About Nikki

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So far Nikki has created 5 blog entries.

“Smart Eyeglasses”-The Next New Thing In Eyewear?

Yes, if you’re smart!

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Ok, here I go again.  What could Netflix possibly have to do with your customers, or their eyes?

Netflix recently released its 3rd quarter earnings, which were much higher than analysts anticipated. Ok, great for Netflix, right? Well, yes, but see the possibilities here.  Netflix ended September with 31.1 million U.S. subscribers, eclipsing the estimated 29 million subscribers that HBO’s 41-year-old pay-TV channel is believed to have in the country.

In addition, the debut of two exclusive series occurred during this quarter. They were the critically acclaimed “Orange Is The New Black,” and “Derek,” which also got largely positive reviews. In a  letter reviewing the third quarter, Netflix predicted “Orange Is The New Black” — a drama/comedy set in a women’s prison — will end this year as its most-watched piece of original programming yet, outstripping “House of Cards,” a hit released earlier this year that won three Emmy awards.

Alright, Nik…again, great for Netflix, but what does that have to do with me?

Eye strain. Lots and lots of eye strain.  While there are no definitive numbers yet, the majority of news outlets believe that at least 65% of those utilizing Netflix are doing so from a computer/tablet/ipad. With the way Netflix launches entire seasons of shows at one time, subscribers will sit and have ‘marathons’, watching an entire season in 1-2 days.  That’s somewhere between 10-20 hours of staring at a near point fixation spot.

And Netflix has no plans to curtail its programming.  If anything, they will produce more and […]

By |2017-05-22T11:11:15-07:00December 13th, 2013|Practice Managment|Comments Off on “Smart Eyeglasses”-The Next New Thing In Eyewear?

What is the Internet Telling Your Patients About Contacts?

Recently, I was doing some online research related to a project for a client, and stumbled across a website from the UK. The information this website posted was absolutely terrifying, and made me wonder what else is out there, for public viewing, and how little most of us know about this ‘mis’ information.

The site I found is www.contactswithoutaprescription.com. It lists links to other sites that sell contact lenses without an Rx as well. On their front page, in plain black and white, was the following:  Is it perfectly legal to order contacts on-line without a prescription if you live in the United States?  It is not legal for a US based company to sell and ship contacts to a US address without a prescription.  That means a possible alternative source to buy contacts, like many prescription drugs, could be outside of the United States…..The UK (United Kingdom) for example has different trust levels with consumers and different governmental laws.  They evidently trust that people have been to the eye doctor at some point in the past and know their base curve and left and right eye powers and wouldn’t spend good money on contact lenses that don’t fit or don’t correct their vision properly.

Umm…WHAT????  So, not only will these sites allow you to order your contact lenses without a prescription, I suppose guessing at the base curves and powers, they also insinuate that we as ECP’s don’t trust our patients as much in the United States. Nothing about health care issues, about the possible adverse effects and ramifications of wearing lenses you haven’t been fit […]

By |2017-05-22T11:11:31-07:00December 18th, 2012|Practice Managment, Sales Training|Comments Off on What is the Internet Telling Your Patients About Contacts?

‘Tis The Season To Be (Jolly) GRUMPY

The holidays are here, again. One thing you will discover, no matter if it is in your own office, driving around town, or out running errands of your own and making purchases at other stores…people are GRUMPY.  And it is very easy to fall into this same bah humbug mindset when you are surrounded by bad attitudes. So, while taking care of your own customers, some of whom might be a bit…testy….keep a few things in mind about WHY they might not be feeling so Christmas-cheery.

  1. The pressures of gift buying, both on the wallet as well as the psychological ones (will Aunt Edna like her purse? Will little Johnny tear the head of the stuffed animal I bought him?).
  2. The emotional issues that come up when families get together (rivalries, old slights, etc)
  3. Maybe a bad experience or loss of loved one has affected them.
  4. Feelings of loneliness are more prevalent during the holidays.
  5. They don’t celebrate the holidays and are tired of having it shoved down their throats.

Think of your own situation. We all have some of the above to contend with during the holiday season. So, how do you take this negative attitude and turn it into a positive, both for your customer and your bottom line?

Make them feel special

One of the best ideas I’ve ever seen is the one some retailers and restaurant chains are now using to sell gift cards. If the consumer spends a certain amount on a card, they get a bonus card for free, somewhere in the neighborhood of 10-20% of the purchase. Use this same concept in your office. Offer something for ‘free’ to everyone, […]

By |2017-05-22T11:11:31-07:00December 11th, 2012|Practice Managment, Sales Training|Comments Off on ‘Tis The Season To Be (Jolly) GRUMPY

Are You Biased?

I have visited literally dozens of opticals in the last several years. One of the biggest issues  I find in the dispensary is what I have termed “optician bias”.  This encompasses two different realms of concern: The act of buying frames, and the pre-judgment of potential customers. This article will focus on the first, and the second side of this will be addressed in a forthcoming post.

 

When I walk into a dispensary for the first time, I immediately begin assessing the inventory. A quick estimated count of frames, as well as manufacturers and collections. Inevitably, I find many lines that look alike on the frame boards, in some cases exactly the same, simply with a different name on the demo lenses.  We have all been guilty of this, at one time or another. So how does it happen, and how do we fix it?

The Cause:

The reason this duplicate buying happens can be many reasons. We, as individuals, have our own tastes, and those tastes are reflected in our purchasing habits. We tend to lean toward what we like, and we end up with a dispensary filled with frames that appeal to us, but are not necessarily what our customers want.

Another mistake many frame buyers make is to become too “safe” in their buying habits. This results in a dispensary full of brown and black plastic frames, and similarly basic colors in the metal frames being shown.

The Solution:

The good news is that the solutions for ‘optician bias’ in frame buying are simple, and easy to implement.

1. Have more than one person order frames. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you need […]

By |2017-05-22T11:11:31-07:00August 8th, 2012|ECP, Practice Managment|Comments Off on Are You Biased?

Taste The Sale-Let Your Tummy Do The Talking!

Have you ever described a frame as ‘grape’ or ‘melon’ when presenting it to a customer? Chances are you haven’t. But, in the world of eye wear, words are a very important factor in how you present products to your clients. There is a reason why a multi-million dollar industry exists simply to come up with correct descriptions of products, and you can use this same strategy in your sales techniques in your optical. And it’s easy!
Think of your favorite yummy foods…That black frame? It’s not black! It’s licorice! The brown zyl you are trying on a customer? Caramel, chocolate, coffee, mocha, or root beer. Fruits, desserts, and other delicious food items are great ways to personalize colors for your clients. What sounds better? “Here, Mrs. Jones, try on this blue frame” or “You have to try on this delicious blueberry frame, Mrs. Jones…it’s a perfect complement to your casual jeans days!”
Another great way to change your customers’ thinking about color is to use precious gemstone references, and other ‘rich’ terms. Black frames can be midnight or ebony. Red frames can be ruby or garnet. And don’t forget the metal tones. Rather than simple ‘gold’ or ‘silver’, I discuss these with customers as ‘warm metals’, ‘cool toned metals’, ‘sterling’, and ‘platinum’.
Making your frames sound downright decadent is really easy once you begin to think of the colors you offer as something other than the traditional names we’ve always called them. You will have fun coming up with descriptions, it gives the impression of added value to the frames, and your customers will have a much more enjoyable […]

By |2017-05-22T11:11:32-07:00December 8th, 2011|Sales Training|Comments Off on Taste The Sale-Let Your Tummy Do The Talking!
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