Why Half Your Patients Are Walking Out Without Buying Glasses
About this episode
Dr. Steve Vargo and Chris Millet discuss the declining capture rates in independent optical practices and the changing consumer expectations.
In this episode, Dr. Steve Vargo sits down with Chris Millet, Managing Director of Global Sales for Modern Optical, for an honest and timely conversation about what the data is telling us — and what independent practices can no longer afford to ignore. Capture rates in the independent channel have dropped below 50% for the first time, and the reasons go deeper than the economy. Chris and Steve explore the shifting consumer mindset around affordability, brand loyalty, and the experience patients are now expecting when they walk through your door. They discuss the K-shaped economy playing out inside optical dispensaries, why the "sell up" strategy that worked for years is losing its grip on a growing segment of patients, and what the most adaptive practices are doing differently right now. But this conversation goes beyond sales strategy. It's about being honest with yourself — about your inventory, your approach, and whether the practice model you've built still matches the patients walking in today. Chris shares practical examples from practices across the country that are plugging leaks, having better conversations, and finding ways to keep patients in the optical without…
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