You Are Not Alone
In the June issue of Inc. Magazine, an
article on Warby Parker highlights a
company who is succeeding based on
fulfilling strategic objectives. Warby Parker
is a company that provides fashion eye
glasses at discounted prices. How does this
company relate to pedorthics? There are
actually more similarities than one might
realize. First, eye glasses are essentially
orthotics for the eyes. The eyes are not
functioning as intended, and the device
(eye glasses) enables the eyes to function as
they should. Foot orthoses enable feet that
are not functioning as intended to function
as they should. Pedorthists have an age-
old issue. Patients have foot pain and go
see a podiatrist. The podiatrist assesses
the patient and decides the patient would
benefit from foot orthoses. The patient
is told that they will be casted or a foam
impression is taken and the patient is told to
pick up their orthoses in a week to a month,
leaving the pedorthist out of the loop with
no opportunity to supply the devices. The
company supplying fashion eye glasses are
in the same situation. Patients are having
a problem with their vision and go see
the optometrist. Optometrists assess the
patient, and then tell the patient to select
frames, leaving the store or online company
(Warby Parker started as strictly an online
supplier) without an opportunity to supply
the devices. When there is such a strong
advantage by the doctor’s office to supply
the devices, how does one compete?
Warby Parker took to the internet. They
started out as an online supplier of fashion
frames, by doing so, they were able to keep
their costs down and offer their frames at
a discount. This was so successful that they
added brick and mortar stores. How did
they get around the doctor getting first shot
at the patient for the frames and lenses?
Their strategy was brilliant. Cut the doctor
out of the supply chain through marketing
and innovative technology. Eye glasses and
orthotics are also similar in the fact that in
order to produce the devices one must have
a prescription. Through their marketing,
they invite the patient to get a prescription
from their eye doctor and have Warby
Parker make the lenses and supply the
fashion frames by designers they could not
have gotten at the doctor’s office, or if they
could, would have cost more. They have
also developed technology that allows the
patient to take an eye exam using a tablet. If
there is no change in the patient’s eyes, they
have an optometrist that is on their payroll
Current Pedorthics July/August 2017
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