Practice Metrics

Over Half of Consumers Will “Possibly” Use Daily Deal Sites to Help Purchase Eyewear

Some 50.8 percent of consumers say they will “possibly” use daily deal sites like Groupon and Living Social to help them purchase eyewear in the future, according to The Vision Council’s Vision Watch 2011 Daily Deal Eyewear Report. Some 5.5 percent say they “definitely” will use daily deal sites to help them purchase eyewear, and 43.7 percent say they will not use these sites in the eyewear purchasing process.

Patient loyalty is essential in our practices. It is the lifeblood of any practice. We need to recognize that patient loyalty is constantly being assaulted in today’s marketplace. Radio, television, internet, social media … the attacks are relentless.Michael LeBoeuf,author of How to Win Customers and Keep Them for Life, states that 68 percent of customers are lost due to indifference. Since the Vision Council’s Vision Watch 2011 Daily Deal Eyewear Report is telling us about half of our patients are considering going elsewhere for eyewear purchases, the old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is something we had better consider.

Lori Greenwell, manager of marketing communications for American Business Advisors, Inc., gives 10 ways to improve loyalty. We’ve modified her list for our eyecare practices.

1. Thank patients for allowing you to provide care for them.
2. Stay in contact with existing and past patients on a consistent basis.
3. Give patients more than they expect.
4. Listen.
5. Pay attention to the obvious (e.g.: say please and thank you, be on time).
6. Make realistic promises—and be consistent.
7. Share information – always look for ways to help patients learn.
8. Make consultations and referrals to other doctors.
9. Explain how things work.
10. Have fun by really enjoying your patients!
Read back over the list and grade yourself on how well you are doing each one of these steps. Based on your results, identify what actions are needed to improve patient loyalty in your practice, put in place a plan, and then, make it happen!

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