Starting your own Optical Store in Canada: Running the Show

Hiring Optician

When it comes to staffing your optical store, hiring the right people is essential. Opticians are the backbone of your business, and they should have the necessary qualifications and experience to perform their duties effectively. Look for candidates who are passionate about the field and have excellent customer service skills. LinkedIn is a good resource for finding Opticians. Most stores would pay their optician’s annual license renewal. Health insurance is a great competitive advantage for retaining your optician and sales staff. Sun Life is a popular choice for getting group insurance for your business.

Hiring Sales Staff

Hiring sales staff who are knowledgeable about eyewear, lenses and fashion can be a great asset in driving sales. You should look for a full-time salesperson with prior experience in Optical sales. Student Opticians can be useful in part-time roles. Indeed is a good place for finding good local help.

Finding & Retaining Optometrist

You need a doctor to come in regularly for eye exams. Depending upon how busy your store is, doctor may come from one to multiple days a week. Eye exams are the major business generator for any optical store. Therefore having a good and reliable doctor is a must for business. Doctors are busy and it may be hard to find one in the beginning depending upon your location. If doctors are in high demand in your area, you may have to offer a minimum payout per visit to the doctor in the beginning. This will ensure to the doctor that their visit is not wasted if you do not have enough appointments. You can Google local optometrists in your area. Also, talk to other optical store owners you may know or your lab and frame suppliers and they may refer you to a doctor who may be interested.

Managing Accounts and Finances

It is important to keep track of all expenses and revenue to ensure that your business is profitable. Use industry-standard software to do so. QuickBooks is a popular choice among small Canadian businesses. You can opt for the online or the desktop version. You can do the bookkeeping yourself or hire an accountant to do so for you. Remember, you will be needing your accountant at year-end to do your business tax return. Be sure to establish clear payment terms with your vendors and suppliers. This can help you avoid any late fees or interest charges and maintain a good relationship with your suppliers. Use a credit card to pay your bills wherever possible. This provides you with a level of protection from your bank. Also, most business credit cards have reward points programs which you can earn as you use your credit card.

Insurance

A big chunk of your sales will be paid through the patient’s insurance company. It is therefore important for you and your staff to understand how to file and maintain insurance claims. Telus Health is the major insurance claim processor in the Optical industry. You will most probably be using their software to file, process and maintain insurance claims.

This post is part of our Starting Your Own Optical Store in Canada: A Comprehensive Guide to Success series.