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Combat competition by providing value to your patients
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by Agustin L. Gonzalez, OD, FAAO, ABCMO
Do you truly believe that your enemies are Warby Parker, Lens Fairy and 1-800-CONTACTS? And do you believe that you are doing everything you can in your practice to compete with them?
Here are a few things to think about.
You are what you eat
No matter what type of practice you run – medical, commercial, private – to become what you want to be you have to consume what you want to become. To provide your patients value in their engagement, make the commitment to invest in yourself and obtain high-quality education.
If you spend just 30 minutes a day learning about practice metrics, myopia control, scleral lenses or research in vision care, you will instantly start to set yourself apart from your competition. That knowledge adds up over time and quickly moves you toward becoming the professional you want to be, and this impacts and changes your practice.
Embrace complaints
It is mind-boggling to see a peer value what they think is right rather than what patients, consultants and outsiders have to say. You can learn a lot from others.
Listening to your patients’ complaints is the best way to know what you need to improve immediately. I also would encourage you to make time to talk to the sales reps that visit your office. You will quickly discover that these conversations can provide the best consultations for you and your office.
It is about value, not price.
The fastest way to stand out in a crowded, “price conscious” field is to provide high-quality products with a value-based education. Quality is everything when it comes to growing your business. Invest in making it an ongoing process to plan, organize and deliver quality products and services with an emphasis on communicating and educating on value, not on price. Script your message and make it effective and understandable by talking to the patient. Make sure that everyone on your team educates and speaks to value.
In the absence of distinguishing characteristics, people resort to price as a default metric of value. Providing and communicating value to your patients is the best insulator against competition and an important cornerstone in business success.
So start today and look at every step the patient takes in your office. Ask yourself, “How can I communicate the value this step has for my patients? Am I communicating and presenting this value properly? Can I think of a good reason as to why this procedure, service or product is of value and am I letting the patient know?” If you have not figured it out, create an easily understood script and plan on delivering this new-found idea of value for every single interaction your patients have in your office. From filling out the paperwork to scheduling next year’s exam, create value by educating every single step.
When you spend time with patients, ask for ways to improve, be humble, ask and think in terms of better helping to educate and create value. Implementing simple strategies can maximize shielding your patients from the competition, help profits and provide longevity in the optical competitive space.
For more information:
Agustin L. Gonzalez, OD, FAAO, ABCMO, practices at Eye and Vision’s North Texas Center for Dry Eye and Ocular Surface Disease. He also founded a dry eye clinic in the North Texas area and has a special interest in cornea and external disease. Gonzalez is a member of the Primary Care Optometry News Editorial Board. He can be reached at: gonzalez.agu@gmail.com.
Disclosure: Gonzalez reports no relevant financial disclosures.