toolsThe phrase “work smarter, not harder,” certainly applies to successful CEOs of optometry practices. Since many of us are doctors first, we may not be the number one draft pick for leading a business. Working smarter is knowing how to find resources that others have used in successful businesses. This is the primary reason that OptometryCEO makes downloads available.

Here are three resources that can be downloaded from OptometyCEO:

  1. Employment Manual – This is not optional for an optometry owner. An employment manual is a working document that is available on your website for all staff to access. The employment manual can be used for defending a wrongful termination lawsuit, setting boundaries for cell phone and internet use, and explaining discounts for family members, among other things. The download can be edited to fit your needs. This helps the busy OD create a comprehensive employment manual without having to start from scratch.
  2. Policy Manual – A policy manual assists your staff in addressing difficult situations that come up in an optometry office. For instance, how does the office handle patients who don’t want to pay even a portion of the cost of their new glasses until they pick them up? How about the patient that no-shows three times in the last three weeks? Does that patient get to reschedule? What is the office policy regarding sales reps scheduling appointments with your staff?  Is any time of the day or week OK? Thinking through these situations and writing guidelines specific to your practice will help your staff make decisions that are consistent with the owners’ wishes.
  3. Job Description/Expectation – An optometry office can operate without staff members having written job descriptions, just like a football team can advance the ball without having set plays. The problem is, it doesn’t work all the time. To be consistently successful, systems that can repeat themselves need to be in place. All of your staff members need to know what is expected of them to consistently be successful.

The three resources above can be customized for your practice and will provide you with a comprehensive guide to successfully lead your staff.