Nobody expects a small independent practice to compete on price with a branch of a large multiple that has purchase power and professional buyers negotiating for them to get the best price on various goods. However, there are independent businesses in optics and other industries that still trade, still do well, and have loyal customers. So what keeps them in business?
Service, time and quality make up my three key elements for business success. We are old fashioned in the way we take time with our patients – allowing longer appointments and providing high quality personnel. All our dispensing staff are fully qualified dispensing opticians (DOs). And we must have quality products. In my practice, one of our DOs does all our buying. She has a great eye for new styles, she monitors trends within the industry and in fashion, and gets the right product on our displays consistently.
We deal with a market leader for lenses, and one of my concerns has been that the public can buy their products online. This has made me look at alternatives, and I am surprised just how many there are and what level of tech is available.
Lens designs are more complex now than ever before, and the quality end of the market is no longer owned by just the few. Modern manufacturing techniques allow small labs to seriously compete with their big brother brands. The freeform market is exciting, fresh and different.
Now, my practice is still using some big brands but we also offer newer, more innovative alternatives. You know when using these smaller independent labs that your money is helping support another local business. I like to use my local labs and showcase some of their amazing and unique lenses that my customers cannot buy online for less.
Talk to your local lab about their freeform offering and become familiar with all their products – because otherwise you may be missing an opportunity.