Do you know how to set realistic performance expectations for your optical? Even a solo ophthalmologist can easily generate optical revenue into the thousands of dollars that is on par with many small companies. Yet doctors frequently trust the complex operations of their optical to a lone, overworked administrator who knows very little about managing an optical and is already stretched for time. Or worse, attempt to manage the optical themselves.
- Optical Business Coaching
- Full-Service Optical Consulting for Ophthalmic Practices
- Show Time
- Frame Inventory Selection
- Optical Personnel Hiring
- Optical Manager Contract Negotiation
- Training
- Miscellaneous Services
Optical Business Coaching
You have a great manager that doesn’t know a lot about optical management and really doesn’t have time to learn it on his or her own. We can put into place management statistics and reporting systems that will help track opticals efficiency and employees’ productivity. Twenty-four months of guidance, support, recommendations and advice to keep management focused on achieving specific goals. Suggestions to improve net while working to increase optical gross.
Full-Service Optical Consulting for Ophthalmic Practices
Opticals are as different as the patients they serve. That’s why we provide both full-service agreements as well as flexible e-mail and telephone coaching and business consulting arrangements. With our guidance, you will know how to profit from on-site optical opportunities, dispensary negotiations, and how to offset the financial impact of the inevitable changes brought by decreased reimbursement rates in other areas of the practice.
Show Time
Why don’t your patients purchase from your optical? Did it ever occur to you that part of the reason might be because it doesn’t look inviting? Neither you nor your optical manager may have the merchandising expertise to decorate your optical in an eye-catching, tasteful manner. We will coach you towards success as you decorate your optical, re-arrange your frames, and give you confidence that you will be able to do it yourself in the future.
Frame Inventory Selection
A wholesale frame can cost from $10 to $600 and stocking an optical can quickly eat up your available cash or line of credit. With literally hundreds of frame manufacturers to choose from, how do you select the frames that will sell? Donna Suter Consulting can help you choose vendors and lines based on patient and community demographics. Then, we’ll work with your agent to set up accounts with buying groups and negotiate discounts and delayed billing from frame vendors.
Optical Personnel Hiring
Do you know what type of personality is best suited to working in an optical? We’ve found that a high-producing frame stylist is both detail-oriented and comfortable in a selling situation. Now that you know this, do you know what questions to ask to determine both personality traits and technical skill?
We are available to assist in hiring your optical team, including a sample of ads, interviewing top candidates, checking references, and making recommendations. Whether you’re looking for one person for your entire optical team, this service offers invaluable assistance in ensuring optical profitability.
Optical Manager Contract Negotiation
You have someone in mind to manage your optical but don’t want to enter into the negotiation process without knowing more about what salary ranges are typical. You may not know how to calculate how much your optical will gross so you’re not sure how to protect your desired net. In addition to providing you with that information, we can interview individuals seeking to partner with the practice and recommend compensation models that provide adequate financial incentive for a managing optician while ensuring an acceptable return on investment for owner(s).
Training
Why doesn’t your optical make as much as those you read about in the magazines? You may have optical staff that is a perfect match, but they’ve never been trained. What to say and how to say it can make the difference between an order taker and a moneymaker. Our customized optical training is designed to increase efficiency and productivity. Your training may include workbooks, videos, and scripts.
Miscellaneous Services
- Start-up optical
- Optical sales and technical training
- Frameboard assessment
- Capture rate enhancement
- Co-op strategies
- Mystery shopping
- Financial pro formas
- Lens guides
- Employee productivity and bonus evaluation