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After I graduated from Cornell
University, I wanted to give something back for the fine
education I had received, so I started doing some Cornell
fundraising. I was asked to train my fellow volunteers, so I
came up with a three question method that made fundraising
fun, and which resulted in record Cornell fundraising.
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So what is this magic that turns a
selling situation into fun? First: don't picture yourself as
a salesperson. Secondly, put the decision making power where
it belongs: in the patient's/customer's control. Thirdly,
give that person sitting in front of you the time to
exercise that power.
First, set the tone. Thank the
Optometrist or Ophthalmologist for bringing the patient to
you and ask her/him if there are any recommendations they
have for you to consider when helping this patient choose
the best eyeglasses to enhance their visual needs. If there
are recommendations, write them down while the patient
watches, or underline them on the prescription for the
patient to see. Whether or not your Doctor has considered
doing this in the past, by asking the question you enhance
the Doctor's stature which may draw the Doctor into the
dispensing process now and in the future. Is this something
you, as the dispenser, want to see happen?
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Secondly, recognize that your patients
want to pick your brain. You have the knowledge of what best
will fit their needs. They have the knowledge about what
they do visually and what they are willing to spend. Your
job is to dispense knowledge. Their job is to understand
what you say and to make choices based on that new
knowledge.
Since you have the
knowledge, start
dispensing it immediately. Comment on what the Doctor has
recommended, or by looking at the prescription, start
telling the patient what to expect. For instance, "I
see from your prescription you are nearsighted: this means
that if you are tempted to choose a super-large frame, the
edges of the lenses will be relatively thick. The smaller
the glasses you choose, the lighter they will feel on your
face and the thinner the lens edge will be. Were you
considering any specific type of glasses before you came in
today, so I can help you choose ones that will look well and
feel lightweight on your face?" Keep the way you phrase
your knowledge simple and easy for a lay person to
understand. Also, always end your knowledge statement with
an "open ended" question for the patient.
The patient has come in to "buy a
pair of glasses." You have the knowledge that often it
is advisable for the patient to own various glasses to meet
their needs. Share your expertise as you learn more and more
about your patient. "So you spend most of your work day
in front of a computer: that means at least 35 out of 80
waking hours a week are spent focusing on a computer screen,
on average. You could protect your eyesight by having
anti-reflective coating on the pair of glasses you wear at
work. If you apply this AR coating to specialized
progressive lenses, it will allow you to see the full
computer screen, the work material you need to reference
while working on the computer, and the person who is coming
to talk to you from across the room – all without changing
or removing your glasses."
Note that you have taught the patient
that they may need specialized computer glasses because they
spend so much of their time at the computer (35 out of 80
hours) and have asked them to focus on why their current
eyewear may not be appropriate to the work environment. Also
note you have not sold them a thing. Also note they have not
yet started to choose the glasses they came in to buy!
After the explanation, and if they have
mentioned reasons why their current glasses might not serve
their work needs, suggest the appropriate computer work
lenses with AR, the cost for lenses and coatings, and assume
that they are considering such a purchase by asking,
"What type of frame do you feel would be most
appropriate for glasses you wear in the office?"
Do you feel you are putting pressure on
your patient by presuming to ask this question? Why is this
presumption not pressure? Because your patient has just
described dissatisfaction with using her/his current glasses
at work, you have presented a solution with a lens cost, and
you have asked an open ended question. Now comes the hardest
part for you to master. Remain silent.
Yes, this is the hardest part. To be an
effective dispenser, you must allow your patient the
uninterrupted time to consider the new information you have
given. If the patient indicates which frame they want, you
know what to do. Even if the patient says, "No,"
say to the patient as you do it, "I am writing your
work visual needs on your chart, and your complaints about
using your regular glasses at work, so the Doctor can
evaluate these needs when you next see her/him." No
other comment from you is necessary.
Especially do not try to sell him/her
these glasses. Do not remind this patient of some of the
cogent reasons for buying a pair of specialized eyeglasses
for work. Respect this decision, and continue to dispense
new knowledge. When the patient describes his/her outdoor
activities, you can dispense the knowledge of the value of
prescription polarized lenses for visual acuity, improved
eye health, and personal safety. Ask your open ended
question. Then remain silent. Your patient will remember
that you respected a "No" decision, and will
respect that he/she is not being subjected to a sales pitch,
but that you are sharing your knowledge so she/he can make
an informed choice about his/her eye health and vision
needs. By your empowering the patient, you are building a
trustful relationship. What do you think? If your patient
trusts that you care for him/her, and also about her/his
visual needs, do you think that she/he might be more
inclined to choose to buy glasses from your practice?
So these are three magic steps to more
successful dispensing:
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Thank the patient for the opportunity
to dispense to them.
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Use your optical knowledge to describe
one or two of the parameters you plan to use while helping
this patient choose an appropriate pair of glasses, and end
each such statement with an open-ended question to the
patient. Then don't say another word until your patient
responds to your question. You will learn in which
specialized situations this patient will use eyeglasses, and
the patient will become more involved in the choosing
process.
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As your patient describes these
specialized situations, suggest the lenses and their cost
that would improve vision in that environment, and then ask
what frames she/he would like to be seen in there. Then
quietly wait for a response. The patient will either ask you
a question, indicate that he/she is ready to make a
purchase, or say "No." To "No" answers
make your note and return to #2 above. Continue dispensing
knowledge, asking open-ended questions, and waiting silently
for a response.
I enjoy the sales
situation, but I hate
selling. I enjoy sharing knowledge. Why else would I be
writing this column? But I hate selling. If you also hate
selling, try to see it my way. The power is in your hands
and in your brain. Could these three steps of patient
empowerment help you garner more eyeglass sales per patient? |
