Despite the howls of protest in the Letters pages against my previous columns (22.10.10) I feel compelled by the onset of Optrafair and some interesting reading in the pages of Optician to urge Optician readers again to fully embrace the wonderful world of optical products.
I am also spurred on to do this by my enthusiasm for great optics which is supported by Optician's own research into lens habits (11.02.11).
Some Optician correspondents have been keen to dismiss my pleas for optical professionals to become better sales people as simple self interest, but the Seiko-sponsored research highlights some interesting findings.
Far from optical practices wanting to stick to what they know or only dispense what they are comfortable with, this survey shows that they are hungry for new, higher-value products. This proves what I have suspected all along, we all want the same thing, to see the public in better spectacles. That isn't going to happen by magic, so let's start collaborating more closely to make it reality.
With nearly half of practices expecting to make more use of progressives, photochromics and computer lenses and a fifth wanting so see an increase in the use of multi-coats and sports lenses, there is a lot of education needed and that is the key to creating change.
The research findings also debunk the criticism that the industry is bombarding practitioners with more of the same products packaged in a different way.
Good manufacturers believe in their products and strive to provide the best service to their customers. The education lens makers provide is designed to enable practices to transfer the benefits of those products to customers who will buy and enjoy them. The industry is ready and willing to provide that education - just look at the many roadshows on offer. It is now up to optical professionals to step forward.
A great opportunity will soon be upon us for optical practitioners to see many new lens products together in one place. That place is Optrafair, which will be held at the National Exhibition Centre in the Midlands around the weekend of April 9-11. Not only will many new products be on show, not just lenses, but they will be exhibited by those men and women who share my passion for good optics.
Optrafair is UK optics' only true trade show. It takes place once every two years and offers a great opportunity to meet the people who make the products that could make your business a greater success and your customers happier. ?