Patients expect the same caliber of quality and service from your optical that they've experienced in your medical practice. To make sure patients will be happy with their experience in your optical, you need to be sure your lab is providing the level of quality service your patients expect. According to dispensing expert Leona Meditz, you should begin by defining the level of quality and service your optical requires.

The best way to do this is to survey patients about the service they've received from your optical. A short questionnaire asking patients to rate your level of service at the time their glasses are dispensed will tell you whether the promises your practice is making are being kept. It will also tell you a lot about what's important to your patients, because most patients won't even bother responding to a questionnaire unless they've had a very positive or negative experience relating to something that's important to them. (That's a good reason to take their comments seriously.)

�Here are some sample statements you can ask patients to rate on a scale of one (true) to five (false):

�        I can see more clearly when driving when I wear my new glasses than when I wear my old pair.

�        I read better with my new glasses than with my old pair.

�        My new glasses feel better than my old pair (they're lighter, they don't slip as much, they don't pinch, etc.).

�        I got my glasses when promised.

�        The price I paid for my glasses was fair in today's market.

�        I would refer my friends to your dispensary.

Pre-pay the postage and have patients send the cards to your office administrator. Don't have them send the cards to your optician. Make sure you see all the returned cards. The feedback will help you determine the quality, service and price standards your lab needs to maintain.