10 Ways to Increase Sales Using Optical Store Management Software

If you are an eyewear retailer, you are probably feeling the effects of the e-commerce revolution. As consumers turn to the Internet for their purchases, brick-and-mortar stores see their profits shrink. Fortunately, retailers still have one crucial advantage: their customer data. ChainDrive optical software is a software solution that retailers can use to make the most of that data. It allows retailers to analyze customer data and improve the customer experience while reducing the operational costs associated with their stores. In this article, we will look at how retailers can use ChainDrive Optical Software to increase sales and reduce costs.

10 Ways Retailers Can Increase Sales and Reduce Costs with ChainDrive Optical Store Software

1. A Unified View of the Customer – integrate data across all channels.

Data-driven marketing is no longer a theoretical and innovative approach; it should be a fundamental part of your marketing strategy. Unifying your data into a single source makes that data and insight accessible to the marketing team and the whole business. Decisions can be made across the business with your customers in mind. True customer-centricity is only possible if you connect all your data.

Optical Retail POS Software unifies optical store operations by bringing various aspects of business processes together. The software includes some marketing features and enhances and personalizes the customer experience to drive growth, conversions, and customer retention. It stores customer data, such as frame and lens specifications.

2. Digital technologies can drive sales performance

Emerging digital technologies allow eyewear retailers to maintain a 20/20 vision. Are you ready for innovation in the eyewear industry? Focus on both customization and smart production, 3D printing fits seamlessly to fulfill those requirements.

• Lens material for technology eyewear – Modern lenses are made from high-tech plastics instead of regular glass. This gives them durability and makes them less fragile. They are also lightweight and protect the eyes from harmful ultraviolet rays.
• Crystal clear night vision and rainy day – polarized lenses; most importantly, the lenses have an anti-reflective feature that allows for clear vision underwater or in the rain. An anti-glare coating makes it easier to see in bright light, especially while driving.
• Omnifocals – Omnifocal lenses consist of a smooth lens with a clear liquid crystal that distorts the light which passes through it. They have a processing unit determining the distance between the eye and the object in focus. With them, people can switch from one type of vision to another more quickly and without focusing on one area of the lens. Technology glasses that are gentle on your eyes. Approximately 64% of Americans have experienced digital eye strain from excessive use of screen-based devices. This is the leading cause of retinal damage and macular degeneration. Glasses have a protective coating that shields your eyes from glare, reflections, and high-energy blue light emitted from digital screens.
• Sports eyewear for athletes – The eyewear industry has a distinct line of eyewear and sunglasses for athletes. Their design and lens technology are geared toward sports, whether it’s golf, cycling, water sports, winter sports, running, etc. In addition to providing clear, anti-glare vision, these glasses also protect against sudden changes in light, speed, and airborne particles.
• Real-time try-on feature on online eyewear stores –A consumer can try on different sunglasses frames on sites to choose the one that best suits their face shape. This fitting module provides a virtual mirror on the browser screen in real-time via a webcam.
• Customization- The power of 3D printing and the luxury of customization also exist in the eyewear industry. People can order custom 3D-printed frames that are fully customized to their faces or style.
• Smart Glasses with Virtual Technology – Smart glasses with AR technology allow us to use smartphones effectively. Tech giants like Apple, Samsung, and Facebook are working on smart glasses. They try to connect the physical and virtual worlds. You can check your emails and make or receive phone calls. So, you can check your messages, take pictures, listen to your playlist and navigate places by looking at your glasses. They work with digital graphics, and the eyeglasses integrate 3D images with real-world scenarios. They enhance the user’s vision. The market for smart glasses is growing rapidly. They are widely used in gaming, tourism, and the military. Smart glasses offer a technological experience.
• Augmented Eyecare Services can increase optical sales through virtual visits and remote eye exams. Virtual visits are also scheduled via video conferencing. Providing better eyecare at the doorstep is a growing need of the optical sales business. Eye care solutions include contact lenses and vision therapy. The pandemic has made us aware that online eye care is a future need.

3. Personalized experience – Growing demand for premium eyewear, Personalization, and loyalty programs. Personalization in eyewear products and services helps small eyewear marketers develop long-term relationships with customers and encourage repeat business for the company. Friendly and helpful sales associates of leading market players are well-versed in current trends and in-store merchandise and help customers select sunglasses and drive impulse purchases. Retailers can provide an added convenience by offering Personalization.

4. Advanced analytic and data capabilities

Did you know that you can refine, streamline, and improve every area of your business with data? Analyzing your sales data can help you protect your cash flow, make informed decisions about products, marketing, and outreach, and know when it is time to pivot and how to improve your overall operations.

By analyzing your sales, you can identify your most profitable products and those that do not work, your most profitable customers, and potential sales opportunities. This is a big data set, and there is advanced analytics technology for optical stores that can help you. ChainDrive’s next-generation analytics tools provide predictive and prescriptive recommendations for optical retailers to analyze the data and decide the best path to achieve goals.

5. Adoption of omnichannel retailing and digital marketing

Online shopping is becoming more prevalent in all economies, and more and more emerging players are turning to online platforms to launch their products. They are aggressively implementing their online marketing and promotional activities to increase sales volume and value and expand customer reach. Online marketing not only makes it easier for customers to reach them, but it also helps vendors reduce their operational costs.

Improving omnichannel marketing efforts will increase your optical sales. Marketing is directly proportional to customer needs. Therefore, targeted marketing initiatives can increase optical sales and store revenue. Blogs and newsletters are other ways to promote the product. Marketing campaigns are also built using advertisements. Linking with online stores also makes it easy to distribute the product. ChainDrive omnichannel solutions help retailers bridge the gap between digital and in-store experiences and convert stores into omnichannel environments.

6. Loyalty programs that uniquely fit customers – move away from traditional points programs

• Store eye exam results – If you provide eye exams to your customers, you should store the results.
• Keep warranties and insurance claims – Eyewear is an expensive item. Warranties and insurance help your customers feel secure with their purchases. By keeping these documents, you maintain positive relationships with your customers and are able to meet their needs more effectively.
•  Promotions and price management – You need a centralized way to manage your product pricing and marketing promotions. A good operating solution makes it easy. Optical retailers offer various types of specialized promotions for optical products. The “Buy one, get one” (BOGO) offer is a great way to clear out old inventory while driving short-term optical sales. Special offers on sunglasses, designer frames, or colored contact lenses create a buzz among customers. Retailers can also hold free eye check camps. Raise eye care awareness and give away freebies at the camps. Offer promotional coupons on customers’ future purchases

In addition, online retailers can better engage loyal customers with such offers. Staff can educate customers about promotions and current offers. Personally contact customers by phone or text message. ChainDrive optical store software promotes customer loyalty using mobile and online channels and drives more traffic and sales.

7. Manage inventory and track work orders, and repairs – Inventory management for eyewear specialists is more than just tracking quantities. You need an optical store management system that can handle multiple SKUs and allow you to keep track of the most popular eyewear products on the market.

Repairs are a very crucial part of eyewear retailing. Eyeglasses break. And not just the lenses. Often customers arrive with bent eyeglass frames, off-center nose pads, broken bridges, or loose screws on temple hinges. If eyewear repair is part of your key business, you need an optical store management system that can help you manage the end-to-end process. Eyewear retailers should track and keep track of customer return visits. Retailers can inform through alerts, emails, or text messages.

8. Staff training to minimize downtime – Staff with updated skills can reduce optical store downtime. In addition, training improves store efficiency and minimizes expenses in the long run. Having a multi-talented staff will improve optical sales opportunities. Retailers must deploy the right staff for the job required by recognizing individual strengths and weaknesses.

Staff training includes communication skills for tele-sales and face-to-face interactions. Thus, trained staff build relationships. They improve optical sales performance and help meet sales goals. Trained staff can also provide excellent customer service by using appropriate visual aids. Their work also includes fitting contact lenses and eyeglasses. They follow optometrists’ prescriptions while selling relevant optical products.

9. Social media promotional campaigns – Generate consistent promotional campaigns. Develop a promotional strategy to stay in the customer’s mind. Increase your store’s visibility. Social media is a powerful tool for promoting optical sales. Optimize social media profiles and update your social media pages regularly. Launch new eyewear products first to market. Use analytics to track engagement and offer additional services like frame replacement and free contact lenses. Create an online store for users located around the world. Use digital marketing strategy for website traffic and lead conversion.

Offer exclusive deals, and share customer reviews and experiences on social media. Create regional groups on social media platforms and post infographics to raise eye care awareness. Add customer FAQs to pages and host real-time interactions and live sessions on current issues. In addition, you should post engaging product content on social media. Invite customers to take action. This will eventually attract more customers and improve optical sales.

10. Educate customers about optical products

Educating customers about optical products, such as providing eye care information, is a great way to build trust. You can also share the story behind the launch of each optical product on digital platforms.

Eyewear retailers can also use digital displays or educational videos to inform store visitors. Additionally, they should take the initiative to check for eyewear-related issues while scheduling consultations to address their concerns. Informing customers about different lens and frame collections can help them make their purchasing decision.

An optician can inform customers about various frame-related issues. Store managers can also educate on stylish and lightweight optical products. Share tips for choosing the right eyewear by empathizing with customers’ needs.

Manage inventory, promotions, and orders seamlessly with ChainDrive

Eyewear retailers have a unique relationship with their customers. Once people need glasses, they will need them for the rest of their lives. If you take care of your customers, you will keep them for life. But there is competition, so you have to take care of your customers.

ChainDrive Optical store software helps retailers reduce costs and increase sales. ChainDrive Optical Software allows retailers to track inventory, manage employees, and create customized reports. It also offers an integrated barcode scanner and can automatically synchronize with accounting software. ChainDrive Optical software is a powerful and affordable way for retailers to simplify and optimize their business processes.

The best way to boost your sales, minimize the cost and maintain a 20/20 vision is to invest in an optical store software solution that helps you manage all aspects of your eyewear business. Manage all of your optical store needs like inventory Management Software, POS Systems, and customer loyalty program with ChainDrive optical store software. Contact us for a free demo to see if ChainDrive is the right optical store management system for you.