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OpticianWorks.com

Our friend John Seegers has taken his education site for opticians to another level. With a site redesign, added content, videos, and more, eye care providers owe it to themselves to pay opticianworks.com a visit.

Here’s a sample video from John’s site.:

Why Kiss the Feet of the People Who Kick You?

…when you can be anything that you want to.

Our new anthem. Enjoy…

Free Facebook for Small Biz Webinar

Interested in using Facebook to connect with your customers and community to help drive your business? John Jantch of Duct Tape Marketing is hosting a free live webinar on Jan 21, 2010 to help you do just that.

Everyone knows Facebook has become a powerful business tool, right? Well, maybe, but what I find now is that most small businesses want to know how to tap the power of this new platform with practical methods that get results. I’ve rounded up three Facebook and social media experts and put together a free live Facebook training session just to help small businesses that are new to Facebook or those that want to find ways to make Facebook pay for business and take it to the next level.

Visit the Duct Tape Marketing Blog for more information and to reserve your spot.

LKO is on Facebook!

Join in on the conversation. Visit us on Facebook and leave a comment!

http://www.facebook.com/laramyk

No-Shows

How do you handle no-shows? Dr. Neil Gailmard, editor of Optometric Management’s Tip of the Week points out this seemingly innocuous policy decision is a window to the core of your customer service philosophy. Do you let them slide? Do you give them stern warnings? Threaten or even charge them penalty fees? Or do you use it as an opportunity to demonstrate your extraordinary customer service?

I love Dr. Gailmard’s take on the subject.

The vast majority of ECPs don’t get it. They think they are good at customer service, but once staff members begin to protect the practice from unfair treatment by the public, you go down a slippery slope. The office culture changes and the focus is no longer on showing patients how much you care. You end up perilously close to the same behavior we see in most healthcare offices: horrible customer service!

Fits right in with my philosophy on customer vs. patient.

Spreading the Word

Nothing is more powerful in growing your business than word of mouth. So, after you’ve knocked your customers’ socks off with your unforgettable brand of customer service, give them a couple of gift certificates (for your store, of course) to be shared only with friends. You’ll be giving them the opportunity to give their friends a gift and a good recommendation.

Cash for Clunkers

I stopped in at a local OD’s office today. Last month she ran a “cash for clunkers” promotion. She offered $100.00 off a new pair of glasses for patients that brought in an old pair to be donated to the Lion’s Club. Today she reported her promotion resulted in a 41% increase in revenue for the month. All she did to promote it was send this email to her patient list. Not bad for this time of year given the current state of the economy.

Supporting Nouveau

If you have an interest in supporting Nouveau Vision in their complaint against Essilor and VSP, feel free to use the form letter below to voice your support to Washington State, Federal, or your own State officials.

RE: Potential Anti-Trust Violations in the Vision Care Industry

Dear [public official(s)],

As an eye care professional concerned for patients’ needs, I have observed a worrisome trend of consolidation and possible collaboration among dominant corporate entities in the vision care industry. The largest manufacturer of ophthalmic lenses in the world, French-owned Essilor, is acquiring independent U.S. laboratories at an alarming rate and now owns interest in more than 50% of the lens processing capacity in the U.S. A significant percentage of the remaining independent laboratories are distributors of Essilor products and controlled by overly restrictive contracts as a requirement for distributorship. These contracts explicitly prohibit Essilor “partner” laboratories from promoting or even comparing competitors’ products to Essilor’s unless stating Essilor products are superior, regardless of patient need. Since vision care providers rely on laboratories for recommendations in selecting the most appropriate products for their patients, these contracts significantly inhibit consumer choice. Moreover, contract restrictions place undue dependence of otherwise independent businesses, across an entire industry, on a single corporation, reducing competition.

VSP, the nation’s largest managed vision care company also owns laboratories across the U.S. This year VSP decided to cancel a number of contracts with independent laboratories to the apparent benefit of Essilor. The loss of revenue from VSP may put some independent laboratories out of business and reduce competition for Essilor. Nouveau Vision in Redmond, Washington, has filed complaints with the FTC and State of Washington authorities, against Essilor and VSP, for unfair trade practices and possible collusion.

I am deeply concerned about the direction being taken by dominant entities in the vision care industry. When two or three companies move in the direction of taking over an entire industry and dictate their products be recommended above all others regardless of patient need, not only will independent businesses suffer as choices erode, but so will vision care consumers.

I support the action of Nouveau Vision taken against Essilor and VSP in the State of Washington and strongly urge investigation into unfair trade practices within the vision care industry in the State of ____________ (and/or nationwide).

Sincerely,

Name
Position
Business
City, State

-or-

Anonymous for fear of reprisal
City, State

Here is a list of officials you may wish to contact:

Honorable Christine Gregoire
Governor of the State of Wasington
Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 40002
Olympia, WA 98504-0002

Tina E. Kondo
Antitrust Division Chief
Washington State Attorney General’s Office
800 5th Avenue, Suite 2000
Seattle, WA 98104-3188

Honorable Mike Kreidler
Insurance Commissioner
Office of the Insurance Commissioner
P.O. Box 40257
Olympia, WA 98504-0257

Stuart W. Hirschfeld
Northwest Region
Federal Trade Commission
915 Second Ave., Room 2896
Seattle, WA 98174

Senator Tom Coburn
172 Russell Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
Main: 202-224-5754
Fax: 202-224-6008

Senator Max Baucus
280 E Front Street, Ste 100
Missoula, MT 59802
406-329-3123; fax 406-728-7610

Christine Varney
Main Justice Building
950 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001
email antitrust@usdoj.com
ph 202-514-2401; fax 202-616-2645

Mr. Donald S. Clark
Federal Trade Commission
600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20580

Government officials from your own State

LKO Going Digital

Excitement is growing as we are finally installing the latest digital surfacing technology from Schnieder, allowing us to produce the newest “freeform” progressives and individualized single vision lenses. In-house production of “freeform” progressives will initially include Shamir Autograph, Autograph II, Element, and Seiko Succeed.

In-house digital surfacing will also allow us the flexibility to offer any coating combination currently available from LKO on all digitally surfaced lenses, including Zeiss Carat Advantage and ICE clear AR. Incremental digital production will begin in November with full production ready by the end of the month.

Another Independent Gone

Vision Monday is reporting  Madison, WI independent labortatory, Orion Progressive Lens Lab has been aquired by Essilor. The September 1st deal marks the 17th acquisition for Essilor in 2009. Orion reported $5 mil in revenue last year.