Harnessing insight on the economy to empower optical practices

Optometry Today, in partnership with the AOP and Hakim Group, is offering a free webinar on Thursday (12 May) providing expert insight on the implications of economic trends for optical practices. The event is open to registration by both AOP members and non-members.

Optometrist and practice owner, Gavin Rebello, who will be hosting the webinar, talks with OT.

What insight will optometrists and practice owners gain from this webinar?

Our guest speaker is Roger Martin-Fagg, an independent economist who specialises in making complex topics accessible to everyone. He is the author of Making Sense of the Economy and has worked as an economist for the New Zealand Government.

Roger will give us his insight into what is happening in the economy – both in the short-term and the mid-term. For practice owners it will help them make business decisions, and for the rest of us, it will help us to make life decisions.

As well as our guest speaker we have a panel of five independent business owners from Hakim Group, who are based in all four nations of the UK and Ireland as well. What listeners will get is a real, at-the-coal-face view of what it is like in practice.

Why is this insight valuable at the present time?

We had emerged from COVID-19 and then the situation in Ukraine resulted in a lot of question marks for the economy. Will patients have money to spend? Are they saving all their money to cover fuel costs? Are we heading for a deep recession?

All of these questions are at the forefront of the minds of business owners because they need to make decisions to safeguard the jobs of their teams. Also, your average employee is paying those extra living costs.

When the cost of living rises, it is not about whether people will go to a chain or if they will go to an independent. The question becomes bigger – will they spend on eye care? Is it something they will continue to prioritise? If people don’t walk through our door, then it creates question marks about job security and the security of the business.

This webinar provides clear, objective analysis of the economy to help business owners make the best decisions for their practice and for their staff.

Main image: Gavin Rebello