FMO promotes word of mouse

Having a strong online presence could boost optical businesses as the high street dwindles, an FMO regional meeting was told.

FMO members heard how demand for optical appliances was likely to fare by the end of the decade. Speakers at the event in Birmingham last week included Mark Honeywell, the FMO statistics adviser, and Jean Pousson, a management consultant with knowledge of the optical sector.

'Word of mouse has replaced word of mouth - your online presence is very important. You need to be smart in business and look at the changing dynamics. Sometimes competitors are not who you think they might be and new people coming into the market tend to break the rules,' said Pousson.