It doesn’t take much time and effort to do a superb job of presentation.
Once the systems are in place, it simply becomes routine. Coupled with proper staff training, this can make a big difference to the success of your practice. Yet too often, we see and hear of poor presentation and hand over of spectacles at the time of dispensing.
A patient who has just spent considerable money on quality frames and lenses does not take kindly to a poor dispensing experience. Examples are hurriedly handing dirty spectacles over the counter, with adhesive still attached to the temple, where the label has been poorly removed. At times, the lens accuracy has not been verified and the frames have either not been adjusted, or no longer fit properly in the standard case.
In this increasingly competitive world, we need to take steps to ensure patients are wowed by our service and not only return repeatedly but also enthusiastically refer friends and family.
It’s these little things that make all the difference between what some consider a grudge purchase and a pleasing experience
The alternative is not good for business!… It’s much easier (and less expensive) to keep a patient happy, than to try and find a new one.
Colour and Style
When attending international optical trade fairs the array of colourful and stylish accessories is simply fantastic. Frame designers and manufacturers go out of their way to create a range of accessories that match their carefully crafted style and ethos. Some of these items can be branded with your name, logo and contact details in a tasteful fashion, thus ensuring your brand remains front of mind and is easily seen by other potential clients.
Always choose items that fit with your style, brand and taste and are targeted to your demographic. An understated, minimalistic, black case and cloth with very subtle branding can be very powerful yet at the same time bold colours can create a wow factor for the more extroverted or fashion conscious client. Metrosexual styles targeted at millennials will be just great for your inner city market but there’s not much point in stocking them if your patients are typically baby boomers.
It’s a matter of horses for courses.
It’s The Little Things
Kaleidoscopic cords and elegant chains can look great and add a level of convenience and security to a purchase. Similarly, a branded cloth and spray cleaner, and a spectacle case that properly fits will help your patient keep their eyewear in good condition for longer. A presentation box and bag are more great ways to stylishly dispense and spread the word.
All are easy and inexpensive to source from wholesalers who will happily help with getting your brand and logo printed or embossed on the items.
Nicole Kokkinakis, practice manager at The Eye Practice in Sydney’s CBD, believes branded items like these are useful and necessary. However she finds that nothing beats their special Eye Practice, ribbon-branded Lindt and Toblerone chocolates when it comes to delivering patient satisfaction! When it’s raining, patients are also very appreciative of one of their mini, foldup umbrellas.
It’s these little things that make all the difference between what some consider a grudge purchase and a pleasing experience – one that gives your patient insights into the quality and style of your practice and their chosen eyewear.
Minimalism
Displaying accessories is important. Tangled cords and chains strewn over the counter along with a plethora of items, accessories, brochures and the like is a turn off and makes for a cluttered appearance. This reflects a poor staff attitude and does not instil confidence in patients’ eyes. Cases, cloths, bags and presentation materials can be safely tucked away in a handy cupboard or drawer for easy access.
After the spectacles have been verified and adjusted, the dispenser should thoroughly clean and dry them to ensure all labels, lens markings and residues have been removed using special solvents designed for the job that will not damage the quality finish of the frames. Too often patients complain about residual red, black, blue and yellow lens markings that have not been adequately cleaned off.
Once ready, the frames should be neatly wrapped in a microfibre cleaning cloth and carefully placed in a case. This is the time to demonstrate cleaning instructions and provide a spray cleaner, and to invite your patients to pop in anytime to have the spray refilled.
A business card, compliments slip and bag will complete the presentation.
Service Kits and Other Accessories
Many patients choose to purchase an additional service kit that may contain a mini-magnifier and screwdriver set, along with extra cloths and cleaners. Others quite like the mini-alcohol cleaning wipes that can fit in a wallet. Chains and cords for around the neck are popular for people who wear reading glasses and for those who want to secure their valuable spectacles or sunglasses when out on the water, in planes and so on. Some see them as a fashion item and will purchase a range of cords from jewellery quality metals to mixed-media leather, beads, bright fluoro braided, patterned cords and the like. Patients will often purchase extra cloths and sprays to keep their smartphone, laptop, tablet and computer screens clean.
Often Overlooked
One area that’s often overlooked is the tasteful display and provision of other items such as lubricating eye drops, foaming lid cleansers, contact lens cleaning solutions, wheat packs and Omega 3 supplements. Designer contact lens cases, accessory bags and holders also fall into this category.
If items like these are not on display and recommended by staff then patients are likely to buy them at the pharmacy or supermarket. Too often they will be offered a product that differs from the one you have prescribed or would recommend – or they will choose the product on special. While you’ll have missed ongoing sales, you might find your patient experiences a bad reaction having used a product that wasn’t suited to their needs.
There’s no doubt that optical accessories are a critical part of your practice and product presentation. Used to offer your patients a fashionable and significant value-added experience will keep them coming back for more.
Aviva & Mann Optical
Aviva & Mann Optical has an extensive collection of eyewear accessories suitable as a companion sale for eyewear and sunglasses.
The range includes chains and cords in a selection of materials from practical options such as floating cords and sports-bands to more glamourous styles.
Spectacle cases are available in both hard and soft options for adults and children and the company also has a variety of high quality microfibre lens cleaning cloths, sprays and anti-fog products.
Contact: Aviva & Mann Optical (AUS) 08 9353 2814
Bonastar
Bonastar supplies branded accessories including printed cleaning cloths, soft cloth pouches, hard cases, and frame display trays to help retailers build their brand identity and personality. Cleaning cloth and soft cloth pouches made from microfibre – the only material accepted by lens manufacturers – easily wipe dirt, dust, water and fingerprints off delicate lenses with or without spray. They’ll also clean the screens of a smart phone, PDA, DVD, camera and more. Bonastar’s cleaning cloth measures 150mm x180mm and comes in a variety of colours. A one colour logo is printed free, while full colour print comes at an extra charge. Soft cloth pouches can be tailor-made to any size, colour and design. They are machine washable and reusable.
Contact: Bonastar (AUS) (02) 9310 1688
Clear Lens Solutions
Clear Lens Solutions offers optometrists personally branded lens cleaner sprays that are made and bottled in Australia. They can be retailed or used as a marketing tool to give away as gifts with purchase.
According to Clear lens Solutions, these lens cleaning solutions have been used by optical professionals for more than 20 years and provide quick and easy cleaning for prescription eyewear, reading glasses, sunglasses, sporting goggles, and safety shields and visors.
Contact: Clear Lens Solutions (AUS) 02 4362 9109
Daylight Yoyo
The Daylight YoYo is an illuminated magnifier that quickly changes from its compact YoYo format into an easy to use stand magnifier. The 5.5cm lens offers 3x magnification and there are three LEDs to provide illumination. The YoYo magnifier makes for a great inexpensive optical accessory to have on hand in your practice.
Contact: European Eyewear (AUS) 03 8805 1555
On the Nose
On the Nose makes a range of customisable optical accessories that are full of fun and colour. Designed for the Australian market, they make a bold and enticing statement in window displays and a lucrative upsell.
Choose from colourful optical and sunglass cases in a variety of shapes and sizes, including hinged clamshell cases with a solid metal body and hard wearing PU leather fabric over the top. Other shapes are handmade with solid inserts to create fancy shapes, including nifty fold-up triangular cases.
Other on the Nose accessories include decorative chains, colourful beads and pendants, two-tone microfiber cleaning cloths, and fold-up reading glasses with telescopic frames that come in a neat little ‘Zippo’ lighter like flip-top case.
Contact: On the Nose (AUS) 02 9939 6366
Optica Life Accessories
Optica Life Accessories has a large range of retail accessories that come with a two-year warranty and can be customised with your brand. The range includes frame cases, lens cleaners and microfiber cleaning cloths. Pictured is Peeps, an innovative lens cleaning product featuring an invisible carbon cleaning compound that wont scratch or damage anti-reflective coatings.
Contact: Optica Life Accessories (AUS) 1800 199 860 or (NZ) 0508 96 33 33
Zeiss Lens Cleaning Wipes
Zeiss pre-moistened lens wipes remove smudges, oils, dirt and fingerprints from eyeglass lenses safely, easily and quickly. These wipes can also be used on the latest digital technology, like smart phone and tablet PC screens, binoculars, spotting scopes and any other optical surfaces. A recently published paper from the Faculty of Medical and Life Sciences, Microbiology and Hygiene Group at Furtwangen University in Germany showed that Zeiss Lens Wipes effectively clean and disinfect smartphone surfaces.*
Zeiss Lens Wipes are a great opportunity to differentiate your business by increasing touch points and return business with your patients.
Contact: Zeiss Account Representative
