Transform Your Office to Create a Differentiating Patient Experience 
Jason Miller, OD, differentiates the practice he co-owns with amenities like a reception area with refreshments, which patients immediately see upon entering the office. He makes an effort to consider the office from the patient’s perspective, knowing that a visit that flows well and is comfortable will set his practice apart from the competition.>>READ MORE>>
Workwith FramesVendors for a More Profitable Optical Dispensary
By Robert Bell
Analyzing sales figures with yourframes vendorsenables youto separate slow-moving frames lines from winning lines. >>READ MORE>>
Net Cash Flow: Is Your Practice Financially Healthy?
By Robert Schultz and Kip Holmes
Net cash flow is the lifeblood of an optometric practice. Here are threefinancial scenarios,showing three variations of net cash flow.Compare them to your practiceto see if itishealthy and salable. >>READ MORE>>
Electronic Data Loss: Know How to Respond
By John Todd Cornett , OD
Data loss happens, but you cannot afford any interruption in the services you deliver to patients. Here are tips ondeveloping a plan to respond to a technological crisis–before it happens. >>READ MORE>>
ROB Fast Fact
30 Percent Use Daily Consumers Use Deal Sites for 50 Percent Eyewear Discounts
Some 29.5 percent of consumers use daily deal sites like Groupon and Ideeli to lower the cost of eyewear purchases by more than 50 percent, according the Vision Council’s 2011 Daily Deal Eyewear Report. Some 24.4 percent use these daily sites to lower the cost of their eyewear purchases by less than 50 percent, while 23.1 percent use these sites to lower the cost of their eye exam, and 14.1 percent use daily deal sites to allow them to buy multiple pairs of eyewear. Some 23.1 percent reported that they use daily deal sites for “other.”
In Brief
Independent ECP Confidence 
Rose in July
In July, the outlook of independent ECPs toward business rose for a second month, according to the latest edition of Jobson Optical Research’s Optical Business Barometer (OBB). Reaching a peak at 3.9 in March, the OBB index reflecting independents’ outlook dipped in April to 3.6 and again in May to 3.4. The results for June 2011 rose to 3.6. For July, the Barometer is at a score of 3.7, a rise from both the previous month and also from the same month last year, when the index was at 3.5. >>READ MORE>>
Back to School Means Spending
Fifty five million children from pre-K through high school and enrolled in public and private schools across America, and another 19 million young adults are enrolled in colleges and universities. Despite tough economic times, this group is expected to spend $7 billion in back-to-school clothing, the U.SCensus. Bureau reports.
VSP Vision Care Launches Eye Pledge through Boys and Girls Clubs of America
VSP Vision Care (VSP) is launching the Eye Pledge campaign, which will provide up to 50,000 free eye exams and glasses to Boys & Girls Club kids around the country, with a value of more than $19 million. >>READ MORE>>
The Business of Eye Care Forum Coming to a City Near You
The HOYA Free-Form Company presents a powerful team-building opportunity to eyecare professionals and their staff. The Business of Eyecare Forum is a full-day program providing four different practice development seminars by Cleinman Performance Partners. Get your staff motivated to work as a team, provide the best patient care, and support the success of your practice. >>READ MORE>>
ROB Poll:More than Half of CL Patients Buy Annual Supplies
Some 29 percent of ROB readers say 41 to 60 percent of their contact lenses patients purchase annual supplies. Fourteen percent of readers say 61 to 81 percent of contact lenses patients purchase annual supplies, while another 14 percent say 81 percent-plus of their contact lenses patients opt for annual supplies.
