first person

five Questions for…

by Karlen McLean, ABOC, NCLC

Optical industry veteran Dave Delle Donne recently took the reins of Optical Distribution Corporation as CEO. He plans to strengthen the Rodenstock brand of lenses in the U.S. and grow ODC in the process. We asked him how ECPs can strengthen their practices this year.

1 EB: How should ECPs market products today?

DD: Approximately 80 percent of point-of-purchase materials displayed in a practice promotes frame brands. With ophthalmic lens designs and coating technologies rapidly advancing, ECPs and their patients can benefit from allocating more space for educational material on the latest lens and coating technologies.

Consumers are very interested in learning about their vision correction options from a trusted source. Having materials available creates an ideal opportunity to begin the discussion process.

2 EB: What can eyecare practitioners do better?

DD: To increase capture rates, take time in the exam room to explain the lens design, material, and coating that's best suited for each patient. Escort patients, recommendation in hand, to the dispensary. This may sound very basic, but only a small percentage of practices use this process. The most successful ones I've visited follow it for all patients—private pay and managed care.

It may add two or three minutes at the end of an exam, but it will pay off handsomely in increased capture rate and premium product sales.

3 EB: How can lenses become a bigger part of practice revenues?

DD: Today's consumers are attracted to products that can be personalized to individual preferences, and they're willing to spend more for those products—the iPod and TiVo, for example.

The latest generation of lenses also delivers customization or individualization for patients. With comprehensive ECP training on the benefits of personalized lens designs, combined with increased patient awareness and education efforts, I envision a much bigger role for lens products in the future.

4 EB: How will Rodenstock position itself in today's marketplace?

The Personal Touch

I just read… Good to Great by Jim Collins. It focuses on passion, branding, and corporate culture. For relaxation, I like to… Go to Amelia Island, Fla., where my wife and I hang out on the beach, go surf fishing, and then cook our catch. Do you have pets? Yes, Pepper, an 11-year-old border collie lab mix, and a nine-month-old yorkapoo (Yorkshire terrier and poodle mix) named Sunny. I'm on the road… About 50 percent of the time, with travel between my home base in Atlanta and company headquarters in Columbus, plus travel to see our customers.

DD: The Rodenstock brand is globally recognized as providing high quality lens designs and materials. It is also recognized as a leading designer and manufacturer of fashionable and functional frames. In the U.S., Rodenstock will focus on the premium segment for lenses and frames. ODC also offers ClearChoice lenses, a family of lenses featuring core lens designs and materials.

5 EB: What mistakes does our industry keep making, and how can we correct them?

DD: Unlike other industries, ophthalmic lens designs are never discontinued, which has created inefficiencies and higher costs to manage and supply dated products.

A collective effort by manufacturers, ECPs, and labs is needed to remove dated products from the marketplace and to adopt an efficient product life cycle management process. The ultimate beneficiary will be the patient. EB