See It Coming: Stop Converting Problems. Start Averting Them.

By Jon J. Trutt

Published: 8/25/2026

Every eye care professional has experienced a difficult interaction with a patient. Every customer has walked into an office distracted by work, family, or the hundred other things competing for their attention that day. Misunderstandings happen, that's simply part of working with the public.

But when the same misunderstandings happen over and over again, it's worth asking an important question:

Is the customer really the problem, or is the process?

Too often, stories circulate online about "difficult patients" who "don't listen" or "have no common sense." While those stories may get a few laughs from fellow professionals, they often reveal something much more important: opportunities to improve communication.

This isn't about assigning blame. Patients forget things. They answer questions literally. They misunderstand instructions. Staff members are busy. Insurance is confusing. Labs have incomplete information. None of that is unusual. The goal isn't to eliminate human error; it's to build processes that make human error less likely.

The Difference Between Conversion and Aversion

One of the biggest differences between average customer service and exceptional customer service is understanding the difference between CONVERSION and AVERSION.

A conversion happens after confusion has already occurred. You're now trying to convince someone to do what you wanted them to do all along. You're repeating instructions, correcting misunderstandings, or defending your point.

An aversion prevents the confusion from happening in the first place.

Great customer service isn't about becoming better at fixing misunderstandings.

It's about designing your communication so they rarely happen.

Remember What It Feels Like to Be the Patient

It's important to remember what the optical experience feels like from the other side of the desk.

When I was a kid going in for eye exams, I remember feeling unsure about a lot of things. I didn't always know which room I was supposed to go into, whether I should follow the doctor or optician when they walked away, whether I was supposed to bring my glasses or contact lenses to the appointment, or what was expected of me during different parts of the exam.

None of those questions came from being difficult or not paying attention; I simply didn't know the process.

For the professionals working in an eye care office, these steps are routine. They happen dozens of times every week. But for a patient (especially a child, the elderly, or someone visiting a new office) it may be a completely unfamiliar experience.

A few simple explanations can make a significant difference:

"I'm going to take you to the exam room now. You can bring your glasses with you, and we'll check those during your visit. Please, follow me."

"When we're finished here, I'll walk you over to the optician who will help you with your frame selection."

Those small moments of guidance remove uncertainty and help patients feel comfortable, confident, and cared for.

Great service isn't just about having the right answers. It's about recognizing when someone may not know what questions to ask.

Every Repeated Problem Is a Process Waiting to Be Improved

If you find yourself repeating the same correction several times a day, stop asking why customers keep making the mistake and start asking why your process keeps allowing it.

Think about how often these situations occur:

• An optician repeatedly asks a patient to keep their glasses on while checking the fit because the patient was never told the adjustment needs to be evaluated while the glasses are being worn.

• A customer answers the question, "What's your name?" with their own name when they're actually picking up glasses for a family member because no one asked what the purpose of their visit was, or whether they were picking up for themselves or someone else.

• A patient returns convinced they ordered a different frame because several weeks have passed and there was no photo or signed confirmation of the frame selection before the order was placed.

• A customer leaves frustrated over an unexpected balance because no one clearly explained what their insurance was expected to cover, what wasn't covered, or what their estimated out-of-pocket cost would be.

Different situations. The same root cause.

In every case, the customer responded naturally based on the information they were given.

That doesn't mean every customer is right. Nor does it mean the optician made a mistake. It simply means the communication left room for misunderstanding.

The opportunity isn't to become better at correcting confusion after it happens. The opportunity is to prevent it from happening at all.

Replace Assumptions with Confirmation

The best customer service isn't reactive.

It's preventative.

It replaces assumptions with confirmation.

Sometimes the solution is as simple as changing a single sentence.

Instead of repeatedly asking a patient to put their glasses back on, explain at the beginning that you'll need to observe how they fit while they're wearing them.

Instead of asking, "What's your name?", ask, "Are you picking up glasses for yourself or someone else?"

Instead of relying on memory weeks later, take a quick photo of the patient wearing their chosen frame and have them review and sign an order summary listing the frame manufacturer, model, color, and selected lens options before the order is submitted.

Instead of assuming patients understand their insurance benefits, review what their plan is expected to cover, explain any upgrades they selected, and provide an estimate of their expected out-of-pocket costs. No estimate is perfect, but transparency builds trust and greatly reduces unpleasant surprises.

Each of these changes takes very little time.

Yet each one can eliminate repeated questions, misunderstandings, remakes, and frustration for both the patient and the practice.

Better Communication Takes Both Sides

This philosophy doesn't stop with patients.

It applies to every interaction between a practice and its lens laboratory. Clear communication is a shared responsibility, and when something goes wrong, there are usually opportunities on both sides to make the process better.

A missed detail, an unclear instruction, an assumption, or a question that was never asked can happen anywhere along the communication chain.

So when a misunderstanding occurs, the first question shouldn't be:

“Who messed up?”

It should be:

“Where did the communication break down, and how can we prevent it from happening again?”

That mindset changes everything.

Instead of assigning blame, both sides look for solutions. Instead of frustration, there's collaboration. And instead of repeating the same mistakes, the process gets better for everyone.

Professionalism Is About Continuous Improvement

Eye care professionals possess specialized knowledge that patients don't. That's part of the job.

Our responsibility isn't just to know more; it's to communicate that knowledge in a way the layman can understand. Patients shouldn't need to know optical terminology, guess which information you need, or be surprised by costs they weren't prepared for. Practices and laboratories should be able to rely on clear, complete communication.

The next time a customer "doesn't listen" or "doesn't understand," consider asking yourself:

"How could I explain this differently so the next customer gets it right the first time?"

That's not admitting fault. That's improving your craft.

People make mistakes. That's why pencils have erasers.

Mistakes are part of being human, but once you erase one, don't simply rewrite the same thing and hope for a different result. Replace it with a better process, a clearer explanation, or a stronger system that prevents the same mistake from happening again.

The most respected professionals aren't the ones who never need an eraser. They're the ones who use it as an opportunity to improve what comes next.

Patients rarely know how your office works. They only know what you tell them.

Exceptional customer service isn't about becoming better at correcting misunderstandings. It's about creating an experience where those misunderstandings are far less likely to happen in the first place.

Tired of feeling like just another account number? Work with a lens lab that treats you like a real person. Try AccuLab.

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