At a staff meeting many years ago, we talked about the biggest concerns our opticians had in trying to educate patients on lens options and actually completing the order. The answer was the add-ons to the basic lens. When the staff talked to patients about one add-on after another, it was confusing and it caused patients to focus on the price tag rather than the benefits.
We were losing patients with confusing extra charges.
If you buy a car, you can buy the cold-weather package, the sports package, and so forth. We decided to bring that concept into the dispensary: make the experience as simple and seamless as possible for the patient, and also for our staff.
We told the opticians that our lens packages had to be put together such that if a patient needs help in the optical, anyone on the staff could complete the transaction very comfortably.
After some trial and error we ended up with two options, using lenses and coatings from GSRx®. We created Preferred and Advanced packages for single vision, progressives, and kid’s lenses. The only other option is an epik® Office computer lens – as with the others, the package is complete.
If needed, we have add-ons for one flat fee. Every package comes with Infinity® Non-Glare, and the Preferred package also includes the epik® BLUE blue-light filter.
We also needed something to help patients understand what’s in the packages. The better they understand them, the greater the chance they will want them. GSRx developed customized, illustrated dispensing mats that include our prices to help the staff explain the benefits.
When patients leave our office, they leave with a product, and that’s mostly how they remember us. GSRx’s prices allow us to give them features that we couldn’t have offered for the same price previously.
We feel we are delivering high-quality products with pricing that is appropriate to the value they offer. The packages are much more affordable for patients than buying the options individually.
Patients leave happier because they made a decision based on accurate information. Our staff finds it easy to sell the products when there are only two options. Sales have improved, and other members of the staff are comfortable helping out in the dispensary.
It is critical to work with partners who understand what it’s like to be independent. From the beginning, the commitment from GSRx has always been there.
Steven Sloan, OD, is Senior Partner at Vision Health Center, with offices in Dubuque and Bellevue, Iowa.
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