Table of Contents
Key takeaways:
- Customers are increasingly seeking patient-centric experiences, and the healthcare industry is adapting.
- As a broker, you can adapt by picking vision plans that support a patient-first experience and offering a more personalized way to shop for benefits.
A major change is happening in healthcare, and professional vision care is no exception. The industry is moving toward patient-centered care, a model that prioritizes personalization and empowers individuals to take charge of their health decisions.
If you do one thing for your brokerage business this summer, align your offerings and experiences with what today’s customers want and expect.
How Are Customer Expectations Changing?
As customers become more involved in making health decisions, one obstacle they face is navigating a vision health market that can feel overwhelming.
It’s the perfect opportunity to present your broker services as a solution, and you can meet their changing expectations by:
- Explaining vision benefits in clear and simple language.
- Sharing pricing information upfront for a transparent experience.
- Discussing their network and optometrist choices.
- Highlighting how the company behind the eye health plan offers great customer service and convenient experiences.
In addition to prioritizing communication, you should rethink the experience you offer to your customers. The healthcare industry is increasingly adopting practices from other sectors, including online retail, to offer more patient-centric and intuitive interactions.
You can learn from this trend and look into giving your customers easy access to multiple plan options, comparison tools, and personalized recommendations based on their specific needs and lifestyle.
Personalized Treatments
Putting customers first means replacing one-size-fits-all plans with options that reflect everyone’s unique health needs. It’s also a crucial step toward offering more value since budget-conscious customers are careful not to pick plans with benefits they don’t feel apply to them.
As a broker, this means getting to know the ins and outs of the products you offer so you can recommend the most relevant options. If you’re working with a large selection of vision plans, build a database to quickly search for plans with the best savings or reimbursements on things like:
- Age-specific care, like pediatric eye exams or comprehensive benefits for older adults.
- Vision protection for athletes or those who work in environments with eye health hazards.
- Specialty lens coatings for protection against blue light or UV rays.
- Customized contact lenses for those with an active lifestyle.
For your employer customers, remember to emphasize the importance of access to personalized care for employee satisfaction and improved ROI for their benefits package.
Technology and New Patient Experiences
Many vision care specialists use technology to offer a patient-centric, personalized approach, including advanced diagnostic tools like digital retinal imaging, online appointment booking systems, or even telehealth for prescription renewals.
As a broker:
- Tech frees up time for back-office tasks, allowing you to focus more on your customers.
- Look for plans that integrate tech, for instance, with convenient online platforms that help users learn about their benefits.
- Think of the experience you offer your customers. Are you leveraging digital channels to simplify the process of buying a vision plan?
Vision Plans Are Part of a Holistic Health Journey
Today’s consumers approach vision plans as one of the many elements they need on their holistic health journey.
Eye exams are a key benefit you can present as an effective way of screening for medical conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and even some forms of cancer. In fact, patients cite health maintenance as one of the top reasons for getting a routine eye exam.
You can also connect vision and mental health by talking about how undiagnosed eye health problems can affect engagement and productivity at work and school or how partial vision loss can be isolating for older adults.
To tailor your approach to each customer’s holistic health journey, ask a few questions to better understand their concerns. Think of it as a consultation, during which you can present relevant benefits once you know more about your customer.
How Much Do Value and Flexibility Matter?
We’re halfway through the year, and consumers are reviewing their budgets. For many, this means rethinking their health needs and upgrading their vision care plan.
Besides focusing on patient-centered vision care, you should present value and flexibility as your main selling points:
- Customers looking for a new vision product want an affordable price and don’t want to pay for services they won’t use.
- A flexible plan that reflects changing needs should appeal to those looking to update or replace an existing plan.
Better Access to Patient-Centric Professional Vision Care With VCD
It’s time to review the plans you offer and how you present them to your customers. Do you have enough products that reflect the unique needs of your audience, and are you taking a patient-centric approach when discussing benefits?
Adding pre-paid vision plans to your portfolio is a great way to offer the right mix of personalization, value, and flexibility. These plans are more affordable than traditional vision insurance plans and come with transparent costs and savings, so your customers know exactly what they’re getting.
Plus, you can find flexible options with savings on a wide range of services, from routine eye exams to family vision care or complete vision care for older adults or remote workers.
With VCD, you can give your customers access to one of the largest optometrist networks in Oklahoma. We offer flexible and affordable pre-paid vision plans with valuable savings and great customer service.
Learn more about adding VCD plans to your portfolio and earning a 10% commission.
FAQ
Which vision benefits trends are shaping the industry?
Customers are increasingly looking for digital experiences and prioritizing products that support patient-centric care.
Is vision insurance worth it?
Yes, most patients save on the eye health services they need. For budget-conscious customers, you can recommend pre-paid plans instead of traditional insurance to increase the value they get.
What are some signs a customer needs a new vision plan?
Going through a major life event, such as getting married, having a child, or starting a new job, is usually a sign that you should review a customer’s current benefits and suggest upgrades.
