53% of ECPs Report That They Don’t Use Checklists in Their Business

question:

Do you use checklists in any part of your business?

Yes: 47%

• We have checklists for questions to patients, checkout procedures, referrals, and education for patients; all very successful when used. — BJ Chambers, Carrera Optical, McQueeney, TX
• We have tons: opening and closing tasks, patient surveys, and each position in the office has their own checklist. — Nytarsha Thomas, OD, Visionelle Eyecare, Zionsville, IN
• Checklists for following processes in all aspects of business. — Verbelee Nielsen-Swanson, Oxford Eyes, Orlando, FL
• Checklists for glasses and contact lens orders. — Texas L. Smith, OD, Dr. Texas L. Smith & Associates, Citrus Heights, CA
• We have a wipe off checklist for the non-negotiable daily tasks. That way everyone can see what is done and what is remaining. Plus we can add extra tasks at the bottom. — Nikki Griffin, EyeStyles Optical and Boutique, Oakdale, MN
• A daily task sheet — we use it when we have new team members or if it seems like a lot of things are getting overlooked. Right now my team is very self-motivated and gets everything done. — Kathryn Collins, OD, Kissel Eye Care, Lititz, PA
• The Reminders app is one of the most used on my phone. I regularly set reminders to return calls/emails, research solutions, and keep track of rush orders. — Sarah Bureau, sbspecs, St. Catharines, ON
• New hire checklist to make sure people have gone through every part of the office and learned all of what we want them to learn. — Caitlin Wicka, San Juan Eye Center, Montrose, CO
• Opening and closing duties. Very helpful! — Mark Perry, OD, Vision Health Institute, Orlando, FL
• Sales checklist for coatings and stuff like that. — Jeff Grosekemper, Casa De Oro Eyecare, Spring Valley, CA
• We use opening and end of day checklists so that we know everything was done and initial who did it. — Cynthia Sayers, OD, EyeShop Optical Center, Lewis Center, OH
• We use them for things that need to get done when people have free time. We use them for new staff to ensure they do all they need and we use them for less common tasks that can be easily forgotten. — Zachary Dirks, OD, St. Peter and Belle Plaine Eyecare Centers, Saint Peter, MN
• I sometimes make checklists of the things I need to get accomplished within a certain timeframe, to ensure that 1. I do NOT forget, and 2. to get an idea of where my priorities need to be. — Pablo E Mercado, Highland Eye Boutique, Atlanta, GA
• I always have a perpetual to-do list. Nothing is more satisfying than checking things off, and it keeps my mind focused on unsolved problems. — Susan Spencer, Council Eye Care Inc, Williamsville, NY
• Opening and closing check list used daily to make sure things get done. — Kristina Jordan, The Eye Site, Mishawaka, IN
• Mostly for staff, looking into for some of the checklists for patients to help explain testing. — Pam Peters, Midwest Eye, Downers Grove, IL
• We have a checklist for handoffs. — Jill Schnurer, Village Eyecare Co., Clarkston, MI
• To do list. We have an A list (priority) and a B list (for the week). — Sherry Morgan, Logan Eye Care, Lake Mary, FL
• The front desk has check-in tasks and check-out tasks. We have Daily/Weekly/Monthly tasks and chores on whiteboards at each location. Plus numerous others … billing department, individual employee assignments, etc. They are usually self-written and self-monitored. We all rely on them heavily. Checklists are not optional at our business, we have them EVERYWHERE! — Jen Heller, Pend Oreille Vision Care, Sandpoint, ID
• We use a closing checklist, a referrals to specialists checklist, a CPT 92310 checklist (to follow up on patient revenue and trial orders), new hire checklists, and a few others. We have experimented with many but these have been the most successful by far. — Ann-Marie Weaver, Optimal Eye Care, Lewis Center, OH
• When doing a site survey to determine cleanliness, orderliness, logical set up, organized, job tray tracking, etc. Also each day lists what’s urgent, what is important, and what needs to be addressed after the first two parts are dealt with. — Chris Dudley, Independent Optician, Leesburg, FL
• Training checklist, successful to keep everyone on the same page. — Kim Hilgers, Akre & Clark Eyecare, New Ulm, MN
• Post-it pad every day with coffee. Lists out the days tasks. Been doing this for more than 30 years. It was taught to me by my mentor as we both had the same scattershot way of working. It’s the only way I can keep focused on what happens next. — Kevin Count, Prentice Lab, Glenview, IL
• We have task list software within CPM that I can send to each employee. — Adam Ramsey, OD, Socialite Vision, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
• The biggest checklists I use are for our website and then I use the reminders/checklists on my iPhone all of the time. It helps me stay on task and make sure nothing slips through the cracks. — Travis LeFevre, Krystal Vision, Logan, UT
• We use weekly checklists of things we need to accomplish for the week, for example: browse and explore new frame lines, advertisement methods, etc. — Anja Jakupovic, OPTIK! European Eyewear, Saint Petersburg, FL
• We use them in the lab for checking orders in, opening and closing duties and with any new training. — Heather Aites, Family Vision Center, Westminster, CO
• I use a notebook to keep track of everything I need to do. — Dorothy Reynolds, Eyes on Fairfield, Fairfield CT
• Each department has their own set of checklists. We break it down by Daily/Weekly/Monthly tasks. This allows for everyone to be held accountable for tasks that need to be completed. This also allows for decrease in “asking to go home early” if everything isn’t taken care of. — Sarah Montes, Hockemeyer Family Eye Care, New Haven, IN
• We have an exam check list where the doctor specifies: frame, lens type, materials, coatings, measurements, etc. — David Schultz, OD, Urban Optics, San Luis Obispo, CA
• Cleaning supplies. We don’t run out of Charmin. — Richard Frankel, OD, Atlantic Cape Eyecare, Wildwood, NJ
• I’m not a fan of checklists for conducting customer interactions. Instead, I hire personable individuals who can engage shoppers effectively and organically. But with so many demands on the staff, I find procedural checklists are helpful to ensure that every insurance claim is billed at the end of the day and every spectacle or contact lens order has been placed. It’s important to follow up on the administrative bits and pieces or they tend to get lost amid more pressing customer needs. — Becky Furuta, Avenue Vision, Golden, CO
• Helpful for new employees to make sure they are accomplishing the tasks assigned to them. — Sonja Franklin, OD, Modern Eyes, Austin, TX
• Lifestyle questions to determine needs and wants. — Harvey Berkowitz, Allied Vision Group, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
• Post-it notes and lists are my life. It gives me a sense of accomplishment to cross off something or take down a completed post-it note task. — Jennifer Leuzzi, Mill Creek Optical, Dansville, NY
• We have one for cleaning, insurance and recall. — Edna Cooley, Shelby Macomb Vision Associates, Shelby Township, MI

No: 53%

• I would love to make checklists for my staff but have been too lazy. — Marc Ullman, OD, Academy Vision, Pine Beach, NJ
• Things change every day. — Steve Burek, Metro Eye, Milwaukee, WI
• We do make to-do lists so that we can feel really good when we accomplish a task and we can cross it off the list. — Tiffany Firer, Lifetime Eyecare, Jenison, MI