Contact Lenses

Increase Annual Contact Lens Sales : Show Patients their Savings

By Ellie W. Hattori, OD

Boost sales of contact lens annual supplies by showing patients their savings. A new presentation tool makes the option a no-brainer for patients.

Encouraging as many patients as possible to purchase annual supplies of contact lenses is a win-win. In our practice, we have grown to 50 percent of our contact lens patients purchasing annual supplies. They enjoy substantial savings, and our practice benefits in efficiency and revenues. Less staff time is used to process orders as one order covers the patient for the year, and we are assured the sale of the patient’s full contact lens needs for the year. There is no need to worry about them going elsewhere to make some of their purchases.

Educating the patient is essential, especially when presenting them with the advantages of purchasing an annual supply. Among the educational methods that works best for us is the new Contact Lens Savings Plan, a worksheet from our contact lens distributor, ABB CONCISE. This valuable tool enables our staff to easily demonstrate and calculate how much the patient is saving by purchasing an annual supply. Here is how my practice makes the most of this new tool.

Ellie W. Hattori, OD

Hattori Vision Optometry Staff of Hattori Vision Optometry

Monterey, Calif.

Ellie W. Hattori, OD

University of California
Berkeley School of Optometry

1970

Practice Founded Cold

1973

Locations

One

Staff

Four doctors; seven support staff

Contact Lens Patients

More than 2,000

Comprehensive Examinations

More than 3,500 annually

Annual Revenues

More than $1.5 million

Making It Easy to Show Savings

Purchasing an annual supply of contact lenses is much more efficient for both the practice and the patient, especially when it is shipped directly to their home, school or office, or when it is dispensed from our in-office inventory.

The practice is saving time by placing one order with ABB CONCISE rather than several orders during the year. When an order arrives in our office for a patient to pick up, the chart is pulled, lenses are verified and the patient is notified. The patient’s lenses and chart are again pulled when the patient arrives to pick up their lenses. Given this lengthy process, it is best for business when patients order an annual supply that we either dispense from our in-office inventory or we have the annual supply shipped directly to the patient’s home or office.

We have been using the ABB CONCISE Contact Lens Savings Plan worksheet for less than a year and have already seen an increase of approximately 15 percent to 20 percent in the contact lens sector of our practice.

With the Contact Lens Savings Plan worksheet, our staff can easily display the patient’s insurance benefits, in-office savings and the manufacturer rebate, all of which are often available exclusively to annual supply purchases. This visual aid accurately shows our patients the significant savings involved with purchasing an annual supply from our office.

Education Begins in
the Exam Room

After I complete a contact lens fitting/examination, I tell the patient : “I am so happy we have a contact lens that will meet your expectations of comfort, vision and eye health. I would like to see you in 12 months to make sure these lenses are still the best choice for you. I will prescribe today enough lenses for you until your next appointment.”
I then walk the patient out to the check-out desk. Here I tell my assistant: “Mrs. Smith has completed her fitting/examination and I have prescribed Mrs. Smith enough lenses until I need to see her in 12 months. Mrs Smith, my assistant (by name) will be going over our value program available to you on your contact lens purchases.” At this point my assistant brings out the Contact Lens Savings Plan worksheet and fills it in with the patient to show the cost savings of an annual supply. When the order is placed, the options for scheduling their next appointment are discussed.

Take Anxiety Out of Annual Supply Purchases with Warranty

When contact lenses are purchased in our office they come with a warranty, which is printed on our contact lens prescription sheet. Our office will replace or exchange a patient’s lenses, should they be defective, or if there is a change in prescription or lens modality. If the lenses being returned are unopened and undamaged, they can be returned to ABB CONCISE for credit and then a credit is applied to the patient’s account for the full amount they paid.

Point Out Eye Health Advantages to Annual Supply

When a patient has sufficient lenses to comply with the recommended lens modality, they are less likely to “stretch” their wearing time. Because we also recommend that the lens case is replaced at least every three months, we also give the patient extra cases if needed.

Tie In Additional Advantages to Annual Supply Purchase

At their annual contact lens examination or first fitting visit we always review the importance of UV protection and ask to see the sunglasses they are currently wearing. To encourage this protection, we offer a $25 coupon toward any plano sunwear in our office. If during our conversation the patient is interested in looking at sunwear, at the check-out desk I will also let our assistant know “Mrs Smith” would also like to be shown sunwear and that I have given her a $25 coupon.

Related ROB Articles

Partner with a CL Distributor to Make Reordering Convenient and Simple

Boost Annual CL Supply Sales with Convenience and Value

Manage Your Contact Lens Inventory for Profitability

Ellie W. Hattori, OD, is co-owner of Hattori Vision Optometry in Monterey, Calif. To contact her: drellie@hattorivision.com

 

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