Consistency is a pillar of a business’s success. This month, we will focus on taking steps to ensure that a patient’s experience is equal to that of another. When the entire team is working together to provide an elevated level of service to each and every patient, without bias or presumption, we create a safe space in our communities to provide the vision care that everyone deserves.

TRENDING VIDEO ➤ JOIN SHEENA ON SOCIAL.

The #EBOpticalChecklist is breaking out of each issue with a monthly digital episode to our social channels. Join optical pro Sheena Taff as she applies these checklist items to real-world scenarios. Watch on EB’s Instagram (@eyecarebusinessmagazine) and TikTok (@eb_mag).

 

 

WEEK 1: TALK OPENLY.

Having an honest conversation about personal bias that can unintentionally affect our patient care doesn’t have to be a negative discussion; growth comes from facing this head-on.

□ Encourage staff members to share experiences when their bias was wrong and how they used this to grow.

□ Have staff members complete a confidential bias self-evaluation. Use this to have a roundtable conversation and prompt team members to self-reflect on if they are changing behavior toward different patients because of personal bias. Discuss ways to change that behavior.

□ Create a place on your website and Google that lists the insurance policies you accept and the government programs available for vision needs, and if you cannot offer services, include links to help patients find the support they need.

WEEK 2: BUILD TRUST.

Ensuring cohesive and clear answers to patients’ questions, regardless of whom they are asking in the practice, creates a trustful relationship with your clients.

□ Create email templates to answer common questions to save time and improve clarity.

□ Design a marketing email for your premier lens styles. Include info on the lens features and demo video links. Use them as digital pamphlets.

□ Have a staff specialty list. Ensure everyone in the practice knows whom to defer questions to. It is better to have the right person call a patient back than to attempt to answer a question on the spot that you don’t know the answer to.

□ Provide printed estimates. This ensures a patient’s intended purchase is saved and relieves sales pressure.

WEEK 3: LEARN THE LINGO.

Does all your team speak a lens language that patients can understand when explaining lens features and benefits to match their visual needs?

□ Sort through your pamphlets and consumer documents, such as rebates. Recycle the outdated or expired ones, and refresh with new paper or digital documents and ensure they are easy to access as handouts.

□ Have each employee read through the pamphlets and handouts they provide to patients. Using vendor pamphlets as a guide will have your whole team using the same terminology, with the same feature knowledge.

□ Have your opticians share a list of analogies that resonate with patients. Abstract lens concepts become clear as day when you use comparisons to other products.

WEEK 4: ENGAGE WITH EMPLOYEES.

It is important that staff members feel challenged and engaged—evolving in their roles. Repetition can lead to dissatisfaction and a mundane existence in their job.

□ Evaluate each employee’s interests by having a one-on-one convo on interests both inside and outside the optical.

□ Compile a sales and productivity report for each member of your team. This will give you an opportunity to identify whether anyone has become overly complacent and provide data on how they can bounce back.

□ Delegate one new task to each employee in an area outside their normal duties. This may spark a new skill set or, at minimum, help employees find a newfound understanding of how something is done in the practice.