OPTICAL BUSINESSES
Optical Shop Owner: Frames, Lenses and the Lab Bill
A customer leaves with a prescription, picks a frame in ten minutes, and the lens order goes to the lab on a slip with a smudged number. Three days later, the pair comes back for a second fitting, and nobody can say whether the mistake was at the counter or in the lab.
We help you track jobs from prescription to delivery, cost frames and lenses by combination, and set rules on discounts. We coach your counter and fitting staff to run it. We give no advice on eye examination, prescriptions, lens suitability or any clinical matter.
Discuss your priorities ↗COMMON CHALLENGES
The pressures
we often see.
- 01Frames of many brands sit on the display for years, and the owner buys new designs without knowing which old ones still carry cash.
- 02Lens orders go to the lab with details written by hand, and remakes caused by errors are paid for by the shop.
- 03Lab bills are paid monthly in bulk, and the owner cannot match each lab charge to a customer job and the price charged.
- 04Tie-ups with eye clinics and doctors bring regular customers, but the terms are informal and the owner cannot tell which tie-up is worth keeping.
- 05Counter staff decide how much discount to give on frames and lenses, which affects the margin on the more profitable lens upgrades.
OUR FOCUS AREAS
Where the work
usually starts.
- 01A job card from prescription entry to delivery, with lab dispatch and return dates
- 02Remake log with reason, lab or counter origin and cost borne by the shop
- 03Frame stock by brand and price band, with age on the display
- 04Lab bill matched to job cards each month before payment
- 05Lens price list by type and coating, with the margin shown beside it
- 06Referral sources such as clinics, with orders received from each
- 07Discount limits by frame band and lens category
- 08Follow-up call for pickup and for periodic checks, kept on a simple calendar
START THIS WEEK
Things you can do
before you call anyone.
- Take the last month's lab bill and match each line to a customer job. List any charge you cannot match and ask the lab about it.
- Hypothetical example: a lens remake costs ₹900 at the lab and the pair earned ₹1,400 margin. After one remake, the sale earns ₹500, and a second remake wipes it out.
- Write the discount limits by frame price band on a card for the counter. Make sure that lens upgrades are not discounted along with the frame.
- Ask your clinic tie-up partners how many customers they sent last month, and compare it with your own job cards.
A PRACTICAL ENGAGEMENT
Start with the priorities
that matter most.
We begin by understanding how your business runs today, find the gaps, and agree the scope in writing. Recommendations are shaped around your team, your resources and your goals.
- A job card and tracking board covering prescription, frame, lens, lab and delivery
- A remake log and monthly lab bill reconciliation format
- A frame stock review with a plan for slow brands
- A pricing, discount and referral note for counter staff and tie-up partners
Not the right fit when: This is not the right area if the issue is a clinical complaint about an examination or a prescription dispute. The optometrist and the relevant council must handle that.
Explore a business audit ↗LET’S MOVE YOUR BUSINESS FORWARD
