LEWISVILLE, TEXAS, (January 30, 2013) “The data doesn’t lie, shocking!” exclaimed Barney Dougher, President of HOYA Vision Care, North America at the conclusion of the firm’s national sales meeting in New Orleans, LA. He continued, “Independent optometrists perform 70% of all eye exams, yet only dispense 50% of the eyewear. Our mission this year is to help our customers with products and services to close the retention gap.”
HOYA’s own internal focus groups of patients and ECPs added texture to recent data in the trades. Overall patients do not understand optical jargon and generally do not know there is a difference in lenses or lens technology. The good news is patients told us if given a reason to care they would consider technology advanced products for their purchases. As a result, much of the attention was placed on HOYA’s technological advantages and how they can be used to close the gap between independent ECPs and their patients.
The sales force spent time reviewing iD MyStyle, the most personalized lens available as well as the Spectangle app, the most affordable and flexible patient measurement system. (THE WINNER OF THIS YEAR’s EYEVOTE FOR BEST PERSONALIZED LENSES). The opportunity for ECPs is to wow their patients with the details that go into personalizing lenses as well as to differentiate their brands. Patients will find out that iD MyStyle is not available at big boxes or via the Internet which further elevates the importance of their independent ECP.
Dr. Thomas Gosling hosted a session on Sync, one of the lenses in HOYA’s New Media Optics family. Sync offers pre-presbyopic patients suffering from Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) or Digital Eye Strain (DES) a real solution. The Sync lens presents a true “problem/solution” opportunity for ECPs to connect lens technology with patient needs.
The three day event was education intensive for the participants with guest speakers, classes and small group break out sessions all designed to prepare them for an exciting year ahead. The theme of the meeting, “Closing the Gap,” was woven throughout the general and small group activities. The top sales people were honored for their accomplishments at dinner on Wednesday evening. And we wish to thank all of our great customers, sales people, and lab personnel for their dedication to closing the gap.
About Hoya Corporation
Hoya Corporation is a global technology company traded on the Japanese stock exchange based in Tokyo, Japan, and the leading supplier of innovative and indispensable high‐tech and healthcare products based upon its advanced optics technologies. Hoya is active in four fields of business: The Healthcare provides eyeglasses and contact lenses for retail sales. The Medicalprovides endoscopic system and intraocular lenses for cataract surgery. The Electronics makes mask blanks and photo masks for the semiconductor devices and LCD panels as well as glass memory disks for HDDs. The Imaging produces optical lenses, SLR/compact digital cameras, lens modules and micro lenses. Hoya now has over 100 subsidiaries and affiliates, and employs over 36,500 people worldwide.