THERE ARE MANY stressors in the optical and there is never enough time to complete the 1,000 items on our daily checklist. However, some personal reflection can help to really ease the anxiety that is heightened when you are selling glasses to a patient. This is personal, it does not rely on other team members or leadership making changes, this is a you thing.
The angst felt by opticians when we are handed a patient is seen by some as anticipation and excitement for what we can provide that patient. For others, this process causes a nearly debilitating level of anxiety. Most opticians fall somewhere in the middle. The fear of coming off as “pushy” or “salesy,” of a patient getting defensive, or of not successfully selling a pair of glasses is a real feeling.
Use this three-step exercise to strengthen your confidence in the optical. If you do, it will increase your patient satisfaction and your sales too!
Exercise #1: Know their eye color.
human fact: When people feel unseen they will conjure up ridiculous scenarios in their head as to why.
You may have the sweetest approach and best sales segue, but if your patient doesn’t feel seen they might have a completely different story playing in their head. Make your patients feel seen by purposefully making eye contact. When you are handed a patient, introduce yourself and make a mental note of their eye color. The short time that it takes for you to keep this gaze to make a mental note will do two great things. One, it will relieve the insecure feeling many feel as a result of today’s predominantly eye-on-a-screen society. Two, it will offer a level of comforting confidence to the person.
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Exercise #2: Look the part.
human fact: When customers witness those in an expert role looking like it’s their first day, they will assume they know more than the supposed expert.
This is where many in our industry fail. We portray ourselves as part of the “staff at a medical office” rather than the algebraically refined, refractive light calculating, miracle working geniuses that opticians are! If you are working as an optician who is not confident in your knowledge there are many resources for you to better yourself.
Scan the QR code and I will discuss a few of the great resources for you. As an optician you are an expert in your field, carry yourself as such. Dress the part.
Exercise #3: Write down your spiel and improve it.
human fact: If you use words people don’t understand, it is hard for them to trust what you are recommending.
This holds as true for my visit to get my car’s oil changed as it does for my visit to your optical. If the expert that I am there to see uses words I don’t understand I am going to fall back to a concept I do understand: the concept of money. I will turn my attention to the value of a dollar and make my decision that way.
Write down (don’t type) the conversations you typically have with your patients. Then start improving it, removing and adding words used. Simplify it. Add layman’s terms instead of jargon. Talk about the wonderful personal experience they will have rather than the technical benefits. Revisit it in a few days, then rewrite it every day for a week. It will become part of your new, confident way of portraying yourself.
Some may think, “What could this really do to make me better?” Here is another human fact: small changes make the biggest difference in our lives. This has nothing to do with anything or anybody else. This is a “do this for you” thing. If you take the time to reflect and grow, your future self will thank you.
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