Whichever angle you look at it from, eyewear remakes are always costly.

They take additional time and resources because the order is placed again, which means that both, the clinic staff and lab technicians need to work all over for the second time.

Not only does this mean unsatisfied customers, which can ruin your reputation as a good optometrist, but can also lead to business losses as the eyewear is remade and re-shipped for the optical.

Although there can be various reasons why a customer asks for a remake, a prescription change recommended by a doctor is seldom one of them. It’s either that the customer finds their new glasses difficult to adjust to or it’s not to their liking and hence, they demand it to be changed.

While you are likely to keep a margin in your business and allow a free remake once per customer, don’t you wish the need doesn’t arise in the first place?

If you are looking for ways to reduce eyewear remakes, here are a few tips to help you make sure that your customers are satisfied when they try on their new glasses.

Have a clear conversation

If you want to master the art of refraction, start by listening to your patients very attentively.

Have a thorough conversation to see what type of glasses your customer wants. If they ask you for suggestions or leave the decision of design up to you, let them know what you think will suit them best and give them a sample to try on.

Give them time to make up their mind and make sure they are pleased before finalizing the order.

While most customers are usually very specific about what they want, listen attentively to determine whether they will be able to tolerate any changes in fabrication or not. Inform them beforehand if there’s a design or lens that may slightly differ from the one on display or shown in the catalog.

If there are customers with a past history of lens dissatisfaction, ask them to describe their ‘ideal’ eyeglasses. Discuss what issues they have faced before and how you can improve them.

Educate staff to troubleshoot

Your optical staff should be well trained to handle an unhappy customer.

Even if it gets a bit frustrating, the staff must maintain a friendly demeanor as they try to figure out what the issue is and how to fix it.

They should check if it’s a problem they can solve by themselves instead of simply sending the eyewear back to the lab.

Does the frame need a slight readjustment to ensure the customer is looking through the right part of the lens? Is there a pantoscopic tilt? Do the glasses lie flat on a surface or is the frame bent? Is it the way the patient is wearing the glasses?

Such minor issues can be easily fixed by the staff so make sure they are well trained to do that.

Moreover, if the customer demands a remake only because they feel that they are unable to adjust to their new eyewear, politely ask them to try the glasses for at least a week despite the initial discomfort.

Adjusting to a new pair of glasses takes time and they might not find the need for a remake once they wear it for a few days.