2020 in Review: What We Learned as We Move into the New Year
Renewed Focus on the Doctor-Patient Relationship
In 2019, we presented a three-part series about tools that successful ECPs use to fortify their relationships with key patient groups:
To build on this research, we kicked off 2020 by interviewing Dr. Ian Whipple of Vision Source of Farr West, UT, about the way he uses CLX to create an omnichannel experience for his patients. He talked about strengthening his relationships with patients by understanding and meeting their needs:
“We have our physical location but we’re trying to also create an experience where patients can take advantage of the convenience and ease of ordering contact lenses online and they can do that through our office, online, in the middle of the night because of CLX”.
Flexibility in the Face of COVID-19
By March, the industry was starting to feel the initial impact of the pandemic. Many doctors were forced to close their offices temporarily as new safety protocols were established. Consumers found it more difficult to get the supplies they needed and medical supplies were no exception.
ECPs that were able to serve patients remotely, particularly those that could deliver contact lenses straight to their patients’ doors, were in high demand. It’s not surprising that during this time, online retailers reported record sales.
Renewed Focus on the Doctor-Patient Relationship
In 2019, we presented a three-part series about tools that successful ECPs use to fortify their relationships with key patient groups:
To build on this research, we kicked off 2020 by interviewing Dr. Ian Whipple of Vision Source of Farr West, UT, about the way he uses CLX to create an omnichannel experience for his patients. He talked about strengthening his relationships with patients by understanding and meeting their needs:
“We have our physical location but we’re trying to also create an experience where patients can take advantage of the convenience and ease of ordering contact lenses online and they can do that through our office, online, in the middle of the night because of CLX”.
Flexibility in the face of COVID-19
By March, the industry was starting to feel the initial impact of the pandemic. Many doctors were forced to close their offices temporarily as new safety protocols were established. Consumers found it more difficult to get the supplies they needed and medical supplies were no exception.
ECPs that were able to serve patients remotely, particularly those that could deliver contact lenses straight to their patients’ doors, were in high demand. Given the large number of eyecare practices without a webstore, it’s not surprising that during this time, 1-800-Contacts reported a 100% increase in customers.
The Aftermath and Recovery
We got a chance to look back at how CLX users fared during the height of the pandemic shutdown, and the results are incredible — between mid-March and June 2020, CLX power users were able to triple their contact lens sales.
CLX’s President, Jim Edwards, put these numbers into context:
“This significant uptick in ecommerce sales is a result of our users really leaning into ecommerce tools and direct-to-patient shipping options as practices look for ways to give patients the ability to refill their contact lens supplies while capturing revenue for the practice.”
The Aftermath and Recovery
We got a chance to look back at how CLX users fared during the height of the pandemic shutdown, and the results are incredible — between mid-March and June 2020, CLX power users were able to triple their contact lens sales.
CLX’s President, Jim Edwards, put these numbers into context:
“This significant uptick in ecommerce sales is a result of our users really leaning into ecommerce tools and direct-to-patient shipping options as practices look for ways to give patients the ability to refill their contact lens supplies while capturing revenue for the practice.”
Lessons for the Future
Towards the end of 2020, we talked with Dr. Amanda Barker, of Advanced Family Eyecare in Denver, NC about how critical it was for her to have the tools in place to manage her contact lens business from anywhere. Specifically, she walked us through the ways she leveraged CLX to continue serving her patients while the office was closed.
“One thing that was really great during the crisis was that key people could operate with CLX from virtually everywhere. Everybody has their own virtual login, and they can login to our EMR, so we never really shut down a single day from our perspective for contact lens orders. That was a very valuable tool for us.”
Dr. Barker said that one of the things she learned from the pandemic is that tools like CLX allow a practice to be agile, even in the face of extreme uncertainty:
“Having this technology makes perfect sense for any practice regardless of the size. Even if you’re starting out, having a platform that can grow with you and close gaps that you never even have to think about is worth considering.”
Lessons for the Future
Towards the end of 2020, we talked with Dr. Amanda Barker, of Advanced Family Eyecare in Denver, NC about how critical it was for her to have the tools in place to manage her contact lens business from anywhere. Specifically, she walked us through the ways she leveraged CLX to continue serving her patients while the office was closed.
“One thing that was really great during the crisis was that key people could operate with CLX from virtually everywhere. Everybody has their own virtual login, and they can login to our EMR, so we never really shut down a single day from our perspective for contact lens orders. That was a very valuable tool for us.”
Dr. Barker said that one of the things she learned from the pandemic is that tools like CLX allow a practice to be agile, even in the face of extreme uncertainty:
“Having this technology makes perfect sense for any practice regardless of the size. Even if you’re starting out, having a platform that can grow with you and close gaps that you never even have to think about is worth considering.”
Our Year in Review
Looking back, 2020 was a difficult year for everyone, but our CLX users certainly demonstrated that with the right system in place— independent ECPs can adapt and survive the most challenging conditions. In 2021, we expect that these doctors will continue to thrive as they focus on meeting their patients’ evolving needs.
Our Year in Review
Looking back, 2020 was a difficult year for everyone, but our CLX users certainly demonstrated that with the right system in place— independent ECPs can adapt and survive the most challenging conditions. In 2021, we expect that these doctors will continue to thrive as they focus on meeting their patients’ evolving needs.