Career in Optometry and Ophthalmic science
The eyewear market in India is largely unorganised with only a few players operating in the market.
Qualification: 10 +2 in science stream
Duration: Four years
Cost of course: Rs 23,800 p.a.
Starting salary: Rs 12,000-Rs 18,000 p.m.
Institute: Krishnalaya School of Optometry, Kolkata (www.krishnalayaoptometry.org)
Students with 45 per cent score in their 10 + 2 are eligible for the course. Graduates can be employed with a starting salary of Rs 12, 000 to Rs 18,000 per month.
The institute has designed an industry-ready course. The training modules are based on knowledge development, behaviour development, and skill development for improving sales effectiveness, customer service effectiveness, managerial effectiveness and clinical effectiveness.The eyewear market in India is largely unorganised with only a few players operating in the market. And recent years have shown depleting optic health and low penetration of innovative eye care solutions in India.
Ajay Bhootra, chief executive officer, Krishnalaya School of Optometry, Kolkata, explains, "With rise in optic retail and increasing awareness and consciousness about eye care and brands, the trend has provided a huge boost to the organised eye wear players and opened up a huge pool of opportunity in the industry as a career option."
OK people, listen up… this is not rocket science rather a 30 year old proven business model!
Below you will find its origin in the USA (LensCrafters - www.lenscrafters.com) which was later purchased by the Luxottica Group of Italy (a frame maker) and below that you will find the Reliance tie up with the Netherlands’ GrandVision BV which is basically a copy of the original. No sense in reinventing the wheel…
The model was created with the same basic retail philosophy which is decades older of passing onto the consumer discount prices due to volume wholesale buying power.
I recently accompanied a friend to one of Reliance’s Vision Express outlets and it is a carbon copy of LensCrafters USA, except they told him to come back to collect his glasses in three days rather than having them done in one hour. That will come based on the proper equipment eventually being put in place.
In the US it employees thousands of people and here it has the potential to employee several times that. As you will see below there are many different job descriptions that they employee and all based on education levels. There are pros and cons to this model but overall it’s a good thing in that it employees a lot of people and provides affordable glasses to the masses.
This can be a good thing people, if done properly like the original model and without cutting corners (see employee benefits below) it will employee a lot of people and give affordable eye wear to the masses in India.
Opening in 1983, LensCrafters was the very first optical retailer to promise eyeglasses in about an hour. We then perfected complete customer convenience by bringing an independent doctor of optometry, the optical laboratory and a wide selection of frames together under one roof. Today, LensCrafters is a leader in optical retailing, offering impeccable customer service, quality products and some of the biggest names in frames. LensCrafters is the international prescription eye-wear retailer. They also sell prescription sunglasses. LensCrafters started their business in the United States in 1983. They also subsequently expanded their stores in Hong Kong, Canada and Puerto Rico.
*One-hour service available in most locations. Some prescriptions or lens materials may require additional may require additional time.
LensCrafters brings eye-wear and malls together. Part of the growing retail arm (Luxottica Retail) of Italy's Luxottica Group, LensCrafters is North America's largest seller of eye-wear and related services (based on sales), with about 955 stores in the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico. The company-owned stores, mainly located in shopping malls offer prescription frames and sunglasses (most made by Luxottica), contact lenses, and vision exams by an on-site optometrist. Most of the locations house in-store lens finishing labs. Beyond North America, Luxottica operates some 260 LensCrafters stores in China and Hong Kong. Founded in 1983, LensCrafters was acquired by Luxottica to increase its retail presence. Working in Our Stores
We're always looking for enthusiastic, knowledgeable people with great customer service skills and a desire to help people.
Opportunities Include:
• Eyewear Consultant
• Lab/Lead Technician
• Optician/Apprentice Optician
• Production Tech
• Store/Retail/Lab Manager
• Sales Supervisor
• Contact Lens Technician
• Optometry Technician
• Field Management
• Optometry Positions
• And more
Diversity and Our Associates
LensCrafters celebrates the rich experiences and unique contributions that come with a diverse workplace. That's why we encourage people from all walks of life to join our organization. From our Diversity Council to award-winning diversity training programs to volunteer opportunities at home and abroad, LensCrafters is committed to providing a diverse environment for our associates and customers alike.
At LensCrafters, we Love Your Eyes. We also love the eyes of the world - the 314 million people worldwide who suffer from poor vision simply because they lack the means and access to proper eye care and eyewear. That's why we're proud to support OneSight®, non-profit, 501 (c)(3) family of charitable vision care programs dedicated to restoring and preserving clear vision for all those in need. Through OneSight, our LensCrafters associates and doctors have the opportunity to share our business expertise by traveling to developing countries and to inner cities and rural communities across North America to provide free eye exams and glasses to those in need.
Reliance tie up with Vision Express
Vision Express envisions 550 stores by 2015
Vision Express, the eyewear specialty store, a joint venture between India’s Reliance Retail and Netherlands’ GrandVision BV, has opened its 103rd store at the up market MG Road in Bangalore. The present market size of eyewear is estimated at Rs 4,000 crore but less than one-tenth is in the organized retail hands. Vision Express has set itself the ambitious target of opening 550 stores in the next five years. However, it has consciously kept franchisee operated models out of the picture as it fears that poor quality of store employees could ward away customers. Bijou Kurien, President and CEO Lifestyle, Reliance Retail feels no other organized retail player has managed to ramp up so fast. He says they have set up their own outlets everywhere and the store target will be reached with that intent. The brand is still able to offer spectacles at Rs 349 with frame plus lenses.
This has helped them keep the price positioning between the organized and independent retailers.
Vision Express has decided not to limit itself to just urban centers even though it is now present in 25 cities. According to Kurien, selling eyewear products in the smaller towns has been a more profitable experience since organized competition is virtually absent. Apart from smaller towns, Vision Express is also hopeful that the fashion-conscious mentality of urban youngsters to devices rather than the medical tag for eye-wear earlier will drive customers inside its stores.
Guillaume Brouwet, CEO, Vision Express sees India as a huge market. He believes they can be a reference point for the customers. GrandVision, is a leading optical retailer with various retail firms and formats, it brings in optical retail skills, technology and a wide selection of products. Reliance Retail on its part brings in access to markets as it is present in over 85 cities, scaling up strategies, co-location opportunities with over 1,000 stores and understanding of Indian customers.
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