Sponsored by PECAA’s Premier Vendor Partners:
Thank You for Attending!
Thank you to all of our Members, Vendors and guests for attending PECAA’s 2017 Annual Meeting in Nashville! It was an amazing turnout and a spectacular event!
Please take a moment to complete our brief 2017 Annual Meeting Survey. Your feedback is greatly appreciated and will be very helpful as we plan for future PECAA events.
EDUCATION
General Session Presentations:
New Advancements in the Management of Ocular Surface Disease (COPE ID: 47082-AS)
Paul Karpecki, OD, FAAO
This lecture allows the participant an understanding of the etiology, predisposing factors, diagnosis and treatment options for ocular surface diseases including dry eye and meibomian gland dysfunction MGD. Ocular surface disease is the common medical condition optometry faces so it is important to say informed of the latest diagnostic tests and treatment options to successfully manage these patients. Signs, symptoms, diagnostic testing as well as therapeutic management are expounded on by this panel of experts.
Welcome to the Jungle (COPE ID: 46976-PM)
Jason Miller, OD
Does your office turn into a jungle at times? This discussion will address the various ways an optometric practice can work together and calm the jungle. Patient flow can be improved with a variety of tools, including electronic medical records and information technology. These practice management tools can help change the attitude of your office.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Ocular Surface Conditions Focus on Blepharitis (COPE ID: 44880-AS)
Paul Karpecki, OD, FAAO
This 1-hour seminar focuses on assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of blepharitis, including case studies. The program was developed by leading expert Dr. Paul Karpecki to ensure relevance and practicality for the OD community.
Selling Satisfaction: A Practice Communication Strategy (COPE ID: 52056-PM)
Doug Martin
This course teaches doctors and staff how to build an effective, comprehensive communication strategy designed to deliver a consistent patient experience and superior business results. Practices today are inconsistent on how they gather and use information to help patients achieve the best vision possible in all facets of their daily life. “Selling Satisfaction” teaches doctors and staff their respective roles, how to systematically gather information and collectively use it to prescribe and sell multiple products to meet the lifestyle needs of each patient. This course teaches doctors and staff how to positively handle many common, everyday patient encounters thereby enhancing the overall patient experience. Practices that focus on “Selling Satisfaction” generate long-term patient satisfaction and superior business results.
The Patient Handoff
Jonathan Smith
Partner with Luxottica to gain insight into the journey from Patient to Consumer. Gain a 360 degree perspective of the handoff process from the moment of patient check-in to the final stage of product dispensing to consumer. The understanding of this process will provide insight on elevating the medical /retail experience resulting in increased patient / consumer experience.
Upon completion of this program, the participant should be able to:
- Understand patient /consumer expectations and behavior patterns.
- Recognize the sales opportunity by improving the customer experience.
- Identify easy steps for improvement and implementation.
New Understanding in the Treatment of Dry Eye Disease (COPE ID: 50980-AS)
Paul Karpecki, OD, FAAO
Understanding the key elements of the most common forms of dry eye disease DED such as evaporative dry eye are paramount to successful results. In this lecture well discuss treating inflammation, which is at the core of DED. We’ll delve into obstruction, biofilm development, and tearfilm instability options as well as treatments for recalcitrant cases ranging from autologous serum to amniotic membrane and scleral lenses.
Staff Workshop Presentations:
Stop Selling & Help Your Patients Buy – ABO
Samantha Toth
Patients don’t like to be sold, but they love to buy! The motivation behind why patients buy eyewear and contact lenses is important to understand in order to recommend the best vision solutions without being “salesy.” Why should they purchase from you versus going online to a possible cheaper alternative? This course provides insight into why people buy, but also illustrates their purchasing fears that hold them back from premium eyewear lens options. Discussion will also include recommendation strategies designed to overcome patient purchasing fears and how to increase word-of-mouth testimonials about your practice.
Selling Premium Sunwear – ABO
Jonathan Smith
Partner with Luxottica and recognize the sales opportunity when educating the patient/consumer on how high quality, premium sunglasses are the only choice for consumers to protect their sight and understand the harmful effects of UV rays on our eyes and vision.
Upon completion of this program, the participant should be able to:
- Understand the harmful effects of UV rays on our eyes and vision.
- Recognize the sales opportunity when educating customers on how high quality, premium sunglasses are the only choice for consumers to best protect their sight.
- Teach how to better educate customers on Premium Sunwear
Extraordinary Customer Service Models
Joy Gibb
Customer service can often be the key to retaining loyal customers and increasing word of mouth referrals. This course will explore the business cultures of some well know businesses and how they excel in superior customer service and how eye care professionals can incorporate some of these companies’ tips and tricks into their own practices.
Techniques for Driving Sales
Joy Gibb
Do you feel like your sales team becomes stagnate at times? Do ever feel at a loss for how to improve your sales? This course will explore ways to create excitement within your staff and creating opportunities and invitations for you customer to buy.
The Patient Handoff (General Session)
Jonathan Smith
See course description above in General Session
The Power of Premium: How to Sell Expensive Stuff
Joy Gibb
The industry now offers better and more technically advanced products than ever before. Eye care professionals need to understand some of the psychology behind a customer’s purchase and how to position these premium products within their practice. An understanding of how to offer them to customers so they will understand the value in their purchase is crucial. This course will explain some of the features of premium lenses, coatings, and frames and suggest ways to promote them at various stages of the patient’s visit. In turn practices can see an increase in revenue and customer satisfaction when these products are dispensed effectively.
Planning a Successful Optical Event – ABO
Samantha Toth
Optical events are a great way to promote your practice, bring in new patients, launch a new product or brand, and increase your sales. Events also help to strengthen your position as a leading source for eyewear in your community. There’s a lot that goes into the planning of a successful optical event. Complete with timeline and checklists, this course will provide the information you need and the skills required for proper planning, promotion, and staff training to help you reach and exceed the goals at your next optical event.
Manager Workshop Presentations:
Techniques for Driving Sales
Joy Gibb
Do you feel like your sales team becomes stagnate at times? Do ever feel at a loss for how to improve your sales? This course will explore ways to create excitement within your staff and creating opportunities and invitations for you customer to buy.
Stop Selling & Help Your Patients Buy – ABO
Samantha Toth
Patients don’t like to be sold, but they love to buy! The motivation behind why patients buy eyewear and contact lenses is important to understand in order to recommend the best vision solutions without being “salesy.” Why should they purchase from you versus going online to a possible cheaper alternative? This course provides insight into why people buy, but also illustrates their purchasing fears that hold them back from premium eyewear lens options. Discussion will also include recommendation strategies designed to overcome patient purchasing fears and how to increase word-of-mouth testimonials about your practice.
Planning a Successful Optical Event – ABO
Samantha Toth
Optical events are a great way to promote your practice, bring in new patients, launch a new product or brand, and increase your sales. Events also help to strengthen your position as a leading source for eyewear in your community. There’s a lot that goes into the planning of a successful optical event. Complete with timeline and checklists, this course will provide the information you need and the skills required for proper planning, promotion, and staff training to help you reach and exceed the goals at your next optical event.
The Art of Assortment – ABO
Jonathan Smith
Partner with Luxottica to gain insight on how to adjust or maximize the frames assortment in your practice. Understanding and capitalizing on your assortment will elevate the retail experience and increase profitability.
Upon completion of this program, the participant should be able to:
- Understand insight on how to update and maximize a frame assortment
- Recognize the sales opportunity by improving product positioning
- Identify easy steps for improvement , implementation, and monitoring
The Patient Handoff (General Session)
Jonathan Smith
See course description above in General Session
How to Get The Most Out of Your Marketing – ABO
Samantha Toth
Owners and managers now have more choices than ever to market their businesses. From social media and online advertising with Google AdWords, Facebook, and Yelp, to community events and local publications, how can you be sure your marketing message is reaching the right people? When a patient is in the practice, is your staff properly trained on how talk about specific promotions or events. This course highlights the fundamentals of effective and strategic marketing and provides industry specific ideas and tools you can use to get the most out of your marketing.
Conflicts – Avoiding Them, Resolving Them
Joy Gibb
Most people don’t like conflict and will usually avoid it at all costs. But when dealing with the public chances are pretty good there are going to be conflicts. This course will explain techniques to avoid conflicts and explore ways to diffuse conflicts once they’ve occurred.
Best Practices for a Staff Meeting
Joy Gibb
Staff meetings can be used as a developmental tool in training, team building, communication, and boosting sales and service. But the reality is staff meetings are usually disappointing at best. There are specific ways you can make your next staff meeting more effective, enjoyable and productive. The ideas presented in this course will help eye care professionals have staff meetings that are productive and beneficial for everyone involved.
PECAA Gives
PECAA Gives is an initiative PECAA created to give back to the communities in which we visit each year. Our original goal was to raise $10,000 for the W.O. Smith Music School, and we knocked it out of the park with a whopping $16,750! With the help of our members, vendors and PECAA community we exceeded our goal and helped raise scholarship money for local Nashville children to attend summer camps this year. Thank you to everyone who donated!
