Tag: SIMI Inc.

A Great Office Manager Can Help You Lead and Inspire

Human Resources, Managing Others

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people management

Even before COVID, independent Optometrists shared a common complaint. How do you see patients all day as well as manage staff and the business demands of the practice? The answer is often an Office Manager. Even with a small team, it is important that someone is leading the ship when the Owner is seeing patients.

How’s Right for the Job?
For many offices, the Office Manager can be someone who has shown interest in managing tasks and taking on a bigger role within the office. It is also possible to hire someone with an affinity for office management but doesn’t have optical experience.

I have seen some wonderful Office Managers come from other backgrounds and bring new insight and perspective to the practices they work in.

Ultimately, the main responsibility of the Office Manager is to be the contact person for staff and patients, in your absence. It is imperative that they have a consistent and direct line to you on a regular basis. The staff will be accountable to the Office Manager and the Office Manager will be accountable to you.

A great office  manager can fill the gaps.
Just recently, a client mentioned that their associate’s appointment book was starting to look sparse in the week or two ahead.

They were looking for some guidance on how to approach staff. This is the perfect example of how an Office Manager could be of great assistance. In charge of overseeing the general business functioning of the clinic, the Office Manager will have independently identified this concern. The Office Manager will “huddle” will staff and brain storm action steps to get the appointments booked.

Often, when I am speaking to Office Managers, or even Practice Owners, they will express a concern about micromanaging the team. In fact, teams need managing – and even inspiring!

Recently, when mentoring a teammate in one office to become the Office Manager, we reviewed the action steps the team had already taken – getting caught up on recalls being the big one – and it appeared the team was being proactive. I asked if the team was also asking if there were other members in the household that were due for an eye exam that wanted to come in at the same time.

Particularly during COVID, it actually benefits the family and clinic if they come into the office at once and in their bubble. The future Office Manager graciously acknowledged that although they had done so in the past, they had stopped asking this question when patients were booking.

Now armed with a suggestion that could bring fresh perspective to the situation, the future Office Manager left our call to meet with her team to brainstorm ideas to get the schedule booked! I challenged her to do a similar exercise with the front desk staff in the spirit of unearthing ideas that had simply fallen off their radar.

This type of mentorship and coaching is necessary to transfer authority to the Office Manager, so that ultimately, the Office Manager can start independently assessing the business needs and acting accordingly. It takes some time and guidance, but the end result is well worth the effort.

KELLY HRYCUSKO

is the co-founder and managing partner of Simple Innovative Management Ideas (SIMI) Inc. and expert Practice Management contributor for Optik magazine. She can be reached at info@simiinc.com.

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Words of Encouragement

Human Resources, Managing Others

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Working solo in a consulting company, I normally march along fairly happily getting my job done, satisfied that I am doing all that I can. I make my fair share of mistakes – do I ever! – but I learn from them (and at least try not to beat myself up too much!) and then move on.

What I find a little harder to do is to “compliment” myself on a job well done. It’s one of the hidden pitfalls of sole ownership and I know my clients and all independent optometrists can feel the weight of it too.

As small business owners, we don’t often get the loop back of praise and encouragement. As the person at the top, it is our job to offer encouragement to others and not normally the other way around.

Words of encouragement for sole owners are few and far between at the best of times. We are in more challenging times, without a doubt. Everything is taking more time, more energy and more money. Practice owners everywhere must be starting to feel worn down.

Lately, I have had a number of clients go out of their way to acknowledge my work and offer me words of encouragement. They have struck me and the impact of these words was not been insignificant. They have lifted me up and I have felt lighter and more capable every since.

I started thinking about this in the context of my role. I am often looking for gaps and ways to improve optometric businesses.  But I also see so many great results! Moving forward, I want to add a much stronger emphasis on all the things that are going well in a practice.

2020 has been a year uniquely filled with much uncertainty and anxiety, beyond what any of us could possibly have imagined.  When you are navigating so many new policies and procedures, reassuring patients and staff that they are safe and keeping your business running as smoothly as possible, it is bound to take a toll on your energy and enthusiasm.

I want to acknowledge how the owners of optometric practices all across Canada have stepped up.

I hope every owner will take some intentional time to reflect on all that they have accomplished this year. They have all researched and outfitted their offices with protective barriers. They have all sourced PPE, taken courses on infection control and introduced protocols into their offices to keep staff and patients safe  They have reassured patients who are on edge because everything is new in their office. They have added extra measures of security to ensure staff members with underlying medical concerns feel valued and protected.

We will look back on 2020 in awe and disbelief. I hope you will also look back and feel pride. There was no roadmap, there still isn’t. And yet, optometric practice owners have not let themselves get discouraged. That is truly impressive and my hat’s off to all of you.

KELLY HRYCUSKO

is the co-founder and managing partner of Simple Innovative Management Ideas (SIMI) Inc. and expert Practice Management contributor for Optik magazine. She can be reached at info@simiinc.com.

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Going from Ordinary to Extraordinary

Marketing, Merchandising, Pricing, Resources

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There are a number of grocery stores we can choose from in our smallish town. I always find it interesting to find out where other locals like to frequent and why.

The smaller of the grocery store options is well known for its friendly and familiar faces, which make the slighter higher prices on produce worthwhile.

The largest of the stores is known for having more unique products, in amongst the tried and true products. Some choose the local health food store, where they feel good about the sustainable efforts put into growing and making the food. Still others make a point of visiting the Saturday Market to support local farmers.

Clearly, we are not all seeking the same experience or value proposition. This holds true for customers in every industry.

Importance of Strategic Intent
So how do you apply this to your full scope optometric practice? It starts by intentionally creating a strategy for your office.  Take a look at your competition. What are other optometrist offices offering in the area? How are the opticals in your neighbourhood making themselves unique?

Then decide what you want your office to be known for. If you are going to offer the most popular brands, make it a priority to regularly check prices online. Consumers will often ask for this product – but this product is also the easiest for the consumer to compare prices for.

If this is your strategy, be sure your patient hand off is tight and your staff are well trained to assist patients in the gallery. This strategy is heavily dependent on exceptional customer service. The patient knows they could get the product from a number of different sources but chooses to reward a great experience with their business.

Consider Independent Frame Stories
Another strategy is offering independent frames, with brands not readily recognized or available. With these frames, you are creating the story about the frames and the onus is on the practice to engage the patient and relay that story.

I work with a practice in the West who does this particularly well. They source frames from manufacturers from all over North America – and then share their stories on placards placed in the gallery. This strategy seems to appeal to a younger generation in particular as are looking for products that have a unique value proposition.

The most successful businesses are the ones that clearly define their offering and deliberately work towards making sure every aspect of their business stays true to that message.

I encourage you to carve out some time to reflect on what you are currently offering the marketplace. What if your goal was to have patients who are excited to see what you just go into inventory? What frame lines do you need to carry? What message do you need to convey to stir that enthusiasm for your product offering?

Think like the patient, what frames and experience would YOU like to receive? This mind shift could be the first step in moving from ordinary to extraordinary.

KELLY HRYCUSKO

is the co-founder and managing partner of Simple Innovative Management Ideas (SIMI) Inc. and expert Practice Management contributor for Optik magazine. She can be reached at info@simiinc.com.

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Positive Trends Coming Out of COVID Shut Down

Marketing, Practice, Resources

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As offices returned to seeing patients, I started noticing some trends.  Higher eyeglass capture rates, higher diagnostic capture rates and fewer patients per day are some of the most notable.

For years, SIMI has advocated for a “work smarter not harder” philosophy that recommended seeing between 8-10 patients for every 7 hours of chair time.  Our data analytics showed us that this formula consistently led to more diagnostics being offered and more glasses being sold.

COVID offered offices an opportunity to put this theory to the test.  As they returned, doctor’s schedules were close to half of what they were pre-COVID.  The result?  In every office, gross revenue went up over last year, though they saw significantly fewer patients.  Offices have made more money by seeing fewer patients.

Prior to COVID, eyeglass capture rates were trending around 40% on average through SIMI Analytics.  In the past two months, that average has increased to 78%.  Diagnostic testing has also increased.  When not included in a full eye exam, the average capture rate changed from 20% to over 80%.

I am also cognizant of the fact that there are other factors that have contributed to these results.  After 4 months, my own family has started to mistake blowing leaves for squirrels and are taking wild guesses at the ingredients listed on food packages.  We ALL need our eyes checked, new prescriptions and glasses!  So certainly, there is some pent up business that is being realized.  Savvy receptionists are ensuring that patients with the greatest need are getting in first.  Patients are less likely to leave with their prescriptions to “shop”, as they avoid too many unnecessary stops.

But I don’t think that’s the complete story.  With more time allocated for each patient, doctors are able to spend longer with each patient, in a more focussed manner.  It has become necessary to anticipate how much time each patient will spend in the office.  This includes in the dispensary.  Suddenly, the entire office is anticipating and prepared for patients to be assisted in the gallery.  Is this is self-fulfilling prophecy?

As part of my consulting advice, I have often suggested that practices make a “plan” for each patient that day.  Do we anticipate that they will do additional diagnostic testing?  When did they purchase glasses last?  Are they due to reorder contact lenses or drops?  This plan becomes the goal for each patient.  As well as ensuring that every solution is considered for and by the patient, the “plan” also helps everyone stay focussed.

My hope is that offices will take this opportunity to made a lighter schedule and “pre-planning” permanent routines in their office. There are benefits for everyone, patients, staff and doctors alike.

KELLY HRYCUSKO

is the co-founder and managing partner of Simple Innovative Management Ideas (SIMI) Inc. and expert Practice Management contributor for Optik magazine. She can be reached at info@simiinc.com.

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Staying Connected in Uncertain Times

Human Resources, Managing Others

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The past couple of weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic have brought more unfortunate “firsts” than most of us care to think about. With so much uncertainty, everyday decisions become harder to make.

Most ODs have now officially laid off their staff, save for the one or two members needed to answer calls and emails, reschedule appointments and other administrative tasks.

Now at home, with little work to do, the challenge is to figure out a way to maintain a sense of purpose and hope.

There are actually a number of ways that you can stay connected and support those around you.

One way I am doing this is by continuing to support local businesses. For instance, I have ordered eggs, sausage, and canned goods from a local family owned store. They are offering delivery twice a week during this time. Not only am I looking forward to that delivery of food today, I feel good about the fact that I am helping another family keep their business going.

Socially, I am starting to feel disconnected, so my friends and I have embraced the concept of remote “gatherings”. Once a week, we are setting ourselves up with a computer, remote access and our favourite beverage. This week, everyone has been challenged to dig up some old pictures from high school to share.

Over the past couple of weeks, I have also been part of remote meetings with some of my clients and their teams. I am struck by how much they enjoyed this face-to-face interaction. These are people who normally spend a large portion of their week together, but suddenly they aren’t seeing each other at all!

There was genuine joy to see each other and share how their experience has been so far. I encourage you to consider doing something like this with your team. Keep it social, share how everyone is staying active and busy – and give your teams a chance to stay connected.

Another way to create purpose right now is to look for ways to give during this time. I have seen lots of opportunities to foster animals. What a great time to do this! You will have time to give that animal lots of attention.

On a professional front, I had a client reach out yesterday to ask how he could help me with my business – he has time on his hands and believes in what I do. Incredible! Who can you reach out to and offer a helping hand? Letting someone know that they are not alone could be all the help they need.

It will take some time to settle into a new normal on the other side of this, but we will get there and we will be better for it.

KELLY HRYCUSKO

is the co-founder and managing partner of Simple Innovative Management Ideas (SIMI) Inc. and expert Practice Management contributor for Optik magazine. She can be reached at info@simiinc.com.

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COVID-19 and what it means for your office

Practice, Resources

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The Coronavirus has dominated much of the news in the past couple of months. Lately, it has made its inevitable appearance in Canada and other countries beyond its origin. Health Experts have begun to educate the Canadian public about precautions and preparations to help us understand how best to respond to this situation.

What can your practice do to proactively manage the health risks?

I was recently at both the emergency and the oral surgeon’s office (one of the benefits of having four children, I am well acquainted with most health care practitioners!). Both had protocols in place to screen for recent travel and signs and symptoms related to the flu.

This is something that would be easy to implement in any optometrist office. It might even be something that could be screened for prior to a patient’s visit to your office. If a patient has recently traveled, for routine eye exams, it may be prudent to reschedule them until after a two-week period following the trip.

For those that visit the clinic, and for the employees and doctors who work there, it is a good time to revisit hand washing protocols. It is understood that coronavirus is transmitted by droplets, so the most effective way to reduce transmission is to keep up a diligent regimen of hand washing between every interaction.

There are other measures you can take to make sure your office stays healthy. Ask your cleaning staff to clean from high to low. Implement a daily routine to clean areas that hands and fingers often touch like light switches, elevator buttons, doorknobs and other handles.

It is also understood that the risks associated with coronavirus are very similar to that of any flu we experience every winter. Like SARS in 2003, part of the fear with the coronavirus is the unknown. Having experienced SARS, however, Canada is in a much better position to share information and assist the general public to minimize their risk. Optometric offices, as part of the larger health care system, can help to educate the general public. They can both set a best practices example on how to screen and proactively diminish exposure risk and they can help alleviate unnecessary worry by educating on ways to protect yourself from contracting the disease.

For now, the risk of contracting coronavirus remains low in Canada. With some education and diligence, the risk is likely to remain low. As part of the Health Care front line, we can play a critical role in education, managing the risk and decreasing the chances that our patients and staff are exposed to the virus. Like SARS, coronavirus will teach us new insights. It will remind us to keep proper hygiene protocols in our offices and those will benefit all of us long after the fear of coronavirus has abated.

KELLY HRYCUSKO

is the co-founder and managing partner of Simple Innovative Management Ideas (SIMI) Inc. and expert Practice Management contributor for Optik magazine. She can be reached at info@simiinc.com.

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The Return on Investment for Continuing Education

Human Resources, Managing Others, Practice, Resources, Training & Onboarding

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I was recently asked about paying for Continuing Education for staff in an optometrist’s practice.  This practitioner is already investing in staff education by attending association and buying group events.  His question actually was; did it make sense to invest in staff education that was outside of the typical offerings within the optical industry.

My answer was yes.

Some of my own favourite learning has come from outside of the optical industry.  We recently hosted a Former Executive from Disney.  He provided us with some interesting perspective on staff engagement and the idea of having the hard conversations that lead to the results that every business is striving for.  It has become part of the dialogue that I have with my clients as we discuss when to add staff and when to let staff go.

One of my Christmas gifts this year was a gift certificate to attend a Cooking School at a local restaurant.  It is sort of fascinating to reflect on how this experience influenced my consulting efforts following that.  One of the most important pieces of the evening was the experience.  “Deconstructing” the Chef role and allowing the patrons to become part of the process gave us all new respect for the meals that are created each and every night.  Besides the intuitive way the chef was able to compensate and change ingredients to “fix” mistakes, I was also reminded of how important the quality of equipment is.  A walk in fridge meant we could cool down sauces quickly to move on to next steps (without the risk of thawing everything else in the freezer!).  The industrial induction ovens held more heat and cooked items more evenly.  He pointed this out to us as we went.

So while this learning wasn’t specifically optical related, I walked away with some great transferrable learning.  It reminded me to speak to my clients about the experience they are creating for each of their patients and where they could add some extra value and make the experience a little bit more unique.

In an industry where there is significant employee turnover, it can feel discouraging for employers who are continually investing in employees who will likely not be with them in a year or so.  My advice is to change the perspective.  Supporting new learning has two major benefits:  employees will bring their new learning to benefit the clinic even if only for a short time and employees who feel supported in their personal development are less likely to leave their current employment.

Finally, I recommend creating a budget that is equally available to each member of your team.  Create the CE budget by treating it like a Staff Bonus.  Take .5% of your Gross Revenue and divide by the number of team members.  This is amount the team member can be reimbursed by the clinic for.  Ideally, the team member would pay for the course up front and then submit an expense for reimbursement upon its successful completion.

KELLY HRYCUSKO

is the co-founder and managing partner of Simple Innovative Management Ideas (SIMI) Inc. and expert Practice Management contributor for Optik magazine. She can be reached at info@simiinc.com.

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Location, Location, Location

Buying-Selling A Practice, Finance|Wealth, Office Design & Renovation, Practice, Real Estate, Resources

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We are often approached by ODs who are looking for help to open a new practice. One of the first questions asked – either by the client or by us! – is where? When you are investing a quarter of a million dollars, and often more in construction, it is crucial to get this right. The right location can be the difference between making a profit in the first year or not until the third year, or even later.

Our first recommendation is to think outside the box. While it may be tempting to gravitate to the larger cities because of the denser population, remember that these areas are also the most competitive. They have lots of choice and can choose an experience or service provider that caters best to their particular needs. Strong differentiation in terms of both product offerings and service becomes key for success. Conversely, a smaller, more remote location will allow a more general practice strategy. However, in today’s digital world, it is still critical to create an experience that patients will want to support whether you are in an urban or rural setting.

After determining what will set your new clinic apart, and whether you are going to set up in a larger or smaller community, the next step is to find the physical location that will support your strategy. Commissioning a Geo-marketing Report is the best way to accomplish this. They are produced by non-stakeholders. This tool will compile and analyse the best available data for a given geographical area of interest. Some data taken into account includes competitor information and population demographics for that area, such as age, income level, ethnicity and education level. This data is then matched with your clinic strategy. Ultimately, this will provide you with a consensus report that can pinpoint the ideal location for your new business.

Lastly, your business strategy will also dictate what part of a building you should set up your business in. If you are setting up a primary care practice that will be dependent on optical sales for 50-60% of your revenue, it is imperative that you have street access, visibility and plenty of parking.

Remember to think like a consumer as you make these decisions. The days are gone where patients want to buy glasses from a small selection from an office buried at the back of a medical building. Consumers are gravitating to a different experience, as evidenced by the wildly popular new optical stores popping up all over Canada. A new business owner must rise to the challenge and spend time finding the ideal location for their new practice.

 

CHRISTINA FERRARI

is the co-founder and managing partner of Simple Innovative Management Ideas (SIMI) Inc. and expert Practice Management contributor for Optik magazine. She can be reached at info@simiinc.com

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December Retail Opportunities

Advertising & Promotion, Marketing, Merchandising, Resources

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Following on the heels of a busy Black Friday shopping season, December is also a busy retail month. As an independent optometric office, there are a number of ways to meet the needs of the consumers during this season of giving.

Many offices offer a BOGO on lenses for patients throughout the year. What about offering a Buy One Gift One for the month of December? This could be particularly effective for sunglasses. Keep the rules fairly simple. For this promotion, the office can allow a customer to purchase one pair for themselves and one for another person.

The goal with any BOGO is two-fold; you want to move as much inventory as you can as this allows you to get better discounts from your suppliers. You also want happy customers! If consumers are able to get all their needs met at your location, there will be no need to shop elsewhere.

Keep in mind too that many people simply haven’t thought of buying something from their optometrist as a gift for someone else before. There are lots of possibilities! Gift certificates are the most versatile. Recipients can use it for anything from contact lenses to new glasses.  Make one up and display it at check out so that patients know that this is a possibility. Also consider offering the gift certificates at a discount. Everyone loves it when their gift giving money can be stretched a little further! And you are guaranteed a sale in the new year.

Think about the check out at any retail location you visit this month and consider implementing some of their ideas. For instance, most offices carry drops, vitamins, contact lens solution, cleaning clothes and cleaning spray. These all make great stocking stuffers or Secret Santa gifts! Put a few together in a clear gift bag with a pretty Christmas bow on a counter. Patients will thank you for the ideas!

In fact, it is also a great time of year to thank patients for their loyalty and business. Consider offering a small gift with purchase throughout this month. For example, our orthodontist gives away $5.00 Indigo gift cards at every visit.

Of course, December marks the end of their benefits period for many consumers. It is helpful to remind patients to use their benefits before they reset in January. If you have a large television in your office, this is the perfect place to inform patients of all your December promotions, including a Use it or Lose it reminder.

This is a month when many people are looking for ideas for gift giving. Help your patients by displaying some ideas and take the opportunity to give back as well.

KELLY HRYCUSKO

is the co-founder and managing partner of Simple Innovative Management Ideas (SIMI) Inc. and expert Practice Management contributor for Optik magazine. She can be reached at info@simiinc.com.

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Looking at Value Packages from the Patient’s Perspective

Marketing, Resources

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As we all know, the optical landscape continues to become more and more competitive. Consumers have more options and are able to shop more transparently, creating a price pressure on glasses that is real.

So if you know your patients are shopping, how do you respond? The answer lies in thinking about it from the patient’s perspective. When they are shopping, what are they looking for?  Some are looking for the best price, some for the best value. Some just like to know all of their options so they can make the best-informed decision!

Once you have identified all the reasons a patient shops around, you can start to strategize ways to address their needs.

For the patients who are looking for a great price, having a Value Package section in the gallery can be appealing. For these packages, you will want to source good quality frames (that won’t give you a lot of headaches with returns and warranties) at a good price. For the lenses, the package should include scratch coated lenses in a traditional design.  It is possible to have add on options for anti-reflection coating and photochromic properties. The price should be bundled to include both frame and lens costs.

For patients who are looking for the best value, we recommend having clearly laid out choices for them. Show them that they can choose from more price effective products that may not have the same features and benefits as the higher priced options.

We also like to look to other retail examples for some great ideas. Have you been to the movies lately? They have some great ways of bundling products. Popcorn, drink and a bag of candy – for one or two people!  Could you optical do the same? Do you have a BOGO deal that extends to another family member? There is a makeup store that is adding value but sending samples home with each purchase. Not only does this encourage additional future sales, but it also leaves the customer feeling like they got some extra value. What about sending home a sample of an eyelid wipe? It is such a great connect for patients – learning what the best product is to remove make up with from their eye doctor.

Another way to add value is to provide more convenience. Many locations are now offering shipping directly to their patient’s homes – everything from drops to contacts to glasses. The reality is, most patients are happy to try their glasses at home and if they need an adjustment, they will make time to pop by your practice. In the meantime, having their new spec delivered directly to them adds a much-desired layer of convenience onto their shopping experience!

At your next staff meeting, take an opportunity to brainstorm all the ways that your clinic can bring value to the patient’s shopping experience – and then package those ideas up! Your patients will love that you have options that have anticipated their every need.

KELLY HRYCUSKO

is the co-founder and managing partner of Simple Innovative Management Ideas (SIMI) Inc. and expert Practice Management contributor for Optik magazine. She can be reached at info@simiinc.com.

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