The Big Business Takeaway from the Pandemic? “People Need Their Glasses!”

IT’S COMING UP to two years since the first case of COVID-19 was identified in the U.S. After all the fear, disruption and turmoil of the pandemic, we asked eyecare biz owners what the big takeaway was for them. The most common themes were the need for flexibility, the merits of efficiency, a renewed commitment to service and a reminder to prioritize family and the things that really matter in life. Here we offer a representative sample of the hundreds of replies we got from ECPs who answered this question from INVISION’s 2021 Big Survey.

• “Find your niche and be an expert in it.”
• “You can never be so prepared that you should not reinvent how you do business.”
• “The importance of the many generations of families we have served. Their commitment to stick with us and the gratitude shown for being open.”
• “Temporary stoppage creates increased demand. The business came back.”
• “Changing hours and procedures didn’t have a negative effect on business.”
• “Specialty care was a necessity.”
• “Have a buffer in your business account to get you by for at least three months of expenses.”
• “Big inventory is overrated.”
• “Work smarter not harder.”
• “Good staff are hard to find. Do what you can to keep them!”
• “People are insane and entitled, but also kind and good hearted and decent.”
• “People need their glasses regardless of any social crisis taking place. They need them adjusted, repaired and replaced. During lockdown, digital eyestrain peaked and prescriptions were changing at an alarming rate amongst my customers.”
• “Pivot, stay resilient, and constantly recreate and reengage.”
• “Online, online, online.”
• “Service, service, service. Everything else is a distraction.”
• “Downsize the business and cut the fat. Don’t sacrifice your staff, and keep in touch with patients on a regular basis.”
• “Carry less debt and control buying.”
• “Enjoy life and spend more time with family.”
• “Life can change overnight.”
• “People need their eyecare!”

The 2021 Big Survey was carried out between September and October, attracting almost 400 anonymous responses from owners of vision business across the United States. The full results are published in the November-December issue of INVISION.