At the beginning of the year 2020, the optical industry was feeling good. ‘2020’ seemed to be a positive omen for us and we were in full swing, looking toward a more stabilised future than that of the last few years.
I walked into my last optical appointment prepared to hear the same thing I’d heard the previous decade’s worth of visits, “Your vision is stable. Things look good”. But instead I was floored by the statement, “Oh, you need multifocals now. It’s just a small add, but I’ll put you in some progressive
As we all know, we are in the middle of ‘interesting times’. As a family business, we are best placed to get through this, although it is going to be challenging and hard work.
Running an independent optometry practice in 2020 is challenging; managers and owners are required to wear many different hats. Not only are large competitors saturating the market, patients’ expectations are higher than ever. Fortunately, there are more ways than ever to promote your practice, reac
The district health boards’ (DHBs) follow-up clinic performance figures to August 2019 have been released in response to an Official Information Act (OIA) request¹. They reveal that those waiting both 50% and 100% too long have more than doubled compared with last year’s figures².
Leading industry bodies have spoken out over controversial plans to begin optometry and DO apprenticeships through large employers in the UK, with Kiwis concerned the plans may land here.
I have visited well over 1000 practices in multiple continents and I have learned that there are as many ways to practice optometry as there are colours. However, the best in the biz all have clear concise visual merchandising. I do a terrible Arnold Schwarzenegger impersonation, but please imagine
There is no getting away from the fact that online shopping is here to stay, which has some repercussions for your bricks and mortar optical store. How you deal with the e-commerce challenge can be the thing that sets you apart from your competitors, ensuring you not only survive, but thrive in the
For the year 2020, the optometry profession is getting an organic boost of awareness with 20/20 vision campaigns underway, along with the many jokes and puns circulating on social media that you’ve likely seen and shared already. Today’s eyecare professionals are meeting this awareness head-on by pr
Glasses - some love them, some hate them. Some people feel they have no choice but to wear them because, well, they need them. I hated glasses when I was first told I needed them, back in 1996. Now I
Ultimately, business and exit planning isn’t just about money. This is particularly true for the owner operated businesses common among optometry practices. A well thought-out exit strategy will allow owners to ensure their legacy can survive; in terms of the business’ ongoing success and their own
Men can be a challenging section of your client population. On one hand, you have your reluctant shoppers; those who find it difficult to merely step through your doors (or are dragged over by their significant other!).
