CLINICAL

  DIVERSIFY YOUR PORTFOLIO

WHAT CONSUMERS WANT

WHAT TWO CHARACTERISTICS DO CONSUMERS VALUE IN AN OPTOMETRIST?

ALANA MULLER, GUEST COLUMNIST & JEFFRY D. GERSON, O.D., F.A.A.O.

AS AN optometrist, you trained for years to understand the intricacies of the eye, to stay up-to-date on the latest research, to examine your clients’ eyesight and help him or her solve related challenges utilizing effective therapies. And, while your skills and knowledge are a critical part of the job, anyone who has been in practice for any length of time knows all too well that skills and knowledge are not enough to maintain a thriving practice.

Given the number of distractions you deal with on a day-to-day basis and your competitors, you must get a handle on what consumers want from you if you are to remain relevant in your field, grow your practice and retain your client base.

As an expert in building professional, meaningful and authentic connections, my advice to anyone who will listen — irrespective of their industry — is always to recognize the critical need to establish and nurture relationships.

With that said, here are the two characteristics consumers value in optometrists and, thus, make them loyal to a particular practice.

DOCTOR OF OPTOMETRY

That you are an optometry expert is your ticket to entry. For any current or prospective patient to even consider presenting to your practice, you must build a minimal reputation as a sound doctor to give your clients some baseline level of comfort that you know what you are doing.

TRUSTED ADVISOR

When it comes to one’s health — including the health of one’s eyesight — patient emotions can run the gamut from nonchalant and lackadaisical to fearful and hysterical. You must be ready for all. This is where the examination ends and patience, understanding and the ability to listen move to the forefront. In this role, you are less “doctor” and more “friend,” “referral source,” “counselor” and, well, “human.” With this role, you truly build relationships and rapport with your clients. And, the connections you forge in these moments will pay dividends for your career with all the other clients your patients will send your way! Though this is not the role you trained for, serving as an advisor is well worth the investment of your time to establish and nurture your one-on-one doctor-patient relationships.

Courtesy: “The AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. 2014.
Finding Quality Doctors: How Americans Evaluate Provider Quality in the United States.

BEING BOTH

So, indeed, continue to strengthen your skills and expertise. Continue to develop a reputation for technical excellence. And, while you’re at it, ensure you are investing the time in your practice — and in your clients — to build relationships that make you not just a great doctor, but a great person, too. Be someone clients know, trust and respect and see their whole lives through. OM

MS. MULLER is a networking speaker, workshop facilitator, coach and author of the book, “Coffee Lunch Coffee: A Practical Field Guide for Master Networking” and companion blog, CoffeeLunchCoffee.com. She has helped people formulate a strategic mindset around networking, while creating a game plan to get out there and connect. Follow her on Twitter at @AlanaMuller.