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Great minds think
alike. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Somewhere between those two aphorisms lies the inspiration for this article. Years before Billy Joel released his album, The Bridge, this amateur/hobbyist songwriter wrote a song which contained the lyric, “…the memory of what lies ahead.”
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Photo: Courtesy of Transitions Optical, Inc. |
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Imagine my surprise and delight when one of Billy’s songs on the album
(This Is the Time) contained the lyric, “…the memory of days to come.” Pretty cool. When I worked full time on the front lines of Opticianry, I used to approach some things like a mad scientist. I would even conduct my own patient surveys. At one point I had asked over 200 parents what they most looked for, and what was most important to them in deciding what eyewear to choose for their children. At one point I had compiled a list of seven things. In order, here they are:
1. Quality/Durability of the Frame (46%)
2. Warranty of Frame (12%)
3. Child’s Preference (12%)
4. Overall Safety (9%)
5. Price/Value (8%)
6. Designer/Brand Recognition (8%)
7. Optician/Salesperson’s Ability to Relate to Their Child (5%)
Imagine my surprise and delight when, a few years later, one of our industry journals published a survey entitled “Which of the Following Would You Consider Most Important in Your Decision to Purchase Your Child’s Eyewear?” Here are their results:
1. Quality of Frame (60%)
2. Child’s Preference (17%)
3. Price (7%)
4. Optician’s Reputation (7%)
5. Don’t Know (5%)
6. Brand Name (2%)
7. Style/Color (1%)
8. Product Ad (1%)
Wow! Once again, pretty cool. Interestingly, not one of the parents I questioned said, “I don’t know.” They all managed to articulate something. Let’s look at the results of these surveys and delve into how an Eye Care Professional can use this information to more effectively communicate to the parents of juvenile patients – to be more persuasive when it comes to the products that are recommended, and to avoid giving offense or pause to the child – and the parents too.
Obviously the quality, durability, and warranty of the frame all are of paramount importance. On this point, both surveys agree. There are many considerations here. A plastic or zyl frame may be considered; no nose pads to lose. On the other hand, it is a challenge to find a perfectly fitting bridge – most kids’ bridges have yet to develop. While Opticians know they are almost a standard feature, parents usually insist on spring hinges. Here again, unless the frame is high quality, a spring hinge is just one more thing that can break. What to do?
I always lead with a strong suggestion for the purchase of a Marchon Flexon® or a frame made of similar “memory metal” material. Using first-person language
(I have always found that kids do best with…or, my kids always did best with…) I demonstrate the flexibility of these frames by twisting the front and wrapping the temple around my finger while speaking to mom or dad. I quickly follow up by sharing with the adults the two other highly convincing selling points: First, I explain that the frame material will never tarnish or turn green. Unlike cheaper materials that are simply nickel plated or composite materials, the titanium and/or stainless steel materials will hold up well when it comes to the dirt and sweat that children will inevitably bring to the equation. Second, I take the time to explain the differences between the frame warranties, if applicable.
That’s usually enough to seal the deal. And speaking of the frame warranty, it seems to me that this demographic – kids – is one that the Optician ought to seriously rethink for the practice’s warranty policy. Even if your practice only offers a 90-day warranty (which seems to be the norm these days), why not extend it to a year - or more – for kids? After all, most wholesale frame companies extend that to the ECP. In my experience, whether it’s a $3 frame or a $90 frame, if the defective frame is returned to the distributor, a new frame is sent, or a credit issued. This presents a tremendous opportunity to offer extended peace-of-mind to a parent who may be a bit wary of spending too much money on children’s eyewear.
I have heard stories from several Opticians, who are quick to point out the “Classic Abuser” – the kid who goes through 4 or 5 frames in a year’s time. I have a couple of those annoying stories too, but can assure you they are few and far between. And so what? Based on the frame company policy just discussed, those kids are nothing more than a small annoyance. And remember, every time you replace or repair that kid’s broken frame, that mom or dad is singing your praises to whoever will listen!
The child’s preference ranked high in both surveys, so never underestimate winning over the whippersnapper. If a parent gets the impression that his or her kid really likes the suggested frame, they are usually more acquiescent to the sale. This is, I have found, even more true the younger the patient is. Why? Generally, a child’s unwillingness to wear eyeglasses at all is directly proportional to their youth. By the time they have reached pre-teen age, they are used to and reconciled to wearing eyeglasses. That is not necessarily so with the very young. One approach to tapping into this phenomenon is to pick two or three (no more) frames from your display, and pose this or a similar question directly to the youngster: “Johnny…if you had to wear one of these, which would you want? I agree…that frame you chose looks a lot cooler than the others. Good job!”
Although curiously absent from the journal’s survey, I found that nearly ten percent of my parents were concerned with the overall safety of their child’s eyewear. Of course, this means we have to turn our attention away from the frame and focus for a moment on the lenses. These days, that means polycarbonate or Trivex® - mandatory for the minor patient’s lenses. Here again, an old saying carries the day: A picture is worth a thousand words. Give the kid a hammer and a polycarbonate lens and let him or her go to town. Of course if you do that you have to make sure at the time of delivery you remind the child that you had only done that to show how strong the lenses are and not to give the kid something fun to do with his friends. Show the boy how although the lens did not break, it was dinged and scratched. You may be smiling here, but trust me…they’ll do it if you don’t adequately warn them!
Both surveys found that the next concern was price and value. How you position and price your children’s eyewear is up to you, and you should think it through. But don’t get too distracted by this or the remaining factors – they are low on the totem pole of concerns. Check around. What is your competition charging? How does their warranty policies compare to yours? How should you position your practice? Information is power. Be able to accurately and honestly describe how and why your policies are superior to other optical retailers in your area and you will have the advantage here.
The last few items on our lists are obviously the least important: brand recognition, designer names, and product ads. I find that interesting, especially in that some dispensaries seem to stress designer names above all else. The other item that was absent from their list but mentioned by five percent of my customers was the ECP’s ability to relate to the child. If you have kids of your own, you will have a keen advantage with this one. If not, just be yourself. Do not pander, talk down to, or act in a patronizing fashion when speaking to kids. On the other hand, do not ignore the child and talk to his or her parents like the child wasn’t even present. If you do anything like that you will tend to unintentionally alienate the child…and the parent.
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