Some 66.9 percent of adults getting annual comprehensive eye examinations chose independents over optical chains this year, and that figure is mostly unchanged from the past few years, according to the Vision Council’s June 2011 Vision Watch Member Benefit Report. Last year, 67 percent chose independents versus chains; in 2009 66.5 percent went with independents over chains, and 65.8 percent chose independents over chains in 2008.
There is a slight increase in patients seeking independents over chains over the last 3 years:
2010 67.0%
2009 66.5%
2008 65.8%
Slow and steady wins the race. As we approach the end of the year and start thinking about next year, it’s time to review our current systems to make sure we are not losing patients unnecessarily. Do you have a mechanism in place to identify your service errors? Have you fixed the underlying systems that allowed the service errors to occur? For example, one area that you must stay on top of is your recall system. Review your recall system to make sure it is as effective and efficient as possible. And don’t forget about mining your recall database for those patients who have not been into the office in over two years.
