There's some truth in the saying, 'never work with children or animals', even when dispensing spectacles. Many of us treat the youngest members of our society as an afterthought and provide them with little choice. However, children are fun and will be great lifetime customers if we invest enough time and interest in them.
Many of the parents who bring their children in for an eye examination are unhappy that their little angels need the dreaded glasses, perhaps remembering the stigma associated with eyewear during their own childhood. Times have changed and it is important to manoeuvre parents away from those images.
After all, they are not exactly relevant. The range of frames and lenses available today is aeons away from what was previously available. Opticians now have access to a wide range of metal and plastic frames in all the colours of the rainbow and designs from the simple rectangular to the frankly weird. It should only take a quick glance from the wary parents to convince them of the variety available to our younger customers. Children's frame displays should have a wide variety of frames and be divided into relevant age groups so the choices are easy to see.
Cost of course is a major consideration, especially for parents of very young children. Broken, twisted spectacles every two weeks are the bane of every parent's life and the costs mount up quickly. Many parents are interested only in the cheapest NHS frames, which makes for a very limited choice in styles. This is the time to roll out the options that will enhance the life-span of a pair of spectacles, such as memory metals and plastics, curl sides, lightweight frames and sports straps. This way, it is possible to open up the choice of frames without the parents fearing crippling repair costs. If they can afford it, lightweight titanium frames such as the Lindberg Kids range or ic! berlin's screwless frames are good for those children who have trouble keeping their frames intact. Upgrading the quality of specs will mean longer lasting frames and a better investment in the long run.
Older kids from five to 12 years old start having a stake in the choice of frames. They fall in two categories - those who want to wear specs or at least do not mind wearing them, and those who hate them. Kids nowadays are happier if they have made their own choices, even if the parents, who foot the bill, despise the frames. Remind the parents that the aim of the game is to get the children wearing their glasses when they are required to. The bottom line is that if the child hates their spectacles, they will simply not wear them, irrespective of what their parents think. If the frames the child has chosen increase their street-cred among their peer group then the incentive to wear them increases. Children who have positive responses to their specs will always wear them when they need them and will continue to take their vision and visual correction seriously into the teenage years and adulthood. Getting parents to dig a little into their pockets will mean much less grief as the child gets older and the likelihood of the child looking after their frames increases.
It all changes when it comes to teenagers because parents tend to be involved only when it comes to money. Despite this it is best to keep them happy by checking what their budget is and asking discreetly for feedback and approval. By offering the teenager a choice of frames largely in that price range allows the optician freedom to focus on the patient. Teenagers usually have a fixed idea of what they want even if it may be blatantly obvious that it will not suit them. It is a good idea to allow your semi-adult customer to try exactly what they think they want and then slip in a few frames that may be more suitable. Never make a fuss about it! Today's savvy teenager will more than likely want something that is a bit different that will make them look stylish and cool.
Parents of children of any age group will react positively if their child seems to be genuinely happy with the choice of frame and the optician has spent time getting to know and interacting with their child. Building a relationship with the child gives the parent a measure of trust in the optician, so going on to discuss lens choices with the best optical and aesthetic results is an easier conversation.
Our contented young patients mean happy parents and therefore many years of returning custom from them and their parents. They are going to be our future varifocal wearers one day!