Want to be able to do the right "Frame Speak"? It may be the coolest thing we do at our optical. Consider hosting a brand training event about once per quarter. Deliver an open invitation to all of your reps to brainwash staff with all there is to know about their company and frame lines. After all, who knows more about the product than the rep? The optician and staff goal—be able to ooze with the same passion that the rep has for the brand.

When? Pick the night that works best but in this office, Tuesday nights work best for our team. The event is for all members of the team (not just opticians). Consider starting right after work (5:30 p.m.) and make sure to have plenty to eat and drink (perhaps a meal catered in, fancy pasta and wine for one of our luxury lines). Other times, it's subs or pizza. Vary the menu—often consistent with the brand's identity. Dessert is a must (a.k.a. chocolate) to cap off an evening together.

The Goal: learn the brand inside and out. This helps separate your office from others. With online options, lower prices, and more competition, you must create a better patient experience. Patients deserve an education about their investment. What should you know?

Consumers that identify with particular brands and/or designers would want you to know the history of the designer, what inspires them and what are they known for (shoes, handbags, jeans, dresses, frames). Do they have any quirks? What celebrities wear their fashion? For celebrities, see Upfront in 20/20 Magazine – James Spina, Editor in Chief tells us that "Upfront routinely gets the most online comments since consumers want to know what sunglass or frame their favorite is wearing. What colors and style are they known for? How often they release new lines, the current trends and what is coming?"

Know the history of the frame company, country of origin and the quality attributes of the lines. How are the frames assembled? How big is their design team? How long is the design to completion process (from initial drawings to production)? Then answer; why this frame company is a great partner for your optical? How are they an extension of your own brand?

Review magazines and other publications that feature the brand and ask the reps for copies. Consider purchasing copies for counter tops and reception so that the brands carried in your office are also seen in the material that patients also see in the office. Leave magazines open to the right pages. Ask reps for presentations that describe the history of the designer and company, how frames are designed and assembled, and other helpful information related to the brand. Ask if those presentations (slide show or video) are available to be shown on that flat screen in reception. Require the rep to do a little quiz at the end of the presentation to test key facts. It's helpful if a rep hands out small prizes to team members that get correct answers, it reinforces the facts.

Then, as a team, develop a list of 2-3 phrases or facts to remember to share with patients. Be able to connect the frame to stories about the history of the company, current fashion trends, quirks about the designer, or fashion intricacies found on each frame. That lets patients (and staff) experience fashion in a different way. The brand becomes more tangible—patients can feel it. Share the quality of the frame...this is what you get when you wear this frame. It becomes an experience that can't be duplicated online or down the road. It is experienced only at your optical.

Be able to look at any frame in the collection and understand why certain colors or materials were used. Know the history of the brand and the company. In Phase 5, you'll learn how we made Board Management Work for Everyone.

Tim Slapnicher, ABOC, CPO is currently the practice coordinator at Rivertown Eye Care in Hastings, Minn., where he lives with his family. He uses his experience of teaching kindergarten to bring a fresh perspective to management in the optical industry.