Staying Focused
Staying Updated
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My father was fond of saying, “Getting old is hard.” I usually responded, “Actually, getting old is easy; just wait and it will happen to you. Staying young is what’s hard.”
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In much the same vein, it’s easy to get into a routine where we are comfortable with what we recommend to the patient and even how we sell the products we offer. What’s hard is staying focused on the patient’s lifestyle needs and staying updated on the products we can offer to meet those needs.
Lifestyles change as we age. With return patients, for example, they may not be out on the ski slopes like they were ten years ago when they first became your patient. They also may have become more of a computer person than before. If we don’t keep asking about their lifestyles, we will likely miss opportunities to recommend a different lens to them that will enhance their eyesight and make their tasks easier for them. That’s a key: what makes it better for the patient – not just easier for us.
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Many opportunities for second and subsequent pair sales will go right out the door with the patient if an optician doesn’t ask the patient about how much time they spend in front of a computer each day or if they spend time out on the lake or are experiencing difficulties with glare while driving. Each question could result in a discussion about computer lenses, polarized eyewear and anti-reflective treatments. Those opportunities are missed when there is a lack of focus on the patient’s current lifestyle. It’s vital to keep focused on the patient by continuing to ask those lifestyle questions. The other side of the coin is keeping updated on what’s available to meet those lifestyle needs.
There are new lenses and treatments coming out almost monthly. What are the latest lens offerings? How do those lenses enhance the patient’s vision? What are the lifestyle needs addressed by those lenses? It would be difficult to know about all the lenses coming out from every manufacturer but, at the very least, we can be current when it comes to the offerings from our trusted lens manufacturer. Our practice recommends mostly Essilor products because we trust their lens designs and quality. We have very few patients who return to say that their lenses don’t produce good eyesight for them because of lens design or quality. Lens manufacturers regularly produce literature, either in print or electronically, which they are more than happy to get to a practice in some form that will be read. After all, they know that if we will read them, we are more likely to try their product. Why not take advantage of their willingness to provide information and match that with our desire to keep updated about which products will possibly enhance our patient’s vision?
Even with those two things, it would still be easy to get comfortable in a routine and recommend, for example, a Physio Enhanced lens for someone who uses their computer eight hours per day. It’s a great lens and it can work behind a computer but it would be a much better solution for them to purchase an Essilor Computer lens for work and another lens for the other times of the day. The patient may complain about the cost but, if we’ve stayed updated, we can explain to them the advantages of those task specific lenses and how much better they will make their work experience or their outdoor life. Many patients, when offered the opportunity to leave behind their tired, dry eyes and aching neck will opt to pay for that extra pair. Recommend what’s best for their vision needs, not just what brings the best commission. Staying updated means that the optician and the Dr. remember to read the latest information about the lenses they can offer, knowing their best uses and their limitations.
Doctors have many areas to address to stay updated, from pathology to lens offerings. It’s easy to keep recommending the same products each week and those products may not be bad ones, either. However, I doubt that we would want to go to a surgeon and have him or her cut us open when a newer option might eliminate that open surgery option. Why should it be any less so for our eye doctor? Patients expect their doctor to be current. In fact, many patients are aware of the very latest offerings because they have searched the web before they come to the practice. Our reputation suffers when the patient is more current that those who present themselves as a professional in the eye care business.
Staying focused and updated is not easy but when has being a professional been easy? The reward for staying focused and updated comes with a sense of personal pride at being a professional and the thanks from the patients who come to us and use the best products for their best eyesight. Both of those will likely produce and increase in both patient satisfaction and practice growth and profitability. How do we stay current and focused on patients needs?
One way to accomplish both would be to devote some of the staff meeting time to updates on lenses and role-playing lifestyle interviews. Role playing may seem too structured and lacking in reality. However, during these sessions, there is an opportunity to get comfortable hearing the words come from our mouth so that it will seem more natural during an actual conversation between us and our patient. Situations can be developed from last week’s encounters with patients, asking the question, “How could I have better presented other lens options?” When other staff members get involved in the discussion, there is the opportunity to see a viewpoint we missed or hear a suggestion that would spark yet another idea about how we could delve into the patient’s lifestyle needs more effectively.
Not all role playing turns out like we hear on training videos so, go ahead and be the obstinate patient who just keeps on saying, “I just want what my insurance pays for.” That, too is valuable experience in keeping a calm demeanor and planting the seeds that may yet spring to life another week. We never know when that patient will have some extra money to spend and how our conversation today will be remembered next month and drive them back to our practice saying, “You know, last month you talked about sunwear and I couldn’t afford it. This week I can, so could you show me again what you were talking about?” When they leave with polarized lenses with a backside anti-reflective treatment in a nice frame, both of you will be glad you had that seemingly unproductive conversation.
Enlisting one of your trusted employees to become your training officer and charging them with keeping the staff updated and focused on patient lifestyle needs might just ensure you meet you’re annual goals for patient growth and satisfaction. Staying focused on patient needs and updated on lens offerings is worth the investment to make sure your office is staffed with professionals who can be trusted to make your patients confident that your office is the best place for them to trust their eye health.
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