There are so many things that we can do in optical to make sure we are managing our day well while also providing an amazing patient experience.
One of my biggest time management hacks is booking my optical appointments. I began playing with the idea of booking optical appointments for myself back in 2018 I had been working in my office for three years and had began building a strong clientele base for myself which was amazing, but I also needed to make sure that I was making myself available and providing a customized experience. I knew optical appointments would be great to implement as in my previous work in luxury retail appointments are encouraged and I had encountered so much success with building a client base and had seen first had the trust and commitment that it builds. I was also able to see first hand how special my clients felt having a shopping experience that I customized for them based on their needs and all the special touches I would add since I had build a relationship with them, they absolutely loved it and I knew that I could provide the same experience with my new client base in the optical world.
Of course the first step was having a discussion with my boss about it because I was asking for something different and not typically done from my understanding in this type of setting... so once I was given the okay I began offering optical appointments to patients that would call in asking to come look for eyewear. Now you may be asking why are optical appointments important? Here are a couple of reasons...
Adds value to your time & expertise- You are providing a customized service it’s that simple. You are styling the patient, discussing lens options, talking insurance, taking measurements, and talking money (here is a link to my blog that goes into talking money with patients https://www.opticianistala.com/blogs/news/talking-money-eyewear-with-your-patients) all of these steps are very important and should be valued and appreciated!
You will stay on track & know exactly what to expect for the day- Your day is important and as an eyewear stylist you aren’t simply just sitting around waiting for the next patient to arrive, you have multiple task in between everything else that you do. When you book your opticals you set your schedule and can also book out others tasks in between such as calling labs, rep calls, follow ups.
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You’ll be able to prepare the patients choices in advance - You can have the patients insurance pulled, along with an estimate of what their lenses will cost. This is such a time saver you can essentially prepare multiple estimates with different add on options which allows for you to have prices prepared for the patient vs having to make changes on the spot.
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Preselected frames- Have a selection of curated frames for the patient when they arrive. If you have worked with the patient in the past chances are you know their style have some frames picked out for them to try on believe me they will appreciate it!⠀
⠀Booking your optical appointments isn’t only about time management , but is also about value... your time is valuable and so is your expertise don’t be afraid about making that known because you will only continue to build relationships with those that value you work. There is also a level of trust that you will build with your patients while providing a level of exclusivity.
Hope these tips help!