First Steps to a Successful New Office
The success of your project depends on developing realistic financial projections and choosing the right people for your design & construction team. The following tips will help you start off on the right foot.
Step 1 - FeasibilityResearch costs and do financial projections. Make sure the project works on paper before you start looking for a new location. The Optometric Office Design Process & Pitfalls book is a great resource at this stage.
Step 2 - Financing Pre-ApprovalPresent your projections and talk over the project with your lender. Get written pre-approval on the loan amount before settling on the new location.
Step 3 - Find space to lease or land to build onCaution: DO NOT sign the lease or buy the land until you have interviewed 2 or 3 different designers and contractors and checked their references. Get their "guess-timates" on construction costs. Most are happy to give you a bit of free advice.
Step 4 - Hire Design TeamMake your decision on who will be on your design team BEFORE you sign on the dotted line. Don't wait until after you sign to look for a designer. You could spend precious weeks trying to make up your mind while the clock ticks down to the day you have to start paying rent.
“...I'm glad I chose you to help me with the design”
”I just wanted to thank you for helping to design the office. I really love the layout (as do the employees). Also, many customers have remarked they like the office very much as well. I'm glad I chose you to help me with the design. "
Michael Chang O.D.
Percision Vision, Artesia, CA
Designing Your New Office Shouldn't Be a Struggle
One of the most exciting and nerve-wracking times in your professional career is when you decide to build a new office. You've probably considered working with a local professional (architect, interior designer, contractor) to design your office, but more than likely they have never designed an optometric office or dispensary before.
You can’t expect them to understand all the problems unique to the eye care profession. You probably have some ideas about what you want, but what if there are other possibilities and solutions that you miss?
“They're ecstatic about their new work area......”
”I've shown these plans and the layout to my optical staff and they're ecstatic about their new work area. I don't know how to calculate the sense of well-being this will provide for my staff, but you've incorporated numerous key features that will help their morale tremendously"
Mark Cowan, O.D.
Thomas Vision Center, Leesville, LA
- * Are you sure each room is located in the right place for best patient flow?
- * How do you know exactly what size to make the different rooms?
- * How can you be sure the plan fosters greatest staff productivity?
- * How do you know the optical will produce maximum sales and profits?
If you are losing sleep worried about how to make your new office the best it can be, then it's time to call in an expert.
“Her insight in optometric design was unparalleled...”
”We were at the beginning stages of a major expansion and remodeling at a practice location of 30 years. We needed to allocate space needs appropriately and keep the office flowing throughout the remodeling phase.
Barbara took the existing layout along with the future available space and designed a very functional office design. Her insight in optometric design was unparalleled with anyone we have worked with in the past. Her timeliness and attentiveness to our needs was unsurpassed.
Kerry Beebe, O.D.
Brainerd Eye Care Center, Brainerd, MN
Are You Concerned About the Cost of Professional Design?
The best investment you can make in your new office is to get professional expertise for the critical task of designing your floor plan. Errors made in the new floor plan can create more of the bottlenecks that this move is supposed to eliminate!
The most expensive thing you can do is to build an office that doesn't meet your needs. Great design, like any other good investment, pays big dividends that you can count on for years to come.
The average office starts looking tired and dated in 5 to 7 years. A BWD office turns in consistent winning performance for 10 to 15 years and more. One BWD office in Northern California was still touted as the best-looking office in town by the local frame sales reps when it was 17 years old!
“We have the best looking eye practice in the area now......”
”We accomplished our goal - we have the best looking eye practice in the area now, to go along with the best eye care service. We're very happy with the design - all the reps are raving about it!"
Marc Bergeron, O.D.
Lifetime Vision Care, Round Rock, TX
Barbara Wright Design has the Expertise and the Solution
Since 1984, BWD has been helping ambitious optometrists plan new offices that take them to higher levels of success. I literally "wrote the book" on office design– Optometric Office Design Process & Pitfalls.
By using my specialized expertise and solid experience, you get an office that produces increased growth and profits year after year. With over 24 years experience we have planned offices for hundreds of eye care professionals. No matter how difficult your project may seem we can find the right solution for you.
“...we saw a 21½% revenue per patient increase.”
"Construction of our new building was well underway, but we were hopelessly stalled on what to do with our dispensary. Barbara came to our rescue with an outstanding design.
Frankly, I was quite nervous about the color scheme she chose. I never should have doubted her. Patients love our new office and we are already getting more word of mouth referrals in the few short weeks since we’ve been open.
We moved in on November 10. When we compared our total November revenues (1/3 from old office, 2/3 from new office) to last year, we saw a 21½% revenue per patient increase. We weren’t able to sell many high end frames in the old office, but now lines like Gucci and Oliver Peoples are really moving."
Mark Allen, O.D.
Vision Source of Texarkana, Texarkana, TX
2008 Update - 20/20 article, Exceeding Exspectation
"A Texarkana practice draws in patients with a bigger office"
Design Fees
Our services are custom tailored to take you to the highest and best design solution for your particular practice. Our fees are based on the project, not on time units or square footage. That way there are no extra charges to you and we are free to make all recommendations possible without concern about increasing your investment.
Before I can quote a fee for your project I need to know about your current situation and your hopes and dreams for the future. The work that I do has a profound and lasting effect on your future income. Taking the time to understand exactly what you want to accomplish enables me to do my best for you.
“.....not a day goes by that we don't get comments on how nice our office looks.”
”The floor plan still flows perfectly and not a day goes by that we don't get comments on how nice our office looks. Barbara was a valuable resource from start to finish of our new office building project."
James Conway, O.D.
Family Eyecare Associates, Millersburg, OH
Free Telephone Consultation
I invite you to take advantage of a free “Design Diagnostic” telephone consultation with me. This 30 minute session helps you and I clarify your goals and objectives for the new office. In the process you'll get an idea of whether I could be the right person to put on your design team. If not, I can usually suggest another consultant or company who can assist you.
The earlier you call me about your project the better I can help you. In fact if you’re in the “thinking about it” stage or “looking for a location” stage, that’s a good time to touch base with me.
Please call me toll-free at 888-422-0361 when you are ready to discuss your project. I look forward to speaking with you.
Barbara Wright, C.I.D.
Barbara Wright Design
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