Smiles and service over screens: How to compete with online retailers

Image credit: AdobeStock/ProductionPerig

Over the past decade, small independent optical stores have seen online optical retailers impact our businesses to varying degrees. Patients have always had the option of shopping for glasses and contacts online, and the recent Ophthalmic Practice Rules (or Eyeglass Rule) legislation may encourage more to do so. I’ve heard colleagues voice concerns that there’s just no way to compete with online companies because of their buying power, prices, and 24/7 accessibility. For some patients, ordering online is right for them; they may prefer the efficiency of a screen. But I’ve found that most of my patients value other things more than efficiency and maybe saving a dollar or two.

Relationships and community

In an increasingly online culture, having relationships that are real and face-to-face can be very important to people, especially when it comes to health care. I am proud to say that I feel I truly know most of my patients because they live in the communities I serve. Almost on a daily basis, patients walk by our practice and wave to my team through the glass windows. Building patient relationships is really no different than building personal relationships. It goes back to that saying, “People don’t care what you know until they know that you care.”

My team is taught that even though we provide health care, care has to always come first. Here are some tips to help build relationships:

• Get personal: Know patients’ names and greet them as you would a friend. Take notes so you know their family’s names too (especially the kids) and dates or events that are important to them.
• Take time: Not a lot of businesses do this anymore, so it not only surprises patients, but also delights them. Relationships are built by investing time while the patient is in the office to have real conversations and by taking the time between appointments to reach out and connect. This can be done digitally through social media and by text, but note cards and phone calls are especially impactful.
• Help. Don’t just sell: People don’t want to be sold or told. They want to be part of their health care journey, and they want to be confident that you are doing what’s in their best interests—not just trying to close a sale. Yes, it’s important that we make a profit and stay in business. But those outcomes are a natural result of doing what’s right for your patients and community.

Service and smiles

Poor service seems to be creeping into every “service” industry—at least if you believe what you see on social media. When a business goes above and beyond expectations, again, it not only surprises but also delights people. A friend in Oregon told me about a restaurant that had people lining up at the door. This restaurant was built on the idea that pleasing customers creates loyalty, referrals, and profits. After her order was taken, she was surprised (and delighted) by a free entrée to share at the table that had a little flag in it that said, “Random Act of Yumminess!” Now that’s creating great word of mouth that has now reached all the way across the country.

We have a similar goal: to have our patients so happy they tell their friends and family about our practice. My team works very hard to make sure every patient leaves with a smile on their face. And the smiles on our faces as we serve our patients are truly genuine because we delight in helping people see great and look even better.

Convenience and solutions

Even though some patients believe it’s more convenient to shop for eyewear online, we have found that empowering and enabling them to get the eyewear while in the store is more convenient. We’re up-front, and we tell them, “Yes, you may be able to find the frames and lenses online, and maybe even save a few dollars. But if you find a pair or two you really like or if you want to get a years’ supply of contact lenses, we may have a way for you to do that here instead of spending time searching online. Plus, we’re always here if you have issues with your eyewear.” When you help patients save time, provide value and make paying easier, they often prefer to get what they want now.To help make their eyewear and eyecare more affordable, we accept the CareCredit credit card as a financing option. I not only recommend the CareCredit credit card to my patients, but I have one myself—and many on my team do as well. CareCredit makes it easier by helping patients fit the cost into their monthly budget.

Ultimately, people buy from people they like and trust. It’s hard for patients to form any kind of connection with an online retail website. So leverage what you have to develop relationships within your community, deliver exceptional service that results in smiles, and provide convenience and solutions, and then watch your practice grow.