The Terrible Twos and Overcoming that Multiple Pair Problem

TWO PAIR. It must be awful. In fact, that second pair of glasses must be terrible! Why else are independent ECPs only selling them 7 percent of the time?

Here’s the crazy part: That percentage was around 10 percent a few years ago and now it’s dropping. Again, terrible! Here’s something else to ponder, I have a friend that insists it’s less than 7 percent, that it hovers around 5 percent. Worse than terrible!

I’m not an eye doctor nor a licensed optician so I can only speculate as to why this number is so ridiculously and embarrassingly low: a second pair isn’t important to the customer and/or the ECP doesn’t think there is a need for it. It’s that obvious.

Or is it?

I wasn’t sure, so I asked this question of ECPs on social media: In a sentence or two, explain what you think the job description is for an optician?

I received some interesting responses but I was looking for a congruent mindset to help me better understand this dismal percentage. And, without fail, I saw it. This mindset is best illustrated by the following response — Read it three times and read it carefully before you continue with the rest of this column:

“An optician utilizes the doctor’s prescription and recommendations in order to help the patient find their ideal frames and lenses for seeing well and looking fine.”

Did you see what I saw? This doctor wrote the word “prescription” (singular) and the words “frames and lenses” (plural). In other words, do doctors expect their opticians to sell multiple pairs when they are only willing to write just one prescription for a patient?

The irony is that I have not met an OD yet (or optician, for that matter), who doesn’t tell me that their average patient needs three pairs of glasses. Ok, doctors, are you writing three prescriptions on average then? Just asking.

The other part of this multiple pair challenge, in my opinion, is that the majority of opticians have literally given up on second pair sales. That saddens me, of course, but it’s not that I don’t understand it. Whether or not they sell a second or third pair, most opticians will not make an extra dime from their efforts. So, why make the effort at all? After all, the second pair “conversation” seems to be a walk up hill and against a mighty wind. It’s a lot of work, though it doesn’t have to be (a solution is coming towards the end).

So, what we have here the majority of the time is:

• Doctors writing only one prescription;
• Opticians not wanting to make the effort of the dreaded second pair conversation; and
• There is no incentive for them to make a concerted effort in making multiple pair sales.

What to do? My suggestions:

1. Doctors, at the very least, write a second prescription for UV protection (sunglasses).
2. Opticians, to make the “conversation” of a multiple pairs more comfortable for you and the patient, ask/talk about the second pair first. It sets the stage and, immediately and gently, changes the “just one pair” perception of the customer. In just doing this, your multiple pairs should skyrocket.
3. Business owners, please consider a bonus program for every one of your employees. I’m not a big proponent of spiffing individuals with a bonus as your entire office should work as a team. So, examine the possibility of rewarding everyone on staff, financially, if certain goals are met in regards to multiple pair sales.

If you were to only initiate one of these ideas, your multiple pair sales will increase. Can you imagine how powerful this becomes if you employ all three?