Better service is key to extra patient revenue

New research has found that one in 10 consumers would pay more when they visit their opticians if they received a higher level of service.

In particular, data suggests that if they were prompted by staff in their selection of eyewear they would increase their spending significantly.

The claims come from the 2006 Ophthalmic Goods & Services report produced by market analyst and information provider Key Note.

Although almost half  (47 per cent) of those respondents to the report's consumer research said they had had an eye test in the last 12 months, 10 per cent of the sample have never had an appointment. It appears from the research that more men than women have neglected having their sight checked.

The researchers quizzed 991 adults at the end of 2005 via BMRB Access. Six per cent of respondents said they had been tested more than once in the last year, and 37 per cent had undergone an eye test, but not during the previous 12 months.

Key Note states that the majority of the public value the profession's service, with 73 per cent of its survey stating that they find eye tests useful, and just 6 per cent having concerns over the quality of their tests.
The report also gives an insight into consumer buying habits. Almost a quarter of respondents said they chose their spectacles primarily on cost, with 9 per cent swayed by designer frames. A further 9 per cent said they would prefer to pay more if they received a higher quality of assistance in selecting eyewear, as well as aftercare and service.

Nevertheless, said a spokeswoman for Key Note, cost is still king when it comes to determining their purchasing.

'As the market has become increasingly competitive and price sensitive, growth has slowed significantly,' she said. 'Although high-end designer frames are still highly popular, consumers are shopping around for the best deals and the use of the internet is accelerating this trend.'
Key Note estimates that in 2005 the total UK ophthalmic goods and services market was worth £3.47bn, a rise of 6 per cent on 2004, and this growth will continue over the next five years.