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Hot List: January 2008
1 Sticky Business
This year's Retail Advertising Conference, hosted by the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association at the Hilton Chicago, will discuss how to stand out in a crowded market. Dan Heath, co-author of "Made to Stick," will discuss his six principles for getting people to pay attention, believe, and care about an idea. The two-day conference and exhibition Feb. 6 to 8, brings together retail marketing and advertising executives as well as vendors and media partners, For more information, visit www.rama-nrf.org.
2 Management Steps
Bruce Tulgan's book, "IT'S OKAY TO BE THE BOSS: The Step-by-step Guide to Becoming the Manager Your Employees Need" covers eight steps to being a great boss.
Are you doing the following?
| STEP 1: Get in the habit of managing every day STEP 2: Learn to talk like a performance coach STEP 3: Take it one person at a time STEP 4: Make accountability a real process STEP 5: Tell people what to do and how to do it STEP 6: Track performance every step of the way STEP 7: Solve small problems before they turn into big problems STEP 8: Do more for some people and less for others |
| 3 Box Score |
| Increasing sales may involve thinking inside the box. Business consultant Doug Fleener of Dynamic Experiences (www.dynamicexperiencesgroup.com) recommends setting up a square contest to excite the staff and spur selling add-ons. An optical dispensary can list items such as sunglasses, second pairs, cases, and AR upgrades—anything to fill three to 12 squares. Keep the chart at the register or in the back room and as each goal is met, put the staffer's initials in the box. A prize can go to the first person to get a specific category, to the first person who initials each box, or to the whole staff when everyone fills the boxes. This is an effective way to keep staff talking about extras and staying engaged in the selling process. |
Shifts at Transitions
Brett Craig is the new president of Transitions Optical, Inc., and Rick Elias is now CEO.
Craig, who was most recently COO, will drive Transitions business strategies, including strengthening partnerships with Transitions' customers to meet ongoing growth objectives.
Elias, most recently president, will focus his efforts on aligning with key global Transitions customers toward mutual, strategic growth.
In addition to Craig's past role as COO, he also served as managing director, Asia Pacific; and managing director, Europe, Middle East, Africa, of the company.
Elias has been with Transitions in various roles since the company's inception. In addition to COO, he has served as vice president, marketing and sales, and as president. He also is vice president, optical products with PPG Industries, Inc., the majority parent of Transitions.
| New Leadership Set at Marcolin |
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| The Board of Directors of Marcolin S.p.A., has appointed Massimo Saracchi managing director and general manager. Massimo Saracchi, 49, has worked as as vice president of marketing of Procter & Gamble, developing several European businesses for the company, and he successfully managed P&G's the joint venture with Fater S.p.A. From 2002 to 2007 Saracchi has been managing director of Unopiù, consolidating the European leadership of the company in the outdoor furniture sector. Antonio Bortuzzo, has resigned from all his positions in the Marcolin Group. His resignation as managing director was immediate, and the resignation from the position of general manager and from positions in the other companies of the group is effective Jan. 31. Giovanni Marcolin, President of the Company, stated: "I'm sure that the arrival of a top manager such as Saracchi will allow the Company to further develop its business worldwide as a high quality eyewear manufacturer in the luxury segment." |
License Lineup
Lighthouse International and CNIB, a Canadian not-for-profit organization, which provides services across Canada for those living with vision loss, have signed a licensing agreement bringing the state-of-the-art Electronic Vision Rehabilitation Record (EVRR) to over 50 CNIB locations across Canada.
EVRR, developed by Lighthouse International and funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the first web-enabled electronic record based on best clinical practice for people with vision loss.
Information from the collective international database will impact and improve treatment by all specialists in the vision rehabilitation field and may impact other healthcare fields.
Lucky Brand Jeans and REM Eyewear have signed a licensing agreement for Lucky Brand Spectacles. Rooted in rock 'n' roll with a signature sense of humor, Lucky Brand Spectacles is a complete collection of retro eyewear for men and women.
The premiere collection consists of 15 optical frames, available in January 2008, with three additional styles to be released in April 2008 at independent optical retailers nationwide.
In addition, 12 sunglass styles were introduced at select Lucky Brand neighborhood jeans stores and luckybrandjeans.com in December and will be expanded in March 2008 to nationwide optical retailers and better department stores, as well as independent specialty locations.
VEW Audit: Attendance on the Rise
Continuing its upward trend, International Vision Expo West representatives announced that audit results showed the conference's attendance has increased for third straight year.
The event, which took place in Las Vegas Oct. 3 through 6, 2007, had a total show attendance of 13,210, including exhibit hall visitors and conference attendees.
"International Vision Expo continues to grow and thrive as the single most relevant event for the entire ophthalmic community," said Tom Loughran, event director for show manager Reed Exhibitions. "And, specifically, the attendance growth in the continuing education program solidifies the Vision Expo position as the largest CE provider in the United States."
In 2007, the final audited figures show 4,471 conference participants and 8,681 exhibit hall attendees. The overall attendance of 13,210 is a slight increase of the 2006 total of 13,180.
"While the switch to early October dates provided challenges on some fronts, overall we are pleased with the solid attendance," said Deborah Malakoff, vice president trade shows, Vision Council of America. "Vision Expo West will be in this new time frame for the 2008 and 2009 events. We are committed to Las Vegas and are working with our partners to strengthen the event for both attendees and exhibitors."
The audit reveals that 38 percent of attendance represents the Pacific region; and 15 percent from the Mountain region, followed closely by 13 percent of overall attendance from outside the United States.
The remainder, 34 percent, represents the eastern and Midwestern sections of the United States.
For additional information and a total rundown of the figures, the full audit report is available online at www.visionexpowest.com.
| Essilor |
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| Strengthens Lab Network in U.S. & U.K. Essilor has strengthened it prescription lab network in the U.S. by acquiring the assets of Premier Optics, Inc., and Gold Optical Enterprises, Inc., located respectively in Belmont and Fayetteville, N.C. Also acquired is GK Optical, with labs in Greenwood and Fort Wayne, Ind. The three companies combined full-year revenue totals $8.5 million dollars. In the United Kingdom, Essilor has acquired majority stakes in Sinclair Optical Services in Gloucester, England and United Optical in Belfast, Northern Ireland, with a subsidiary in Athlone, Ireland. Sinclair's full-year sales are €8 million; United's full-year revenue is around €5.8 million. |
| Test Your Mettle! |
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| Take a crack at these questions for ODs from a previous Varilux Optometry Super Bowl and for opticians from a National Federation of Opticianry Schools College Bowl. OPTOMETRY Q. Prostigmin and Tensilon tests are used in diagnosing what disease affecting extraocular movements? OPTICIANRY Q. Inside the eye, the equatorial junction between the ciliary muscle and the retina is called the____. |
| Test Your Mettle ANSWERS |
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| Thanks to Essilor and the NFOS for providing this month's questions and answers. Optometry Answer: Myasthenia Gravis Opticianry Answer: Ora Serrata |
Web World
Vision-Ease Lens recently introduced its first bilingual Website enhancement at www.vision-ease.com, specialized to serve its growing Latin American client base.
With the website extensions, Vision-Ease Lens is able to offer comprehensive communication and increase its credibility among diverse consumer markets, company representatives note.
In addition to listing product specifications, the site provides users with Vision-Ease Lens product availability, education, distributors, processing tips, and contact information.
Patients can "try on" FreshLook® colors and effects before they go to their eyecare professionals' office.
CIBA Vision's Fresh-Look Color Studio, a new section of freshlookcontacts.com, is an on-line tool that allows patients to upload their photo, select the FreshLook color they'd like to see on their eyes and then view their new look. This simplifies the color selection process and can help save chair time and money for practices by allowing patients to try the different colors and effects, change their eye color in subtle or dramatic ways and pre-select their favorite look.
Interested patients choose a favorite photo of themselves, upload it to the site, and browse the available colors to create a look that's right for them. Photos with the final eye color selections can be emailed directly to family and friends or stored on the site.
Robert la Roche has relaunched its homepage, www.robert-laroche.com, with a new look and new information about the world of Robert la Roche. The login area makes it possible to see the company's complete collection via 3D-animation frames.
OLA's Race to Success
1. Corrine Hood (l) inducts new OLA officers (l to r) Barney Dougher, J. Larry Enright, Kevin Bargman, Jonathan Jacobs, and Ed Dietz; 2. Dave Cole (l) and John Ligas introduce Transitions VI. 3. Pat Hernandez, PSI (l) and Richard Kapash, Augen Optics, launch the exclusive Augen U.S. distributorship with PSI. 4. At "Done!—Stop Talking, Stop Waiting and Start Doing!"general session leader Barry Wishner (l), asks Larry Lahr (r), 51-year optical veteran and executive vice president of Eye-Kraft Optical lab, about industry changes
The Optical Laboratories Association meeting was held in Indianapolis, Nov. 15 to 17, 2007. Attendance was up 10 percent from the previous year, according to event organizers.
Education featured Sales University, including Frame and Lens University, a new program designed for lab sales reps, plus three general sessions, an Optical Women's Association session, and focus on business building topics.
New officers and board members were installed at the annual business meeting. Officers for 2007-2008 are: Paul "Barney" Dougher, president; J. Larry Enright, president-elect; Kevin Bargman, vice president; Jonathan Jacobs, treasurer; and Ed Dietz III, immediate past president. Directors include: William Ball, Mike Francesconi, Virginia Lesher, Drake McLean, Dale Parmenteri, and Jeff Szymanski.
Directors whose terms continue during 2008 are: John Haigh, Ron Scholtzhauer, and Bob Way.
The Eighth Annual Hall of Fame Dinner (formerly Optical Pioneers) honored David A. Beach, James P. Dougher, John L. Enright, Ronald Ray Steffey, Amos "Tex" Williams, and Billy A. West (posthumously).
Awards of Excellence went to:
Director's Choice Award: Transitions Optical, Inc.; Best Exhibitor: Satisloh North America, Inc.; Best in Dress Frames: Tuscany Eyewear Mount Eyewear Pure Titanium TQ and Capri Optics Flexure Memory Metal Collection; Best in Safety Frames: Titmus SW06; Best in Specialty Frames: Tuscany Eyewear Polarized Sunglass Model 60; Best in Children's Frames: Nouveau Eyewear Nickelodeon SpongeBob SquarePants Nautical Toon; Best in Lens Materials: Younger Optics DriveWear Activated by Transitions.
Best in Lens Designs: Carl Zeiss Vision GT2 by Zeiss; Best in Lens Treatments: Hoya Vision Care Super Hi-Vision; Best in Marketing: The Art ' Science of DriveWear
Activated by Transitions Education Tour and Marketing Materials; Best in Surfacing Equipment: Gerber Coburn DTL Generator Series; Best in Surfacing Materials and Tools: Digital Vision Combobulator.
Best in Finishing Equipment: Satisloh North America ES-3; Best in Finishing Materials and Tools: DAC Vision HydroEdge; Best in Lens Treatment Equipment: Satisloh North America G4; Best in Accessory Products: Hilco Sun Pod Sunclip System.
The next OLA is planned for Nashville, Nov. 6 through 8.
STAR Gazers
1. Heiress Paris Hilton almost looks like any other traveler carrying her pillow under one arm and a duffle bag on the other. But the blonde diva, wearing Chrome Hearts Queenie from OSA International, is surely being followed by her typical entourage of security guards and paparazzi.
2. Pre-baby, 26-year-old socialite Nicole Ritchie, took a coffee break looking oh-so-classy wearing Bvlgari style BV 8008B from Luxottica.
3. The girls are back! The movie version of the TV hit "Sex and the City," will be released this summer. Kim Cattrall, who plays the infamous Samantha, will sport Alexander McQueen style 4074S from Safilo in the film.
4. The 58 year-old star Ed Harris looked sharp wearing Viper from Kenmark's Wolverine collection throughout his recent film "Gone Baby Gone," a directing debut for actor Ben Affleck.
5. This "One Tree Hill" star, Sophia Bush, demonstrated her big screen abilities in the 2007 remake of the 1986 horror film "The Hitcher." After her performance, she landed another movie role in "The Narrows," scheduled to hit theatres this year. The budding star recently stepped out wearing FENDI FS394 from Marchon.
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