Banking On Premium Lenses
Staff training pays off when dispensing top-quality products
09-2008
As the price of everything from fuel to
groceries continues to rise, the optical
industry is faced with the challenge of
persuading consumers that premium
spectacle lenses and treatments still represent
a good value. The key question is
whether most patients are willing to pay
more for a top-quality lens or a prestigious
brand, or would they rather opt for less
expensive alternatives. To find out, I asked
several eyecare practices to share their
strategies for growing their premium lens
business in an increasingly tough market.
Dr. Elliot Klonsky, an optometrist from
Crofton, Md. defines premium eyewear
as, “lenses and treatments that go beyond
the patient’s expectations by providing
exceptional performance in vision,
comfort and durability.” Compared to
a year ago, most practices I spoke with
had not experienced a decline in the
percentage of premium lenses sold. In
fact, many of them had seen an uptick
in sales. “Our premium lens sales are
up about 5 percent,” says Dr. Klonsky.
“We are selling about 50 percent more
Transitions and have also experienced an
increase in AR and Trivex.”
Kennedy Vision Health Center in
Plymouth, Minn. experienced a similar
growth in premium lens sales. Office
manager Sherry Renne notes that the
practice has seen a 9 percent increase in
AR lens sales and an 8 percent increase in
high-index lenses. Renne attributes the
growth to the staff ’s ability to use
premium products to enhance the
personalized care for which Kennedy
Vision Health Center is known.
“We strive to educate patients more
about the benefits of premium eyewear
to justify the cost,” says Renne. Patient
education is not only done by the
opticians, but also by the doctors. All the
doctors at Kennedy Vision prescribe
premium lenses and treatments as needed
by the patients. “People are holding on to
their money and we want them to feel
like they have received everything we
prescribed for them.”
The only negative trend the practices
noticed was an increase in the number of
people wanting to postpone their eyewear
purchases if they hadn’t experienced a big
change in their prescription. Kristin
Giles, office manager at Coronado Eye
Care in Coronado, Calif. observes, “In
the past, patients used to select a new pair
of eyewear each year because they wanted
a new look or a style change. This year,
approximately 45 percent of patients who
experience no change have elected not to
purchase new eyewear.”
To combat this problem, Giles recommends
the doctor walk the patient into
the dispensary after the examination and
introduce them to the optician. After
informing patients of the benefits of
owning a new frame and lenses, and
trying a few pair on, many of them justify
the purchase of a new pair, Giles notes.
“Before the patient goes into the exam
room with the doctor, I think about one
pair of glasses that would look great on
them,” says Giles. “When they come out,
I have that pair on the table waiting for
them to try on. I let them know I thought
of that frame for them while they were in
the exam room.” While they do not
always purchase the pre-selected frame,
this process aids Giles in introducing the
frame selection process. “After they try on
one pair, they almost always try on a
second and third. This has noticeably
helped our sales.”
When a prescription change is necessary
and budgets are tight, practices reported
many of their patients chose to cut corners
on the frame instead of the lenses. “When
budget is an issue to our patients we recommend
they keep the same frame rather
than compromise on their lenses,” says Dr.
Klonsky. “We always keep in mind that
spectacles are foremost a medical device,
and optimal vision comes first.”
Jennifer Branning, OD and her office
manager, Lis Forner from West Shore Eye
Care in Ludington, Mich. agree with Dr.
Klonsky. “Even with our rising costs, we
chose to keep our lens pricing stable,” says
Dr. Branning. “Instead, we chose to adjust
our frame pricing to accommodate some
of the different cost increases. We would
rather a patient choose a less expensive
frame than skimp on their lenses.”
Of the practices interviewed, only half
of them have raised their prices this year.
However, all of them have incorporated
different strategies to deal with rising
costs while continuing to provide the
same high level of patient care. “Costs will
continue to rise and so will the prices of
everyday items,” says Giles. “For this
reason, it’s important to have a strategy
or plan of action for our practice to
stay ahead.” Giles turned to her optical
laboratory for help.
Coronado Eye Care believes in doing
work with an outside optical laboratory
and insists on providing patients with the
most advanced lens products. “Instead of
adding new equipment to do edging and
surfacing in-house, we have chosen to
partner more with our laboratories who
offer incentive programs,” says Giles.
“The incentive programs are designed
around premium products we are already
recommending to our patients. These
programs help us with the rising costs.”
After adjusting its prices only slightly,
Kennedy Vision Health Center also adjusted
the staff’s dispensing and presentation
techniques to add increased value to the
patient’s new eyewear. “We present each
new pair of eyewear in a tray with an
eyeglass cleaner and a cloth,” Renne
explains. “We feel this helps us stand
out by making the eyewear purchase
meaningful to the patient.” The staff is
also trained to provide the patient with
product brochures and information along
with their receipt.
In comparison, West Shore Eye Care
chose not to increase their prices. “Given
the challenges of the Michigan economy,
we feel quite fortunate our sales have
remained stable,” says Forner. Instead,
they have chosen to modify their office
hours. “Maintaining the same size staff,
we have adjusted our hours of operation
from five days down to four days with
extended service hours,” she adds. “This
has enabled us to provide the same level
of service our patients deserve while
avoiding a price increase.”
Dr. Klonsky has also avoided a price
increase and relies on his well-trained,
experienced opticians to “up their game”
when times are tough. “The most
important strategy we embrace is to
always present lens options as solutions
to problems or benefits versus features,
and to recommend these opt ions
at every single presentation,” says
Dr. Klonsky. “How many of us skip
talking about the benefits of anti-reflective
treatments for children or don’t offer
progressive lenses to the older multifocal
patient?” By training his staff to consistently
present Transitions lenses to
every patient, he increased the practice
sales by 50 percent.
In addition to being knowledgeable
about new products, Dr. Klonsky’s staff
is also trained to maximize patient’s
managed vision care plans. He believes
managed care has helped with premium
lens sales. “Our staff is trained to explain
insurance benefits not as limits, but as
contributions,” he says. “It’s amazing how
many patients spend significantly over
allowances when presented wit h
the option of buying the best for
‘bargain’ prices.”
The final strategy includes the
recommendation of premium lenses as
simplified packages. Names of packages
range from “good, better and best” to
“standard, advanced and premier.” The
most common bottom level package
included a scratch-resistant treatment and
plastic lenses. As packages increased in
price, anti-reflective treatments, as well as
thinner, lighter, more impact-resistant lens
materials were introduced.
At Coronado Eye Care, Giles trains her
staff to inform the patient of the benefits
of the lens package instead of explaining
each lens enhancement separately. This
strategy has led to over 90 percent AR
usage among patients.
“After explaining all of the benefits of
the eyewear to the patient, I provide them
with one total, not a breakout of all the
lens options included,” Giles explains. “If
the patient feels it’s too expensive, we
drop down to the next package as a less
expensive option.”
As economic conditions become more
difficult, eyeglass wearers are carefully
scrutinizing each purchase. That’s why
having a well-trained staff makes the
crucial difference when selling premium
lenses, as these practices attest. A skilled
optician, trained to have exceptional
communication skills, has never been
more important to a practice to help
communicate the benefits of premium
lenses to patients.
Samantha Toth is president of Innereactive
Media in Grand Rapids, Mich. a marketing
communications firm that services the
optical industry.
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