Presenting Premium Product

Why the time is right for premium products, and how you can communicate their benefits to today's consumer.

It's an exciting time to be a part of the optical industry. Not only are products changing, but the demands of the population are changing as well. One significant shift is that the 45- to 64-year-old age group is growing twice as fast as the rest of the population.

We are currently experiencing a phenomenon called "The Ungraying of America." Simply stated, this means that although the population is aging, people still feel young. And, they are willing to spend money on products that make them feel that way. This is an important factor for both marketers and retailers to remember.

GOOD NEWS

It's been said that the aging of baby boomers is good news for two reasons. First, they are, depending on where they fall in the boomer age range, either presbyopes or emerging ones. And, second, sooner or later, they will admit it!

Though a bit tongue-in-cheek, the message is positive nonetheless. That's because baby boomers expect advanced technology in everything they buy—including their eyewear. They also expect the best value for their money.

As consumers look for the best value, we must understand that there is a difference between price and value. It is the consumer's job to question price. It is your job, as an eyecare professional, to create the value of the products you offer.

For example, if the only thing you can tell your patient about the difference between a CR39 bifocal and a progressive plastic photochromic lens is that photochromics are more expensive, how many will you sell? Not many.

However, if you talk about more natural vision with a progressive design, the comfort and convenience of a photochromic lens, etc., you have created and are communicating the value to your patient.

WIIFM

And, remember, patients don't want to know about features. They want to know about benefits. That is, the WIIFM: what's in it for me—how will my life be better with this product? The WIIFM is, after all, the reason why we buy.

Why is WIIFM so important? Because in today's competitive environment, retaining your patients is essential. You do that by meeting their needs with premium products—products like high index materials, aspheric lens designs, progressives, polycarbonate lenses, and adjustable tint photochromics.

To see just how important premium products are, let's take a look at why patients or customers will leave—that is, why they stop doing business with someone. When asked that question in a survey, nearly seven out of 10, 68 percent to be exact, reported they don't come back because they feel the owner, manager, or staff were indifferent to their needs.

If you, however, take the time to present premium product and to discuss the benefits of those products with patients, you will never have to worry about falling into that category. Instead, you will stand out as someone who does, indeed, care about their needs.

The second biggest reason consumers reported they stop doing business with someone may surprise you. It's because 10 percent of the respondents were reported to be chronic complainers. And also, because their complaints were not handled properly.

HANDLING COMPLAINTS

You probably know patients who fall into the "chronic complainer" category. How do you and your staff handle them? Ignoring their frustration won't help. From time to time, despite your best intentions as eyecare professionals, patients are going to have problems and complaints.

The reason it's worth your while to solve their problems is simple. Seven out of 10 complaining customers will do business with you again if you resolve the complaint in their favor.

Resolve it on the spot, and a whopping 95 percent of them will remain your customers. See the box "MANAGING CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS" (below) for seven tried and true steps to handling—and retaining as your customer—the irritated patient.

CREATING SATISFACTION

What we're really talking about here isn't complainers. It's about how to create satisfaction. The word may sound like something intangible, but satisfaction is something that is created by you, the eyecare professional.

For example, let's say a patient comes into your practice wearing a pair of CR39 bifocals. You decide they seem happy with them and see no reason to change them into something else. Are they satisfied when they leave? More than likely, the answer is yes.

But, what happens later when, on a bright and sunny day, they meet a friend who just purchased a pair of adjustable tint (photochromic) progressive lenses. Is your patient still satisfied with the job you did? Probably not. The lesson here is simple: If you don't tell your patients about new technology, someone else probably will.

TOP-DOWN SELLING

In order to both convert and satisfy patients, it's important to start at the top when discussing premium product options. Understanding that patients want their choices—and even demand their choices—it's important to start with the best visual solution.

It's equally important to demonstrate what the product does. For example, show why an aspheric lens is a better cosmetic option, and show them how an adjustable tint lens darkens to make them comfortable. Studies have shown that conducting a real visual demonstration is far more effective than showing patients a piece of literature.

Here's an example of how top-down selling works.

First, gather the facts about the patient. In this case, let's assume she told you she is sensitive to outdoor light and dislikes the idea of wearing glasses because they will make her look older. She is a new presbyope and has seen her friends in lined bifocals.

You start by showing her the best, most high-tech solution to her needs—in this case, photochromic lenses in a high index material and progressive addition design with an AR coating.

You have just presented the best visual solution based on light sensitivity and her desire to look younger. And, you've presented the best cosmetics available with high index and AR. By discussing her needs, this is what she was asking for.

If, however, she is not interested in this technology, ask her what she would like "to take off." This phraseology stresses that there are multiple technologies and multiple options here. So, it may be the AR she doesn't want, maybe it is the high index, or maybe it is the adjustable tint.

Whatever her preference, it is your job to work with this patient and to let her decide what it is that she either doesn't want or doesn't feel fits into her needs and her budget.

By implementing this method of product presentation—that is, by starting at the top and working with the patient to find what works best for their needs, wants, and budget—you will typically sell at least a progressive lens.

And, you'll have done it the right way, by starting at the top, not by starting at the bottom and adding on.

This is just one more way that you can build business in the premium lens category, the area that's most going to help build both patient satisfaction and your bottom line. EB