New This Week
Power Up Your Optical Dispensary, Part I: “Why Are We Here?”
Mark Hinton, of eYeFaciltiate, poses a key question for dispensary staff: “Why are we here?” Simple answer: “to serve a patient’s needs.” If your staff answers differently, meet and discuss how to keep a total focus on the patient/customer. This is Part 1 of a series of staff-building video seminars from ROB and eYeFacilitate.
>>READ MORE and Download Discussion Points for Your Staff Meeting>>
Marketing
Automated Recall Drives Practice Growth
By Rajeev K. Raghu, OD, FAAO
An effective recall system is a lifeline to practice success. Automated recall notices can keep your exam chairs filled. >>READ MORE>>
Web Site Design, Function & Strategy
Make Your Web Site Mobile-Friendly
Use of smartphones and e-tablets to find goods and services is exploding. Is your web site mobile-friendly? Here’s an action plan to optimize your mobile look and functionality.
>>READ MORE>>
Staff Management
By Ryan Wineinger, OD
Pre-testing occupies a major portion of a patient visit. Time is money. Schedule strategically to avoid long wait times. >>READ MORE>>
How Many Will Buy Complete New Eyeglasses from You in Next Six Months?
Just 9.5 percent of consumers said it is “extremely likely” they will buy a complete new pair of eyeglasses in the next six months, according to The Vision Council’s Dec. 2011 Consumer Barometer report. Some 14.8 percent said it is “very likely” they will buy complete new prescription eyeglasses in the next six months, while 22.4 percent were on the fence, saying they “might or might not” make such a purchase. Another 24.2 percent said they probably would not buy complete new eyeglasses over the next six months, and 29 percent said they definitely would not.
Click HERE to read more from Review of Optometric Business professional editors Carole Burns, OD, FCOVD, and Mark Wright, OD, FCOVD, on encouraging more patients to invest in complete new prescription eyewear more often.
FocalCenter Announces Development of eyecareScore
FocalCenter, a provider of eyecare patient experience metrics, announced completion of its validated and standardized eyecareScore survey. This measuring instrument enables eye doctors, clinics, optical retailers, or vision plans a standardized method for determining how their patients’ experiences compare to their peers and over time.
>>READ MORE>>
Most Employees Still Not Taking Advantage of Vision Benefits
Despite reporting a strong interest in their company vision benefit – today’s aging US workforce isn’t fully taking advantage of it, according to Transitions Optical’s annual Employee Perceptions of Vision Benefits survey. By missing out on a critical preventive care opportunity they are leaving themselves at higher risk for age-related vision problems, eye diseases and chronic conditions that impact eye health and compromise productivity. >>READ MORE>>
ROB Poll Results
Main Competitive Advantage: Level of Care in Exam Room
Asked about their practice’s main competitive advantage, 61 percent of ROB readers cited the level of care they provide in the exam room. Some 33 percent said their well-educated, patient-friendly staff was their main competitive advantage while six percent cited their generous warranty policy on eyewear and their patient’s ability to return unopened boxes of contact lenses as their primary competitive advantage.