staff development.
“Professional development is a priority and I’m open to the idea that learning can involve attending a course or conference, but it might also be about taking the time needed to understand studies, research required equipment, or visit relevant suppliers, other clinics, or experts to learn more,” Mr Nguyen explained. This comprehensive approach to staff development extends beyond traditional training, encompassing various aspects of professional growth.
The importance of creating a positive workplace environment is echoed by Specsavers’ success in the Australian and New Zealand markets. Paul Bott, Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand, said “Specsavers is and always will be a place built on great people – from store partners and team members to our support office and field teams, at the very heart of Specsavers are our people.
“We foster a culture that celebrates inclusion, values each individual, and instils a sense of pride and belonging. We focus on developing our people and providing rewarding career path opportunities, whether in business ownership, as health professionals, or within our support offices. This dedication has earned us recognition as one of Australia’s Best Workplaces for the past two years.”
We foster a culture that celebrates inclusion, values each individual, and instils a sense of pride and belonging
Specialisation and Niche Market Positioning
One differentiation strategy that has proven to be highly effective is to develop speciality services and a unique market position. Drs Lauren Kimmel and Katy Gabriel of Eyecare Plus Warners Bay in Newcastle, New South Wales, have successfully implemented this approach by establishing themselves as a cutting-edge, full-service optometric practice that also incorporates a boutique collection of attention-grabbing eyewear supported by experienced optical dispensers. It’s an offering that patients simply won’t find in every practice – and the perfect example of how focussing on a specific market segment can lead to increased customer loyalty and widespread word-of-mouth referrals.
“We have gotten such a strong response to our offerings from both patients that were travelling overseas or to Sydney to buy frames before finding us, and from patients that are just stepping out of the box to try something more adventurous or made with a higher level of craftsmanship,” shared Dr Kimmel.
“It is such a joy to see people fall in love with wearing glasses.”
Investment in Technology and Services
Maintaining competitive advantage often requires significant investment in technology and service capabilities. Specsavers demonstrates this through its commitment to advanced diagnostic equipment, with Mr Bott observing that with “investment in advanced technologies, like OCT (optical coherence tomography) included as standard in every Specsavers eye health check, our optometrists have set a new standard with a 92% success rate in detecting causes of preventable blindness”.
This he said, has resulted “in sight-saving interventions for over 130,000 patients each year”.
It’s not surprising to hear that EssilorLuxottica has a similar approach to technological investment, as explained by Carl James, Senior Vice President of Operations Australia/New Zealand. “We make substantial investments in cutting-edge technology, such as advanced diagnostic equipment and innovative lens solutions, ensuring our patients benefit from our best eye care and vision correction.”
Independents too, are able to differentiate themselves by strategically investing in technology and niche clinical services that can attract intraprofessional referrals.
Daniel Tracton of Tracton Optometrists in Sydney’s Bondi Junction, for example, has made his practice “a destination for prismatic correction, specialty spectacle lens products, myopia control products, sports eyewear, multifocal contact lens fitting, orthokeratology, hard contact lens fitting, keratoconus, children’s vision, and dry eye treatments”.
This comprehensive range of specialty services, he said, helps position the practice as a hub for advanced eye care solutions.
Additionally, he has invested in an in-house lens laboratory that gives him the competitive jump on product delivery. “In the era of centralised lab functions, where glasses can take up to three weeks in busy times, we can produce a pair of single vision glasses in an hour, something which is rarely found these days,” Mr Tracton explained.
It’s an offering that patients simply won’t find in every practice – and the perfect example of how focussing on a specific market segment can lead to increased customer loyalty
Creating Exceptional Customer Experiences
The patient experience has long been a crucial differentiator in the competitive optometry market, and this is something that Dr Gabriel pays particular attention to in her Warners Bay practice.
“Taking the time to provide high-quality, individualised patient care from inside the exam room through to the optical with our dispensers has always been our priority,” she told mivision. “Our dedication to putting the patient first fosters the trust that underlies our relationship with our patients and keeps them coming back.”
Similarly, Dr Lam said it’s the human touch at 1001 Optometry that makes the difference. “Whether it’s tailoring advice to a patient’s lifestyle, explaining test results in a way they understand, or delivering follow-up care that exceeds expectations, every patient interaction is guided by empathy, personalised care, and attention to detail.”
Alongside the human touch, the way in which practices design their environments and interactions can have a significant impact on customer experience. As Mr Tracton explained, “It’s all about the vibe. The patient journey starts with a welcoming environment, and we work to build genuine relationships with our patients. The continuity of care offered by an independent practice is something that is highly valued and becoming increasingly rare.”
Albeit on a much larger scale, EssilorLuxottica mirrors the approach. “Our store environments are thoughtfully designed to create a welcoming, premium experience that blends fashion with functionality,”
Mr James said. “We empower our optometrists and store teams with ongoing professional development and streamlined operational tools, allowing them to focus on their core passion: delivering personalised care.”
Community Integration and Cultural Awareness
Successfully differentiating a practice often involves deep integration with the local community and awareness of cultural diversity. Tracton Optometrists, which is located in “a very multicultural area” exemplifies this approach.
“Our patients, both local and travellers, hail from all around the world,” Mr Tracton explained. “In our practice, we have eight languages spoken amongst our team. This has been great for growing our reach to patients from diverse backgrounds.”
Furthermore, he said being “a family owned and operated practice” has enabled Tracton Optometrists to cement its place as part of our local community. “Our patients see that we are putting our heart and soul into providing the best eye care and eyewear experience that we can.”
Embracing Innovation in Business Models
Innovation in business models and operational approaches can also set practices apart. Specsavers’ joint venture partnership model has long demonstrated this, with Mr Bott stating that the model’s success is “underpinned by mutual trust and a shared belief in our vision and values to make a real difference”.
“We work hand-in-hand with store optometry, retail, and audiology partners across over 450 stores in ANZ, providing back-office support so our store teams can focus on creating great customer experiences.”
Furthermore, Specsavers recently implemented InMoment – new technology aimed at better understanding and serving its customers.
“The recent introduction of the customer insights platform InMoment allows us to collect and analyse vital feedback to better understand and respond to the needs of our customers so they can engage with us when and how they want to,” said Mr Bott.
It’s Never Too Late
If you’re wondering whether it’s too late to polish up your offering, to differentiate your practice from its former self and your competition, it’s not.
1001 Optometry, which was established in 1989, is case in point, as Dr Lam, explained. “Our journey from a retail-centric foundation to a care-driven practice has been transformative. While our strong brand identity and curated eyewear collections remain integral, what truly sets us apart now is our unwavering commitment to optometry care, personalised service, and meticulous attention to detail.”
Ultimately, the “secret sauce” to 1001’s success, she said “has been our ability to blend retail polish with clinical excellence”.
“It’s a model that not only delivers business growth but also makes a tangible difference in the lives of our patients.”
But importantly, she notes, there is never time to stop adding the shine to your practice – the key to success in a competitive market lies in continued innovation, consistent care, and regular communication.
“This year, for instance, we’ve further expanded our horizons to raise community awareness of preventative vision care and eye health testing,” Dr Lam said.
At EssilorLuxottica, Mr James said sustainable growth comes “by prioritising both people and product innovation… Our passionate, highly trained teams deliver consistently outstanding eye care and advice, enhancing patient trust and loyalty”.
It’s a sentiment echoed by Eyecare Plus Warners Bay’s experience, where a focussed approach has yielded sustainable results. As Dr Kimmel observed, “Having a less volume-based approach allows our team to really prioritise the patient. We schedule longer appointments, invest heavily in training for the optometric and dispensing staff, and keep up to date with the best technology including OCT angiography and ultra-wide field retinal imaging.”
And when you look after your people and your patients, Mr Nguyen believes that success will follow. “In a nutshell, my approach is to remember that places of employment co-exist with other aspects of your life… So, my aim is to make a workplace somewhere people feel good about being and where your efforts never go unnoticed. If I can deliver that, then I have the right to ask how my staff can help Zoom Optics achieve our goals.”
For more on how to achieve excellence by fostering continuous learning, read Kasia Grove’s article: ‘Practice Excellence Through Staff Training Culture‘.
