Tougher economic times lie ahead and practitioners must be ready to meet the challenges posed by another downturn in the economy head on, according to Sight Care chief executive Paul Surridge.
Speaking to Optician at Sight Care's 2011 conference, which took place on February 28 at Birmingham's Hilton Metropole hotel, Surridge explained that practitioners needed to recognise that planned job cuts in the public sector and increased taxation would further impact the retail business sector, including optical outlets.
'I don't think we have seen tough times yet. I think the next two years are going to be extremely difficult for some, but not for all,' he said. 'Once the public sector cuts come, once the job losses come and once direct and indirect taxation starts to make an impact, it is going to have an impact on all of us. People are going to start thinking twice about how they spend their money.
'Only those practices that have invested in people, marketing, technology and training, and who can be very confident about their offering are going to prosper. Those who are fearful and those that haven't invested in their business, are the ones that are going to come under great pressure,' he added.
This year the free-to-attend event had the theme 'Finding the competitive edge' and was attended by over 500 delegates, a figure that was slightly down on 2010, although higher than 2009. Speakers focused on exploring practical steps that practitioners could take to build their businesses, including tips on time management, marketing, PR and motivating staff.
During the conference, Sight Care also announced that it would embark on an extensive radio campaign, as part of its 'Eye Love My Local Independent' initiative, at the end of March. This will include around 40 live broadcasts on local radio stations focusing on the importance of good eye health.