Mintel suggests new ideas to attract customers

David Challinor reports on Mintel's advice for more profitable practices

Mintel's bi-yearly research on consumer attitudes to opticians is always worth waiting for, and the latest report is no exception.

With trading on the high street tougher than it has been for many years, it is even more important for practitioners and retail managers to find out what the public wants, and get a further insight into patients' demands and needs.

For Opticians UK 2006 the market research company interviewed 1,541 people aged 15+ during November last year.

Due to flat market conditions the report urges opticians to differentiate and come up with new ideas to attract customers.

One suggestion is that businesses could help consumers who are pressed for time by establishing 'drop in' eye health clinics. With consumers busier than ever, a key number of them (11 per cent in Mintel's survey) would like to have the opportunity to attend this type of outlet. This idea is particularly popular among the 35-44 age group, and those shoppers who use the multiples.

Expert service

Another way a practice or business could distinguish itself from its rivals is to boast about new equipment that has been installed. 'Many opticians are installing up-to-date testing equipment, but relatively few consumers (6 per cent) agreed that their optician is "state of the art",' the report states. 'This could be because of the fairly low penetration of the latest equipment, showing that those who have invested could be differentiating themselves.'

Looking at their research more closely Mintel found that the wealthier socio-economic 'AB' group is most likely to mention expertise when thinking about the last optician they used, prompting the report to conclude that marketing to these higher spenders should emphasise the concept of practitioners being 'eye health experts'.

Loyalty, of course, remains crucial for practice success, and Mintel believes professionals should put more effort into trying to make their male patients more interested in returning than their female, as the latter group is more likely to return to the same practice.

For supermarkets involved in optometry - namely Tesco and Asda - the report bears bad news. There appear to be a substantial number of people as yet unimpressed with the prospect of having an eye examination in their premises.

In total, 29 per cent of respondents to Mintel's research stated they would not get their eyes tested in a supermarket environment. The report says: 'the supermarkets clearly have some way to go to convince consumers that their optical outlets are every bit as good as any they might go to in the high street'.

With all the hoo-ha over last year's changes to contact lens regulations, it appears those companies that have started to offer lenses in pharmacies should market to the younger age group. Mintel found 15-24 year olds were happiest using a chemist for contact lenses, and the researchers suggest that the liberalisation will, in time, have an impact on conventional outlets for lenses.

For those offering, or considering to offer, refractive surgery, the report found nearly a third of respondents found the idea of having the procedure as 'scary' and a fifth thought it 'risky'. Mintel suggests the sector needs yet more PR to convince potential consumers to consider having laser eye surgery. However, 'Opticians 2006' claims there are positive signs that the market could bounce back in 2006 as it calculates that 6 per cent of all adults are considering it.

Quality counts

With little or no product innovation to stimulate the bedrock of spectacle sales in the market, Mintel believes it will be the quality of those manning the practices that will count.

'The quality of staff, at all levels of the business, is vital to opticians,' the report concludes. 'Opticians need to communicate complicated products and sales messages to their customers as well as developing good customer relationships. For the future, opticians will invest more in their staff training and this will play a more important role in the success of businesses.

'Those opticians that succeed will be the ones that have invested in good staff, good shop fits and great customer service.'
As for the retail players themselves, with the high street outlook remaining tough for opticians, the report ends with a stark warning: 'Companies with good bank balances and good backing will be best placed to survive.'

Opticians 2006 is available from Mintel this month. Readers can buy a discounted copy of the report by calling Tom Stingemore on 020 7606 6000.