By Mark Hinton 
Cost-conscious consumers try to save money by putting new lenses in old frames. For a host of reasons–that you easily can explain–new frames serve them better.
Patients are always looking for ways to save money, but never more so than in economically uncertain times, like the ones we are living in. For that reason, many patients prescribed new eyeglasses prescriptions will ask your dispensary staff if they can just put the new lenses in the frame they already have. Helping patients to understand the financial risk of putting new lenses in old frames–and the benefits of purchasing new frames–is the first step to improving your optical sales.
Your optical staff can aid patients in finding new frames for their new lenses by explaining the financial benefits of making a new frames purchase, along with the opportunity to improve their fashion look, enhance the fit of the new lenses and provide them with a backup pair of eyeglasses.
Fully Explain Financial Risk
Your staff’s first response to a patient who wants to keep their old frames often comes across as pushy, creating distrust: “You really need new frames for new lenses.” The optician too often doesn’t take the time to explain why the patient would benefit from new frames, so the patient is left believing the optical staff is trying to take advantage of them by forcing an unnecessary purchase on them. Here is a better way to respond: “Mrs. Jones, I understand how much you love your old frames and why you would want to keep them, but before we put the order in to put your new lenses in those frames, I have a concern and I wonder if you have the same concern. Let’s say we make your new glasses and three or four months down the road your frames break. If that happens we would have to find frames that fit your new lenses, and if we are not able to, you would have to purchase yet another pair of new lenses along with new frames.”
“Oh, you mean you can’t just reorder a new pair of these old frames if the new lenses break?” the patient might then ask your staff. This is your chance to educate the patient further.
Explain that Old Frames Not Available for Reorder
Your staff can explain: “Many frames are discontinued by the manufacturer after as little as six months, so if those frames are a year or older, there is very little chance we will be able to reorder a new pair that is exactly the same. Lenses are cut with extreme precision to fit each pair of frames, so for those new lenses to work properly they would need to be fitted into the exact same pair of frames. Trying to fit lenses into frames they were not originally cut for is like trying to fit a key that was made for the front door of your house into the lock of your car door.”
Patients usually are reasonable people who are responsive when you fully explain the financial risks of keeping their old frames. “Oh, I didn’t think of that,” they often tell the optical staff after becoming educated about the risk of putting new lenses in old frames.
Outline Added Practical Benefits of New Frames
Train your staff to explain to the patient that buying new frames will allow them to keep the old eyeglasses as a spare, providing them with an extra pair of eyeglasses. With the patient won over to buying new eyeglasses and keeping the old eyeglasses as a spare, seal the deal: “Great! I’m glad we found a solution that will provide you with the best possible vision that also is financially sensible. So, we will get new frames to go along with your new lenses–with warranty protection–and you will keep your existing eyeglasses as a backup pair.”
Show How New Frames Will Improve Patient’s Style
Finances are many patients’ first concern, but after practical matters have been dispensed with, remember that your patients want to look and feel good about themselves. An additional incentive to investing in new frames, rather than keeping the old pair, is a chance to update their look. Just as your optical staff educated patients about the financial benefits to purchasing new frames, they also need to educate patients about fashion and style. Train your staff to strive for the patient’s emotional buy-in by giving them honest guidance on what would look best on them, and then pointing out specific style benefits:
“You show a commanding presence in that frame!” “Can you see that too when you look in the mirror?”
“That frame is simply handsome!”
“That frame is powerful without overpowering you!” “Do you see that, too?”
“That is simply a dynamic look!” “Look here and see if you ‘feel’ the same!”
Choose POWERFUL ADJECTIVES to describe the patient in their potential new frames
Bold, empowering, killer, strong, amazing, home run, all star, clean-cut, fashionable, fine, good-looking, impressive, noble, personable, robust, sharp, smart, smooth, spruce, stately, strong, stylish, suave, virile, well-proportioned
Stay far from AVERAGE WORDS and PHRASES such as: “Great,” “Fine,” “Really Good” and “I think”
Consider using EMOTIONALLY FOCUSED phrases:
•“That frame makes you look youthful and brightens your face and eye color!” “Do you see that too?”
•“That’s a youthful look and it lifts perfectly at your blush line, too! I love the way the color works so well with your skin tone and the shape of your face.” “Do you see that, too?”
By educating patients about the financial and fashion advantages to NOT sticking with their old frames, you can increase benefits to the patient andkick-start your optical sales.
Resources
Click here to download MarkHinton’s “Frame Selection: You be the expert!” tip sheet.
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Mark Hinton is a facilitator, product knowledge expert and dialog coach with eYeFacilitate Inc. You may reach out to Mark with questions at eyefacilitate@gmail.com
