1. Start with Doc
A good relationship with local doctors has to be the best networking an optician can do. It is of course a two way street – an eye test can show up a far wider range of conditions than just short or long sight, so doctors should be keen to establish a working relationship with you. You would also be helping to save GPs’ time and hence the NHS’s budget. Doctors need your services themselves, of course. If you became known as the optician doctors choose that could only boost your practice.
2. Happy
Everybody wants happy customers. You want them walking out the door delighted with their new glasses or contact lenses because the delighted customer tells 18 people about you. The satisfied customer tells four and the disgruntled customer tells nine. Ask them for referrals – a nice letter or email from you saying, for instance, ‘your sister suggested I contact you because she was so pleased with our services’ could recruit one new customer per existing patient.
3. Grumpy
The polar opposite to Happy, you might want to avoid him but reality says you’ll get the Grumpys of this world from time to time. Don’t try to jolly him along – Grumpy likes being grumpy. If he’s rude, be even ruder right back. Typically Grumpy will bitch about any price, but he will usually want the best – don’t cave in to his discount demands or every Grumpy in town will be on your doorstep the very next day.
4. Bashful
Don’t confuse Bashful with Tight-wad. He’s not a spendthrift because he doesn’t show off. So he tends to be unfairly landed with the tight-wad epithet. He can afford a sexy brand of eyewear but fights shy – he’s bashful. That doesn’t stop him coveting a particular brand. Encourage him to try your range. You could be drawing him out of his shyness and so doing him a big favour.
5. Dopey
Aah, who couldn’t like Dopey? Actually, that should be you. Not for nothing is he called Dopey. He ignores your reminders to have an update eye test (and swears blind he never got the letter). He buys on price rather than to your recommendation. He’s always late for an appointment or just fails to turn up. Basically, he treats both his eyes and his optician in a cavalier fashion. It could be time to tell him goodbye.
6. Sleepy
He hasn’t woken up to all the new options available to him. Have you kept him updated? If not, maybe it’s you who’s sleepy. You also definitely need to stay in touch with patients on a regular basis or they are inclined to sleepwalk into another practice. Build an email database and communicate regularly – as long as your emails are creative and engaging you can send far more often than you think.
7. Sneezy
There are lots of allergic reactions that show themselves in sneezes and are also associated with watering eyes. The classic is hay fever. They affect a lot of customers. Anyone who wears contact lenses should be urged to keep them well lubricated in general, but this is especially true when the pollen is flying.