Virtual Dispensing

By Mary Field

There couldn’t have been a swankier place to get a look at some new, innovative dispensing tools than at the recent Vision Canada trade show at the Fallsview Casino and Convention Centre in Niagara Falls. Registrants to the show were privileged to see some pretty sophisticated equipment, frames and lenses.

A good example is the Anyview Plus+ Dispensing System and Vision Canada Niagara Falls was the first showing of this marvelous tool outside of Quebec.

Dispensing eyeglasses is a complicated business at best. The fundamental problem lies in trying to convey to consumers the impact of their frame and lens choices on the resulting product. Opticians use lens samples to demonstrate the benefits of selecting a high index lens material; they make drawings to show why a smaller, symmetrical shape will cut down on lens thickness; they try their best to explain how PD further influences lens thickness. But most often the sample isn’t quite right (or someone else used it and didn’t put it back where it should be), the drawings are not clear enough (nobody ever said an optician had to be an artist) and increasing thickness due to decentration is a tough concept to communicate.

The best products are always those that satisfy a basic need. That’s exactly what you’re going to find in the Anyview Plus+ Dispensing System. What this system does is eliminate the samples, the drawings and the verbal explanations as you guide your customer through the selection process. It’s visual, it allows you to customize the demonstration to the specific frame because it takes a real time picture of the customer wearing the frame of choice. The simulation mechanism then allows you to compare in that frame on that person, and the cosmetic affect of a standard lens compared to a high index lens.

Think of it! Your customer can have the virtual experience of a progressive lens – of a variety of progressive lenses – so you can more effectively demonstrate the benefits of the higher functioning generations of progressives. And, the Anyview Plus+ Progressive Mapping section allows you to match the progressive lens pattern to the frame selected. The Progressive Simulation will demonstrate the swimming affect created by different dioptric powers and changes of “add”.

Here’s the best news. The camera for the system is built into a desktop mirror so it doesn’t take up any more space on your dispensing surface than a regular mirror. The monitor is a 15” LCD touch screen model. The minimum requirement for your computer to run this system is an Intel Pentium-III 1.06 Hz. If you’re interested in learning more about Anyview Plus+, contact the OAC office.

Better Than Shopping On The Internet
Take two good ideas, mix them together with a lot of energy and a little entrepreneurial spirit and you come up with one really terrific concept.

Idea Number One
We hear lots of complaining from opticians about the sale of contact lenses over the Internet. More recently we’ve noted that eyeglasses are also available as an on-line product. In previous articles we’ve suggested that a good business move for a licensed optician might be to analyze the appeal of Internet purchase of such personal items and see if there are any ways they can be addressed in a regulated environment. Clearly consumers are positively disposed to the convenience of ordering right in their own homes and at a time of their choosing.

Idea Number Two
You can’t watch television today without stumbling across some sort of fashion program that uses image consulting to improve appearance. If you want to sell your house – there’s an image consultant to “stage” it. If your friends think your wardrobe choices are hindering your career or personal progression – there’s someone to tell you what to wear. If you want to paint your living room but you’re not good at interior decorating, you can go to Canadian Tire and pick up the colour coordinated paints that Debbie Travis has recommended and even accessories the room with objects that she has selected.

One enterprising Canadian optician has identified the main appeal of Internet sales as being that of convenience. She has also recognized that many people need help creating a strong personal statement with colour and style. (The fashion magazines would call it “re-imaging”.) AND she has thought outside of the box and devised a unique way of capturing at least a segment of the “convenience” market and those who are fashion-challenged. She has created an online boutique that guides consumers through some of the frame selection process to the point where they have an idea of the shape, colour and general style of frame they want. The website is her storefront. There’s plenty of information on the site, it’s easy to use and it focuses on style and on some of the lens options that might serve a consumer.

But, the site doesn’t show particular frame styles. Instead it prepares customers to make an appointment for a personal consultation and re-imaging session. The optician brings her boutique to the consumer.

This is a timely idea considering the busy lives we all lead. With our “Blackberries”… and “PC Away”… and “log me in”… and cell phones… and shift work… and kids’ activities… and grocery shopping, who has time for anything besides essentials?

A project like this must be translated with style and panache. If the product and service are up-scale they have to be presented in a manner that’s up-scale. The storefront website needs to be well-maintained. If the website isn’t fresh and professional-looking it has as much consumer appeal as a window in your dispensary that is dusty and a home to dead flies.

You might also have to do a little re-imaging of yourself before you invest the time, money and energy in promoting a personal eyeglass service. And you can’t just drag an old suitcase full of frames – as elegant as they might be – into someone’s office or home. Your order forms, your hand mirror, your catalogues and cases need to be not only fresh and clean but they need to be coordinated as part of the staging.

Putting together the two trends we’ve focused on in this article, I wonder if a traveling eyeglass boutique could make use of Anyview Plus+? Wouldn’t that be snazzy? Just imagine going into someone’s office armed with the most fashion-forward frames of the day and being able to dazzle your customer (and everybody else who’s looking on) with a helpful virtual experience.