SCRIPTOPEDIA

Dealing With a “Difficult” Patient: Part 3

MARK HINTON

Welcome to the encyclopedia of patient scripts, or “Scriptopedia,” where I’ll provide you with specific scripts that have resulted in the success of either increasing patient education or the dispensing of a product or service. This month’s column is the final in a three-part series on “Dealing With a Difficult Patient.” The topic: The patient who presents to the optical asking, “What does my insurance allow me to buy?” and “What’s all this going to cost me?”

When consumers ask these questions, avoid instantly determining they will buy a budget frame. Less than 15% of consumers buy based on price alone, says a 2010 Jobson Vision Watch survey.

So, if a product sounds good, or the consumer likes how they look wearing it, they’ll more often buy it and use their own logic to figure out how to afford it.

But, if your answers to the aforementioned questions are, “according to your insurance, you get up to . . ., ” “You’re allowed . . .,” or “After your insurance, your ‘out-of-pocket’ cost is . . .” the consumer will push back, because you’ve focused them on “how much,” which has a negative connotation.

Consumers buy based on emotion. For this reason, you must focus them on the advantages, or benefits, of your optical, their insurance and the products available to them.