Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1078362
10 SMT007 MAGAZINE I FEBRUARY 2019 frames. The salesperson volunteered to email me the frame information so I wouldn't forget. Later in the year, after updating my prescrip- tion at my optometrist, I filled out the online order form. Easy, except I was missing some key measurements to get the fit right. The or- der form accepted my information anyway and informed me that a Warby Parker representa- tive would call my optometrist to get the infor- mation they needed. I was skeptical, but I got a confirmation email and phone call in about 90 minutes. Warby Parker had what they needed from the optometrist, and they'd be charging my credit card. I had questions, and the representative answered them. She didn't give me a bunch of jargon like I was an industry insider, nor did she speak condescendingly below my in- telligence level. Customer support was helpful, knowledgeable, and knew exactly how to walk me through the process both pre- and post- sale. The transaction was much like being in the store talking to a human. Except I could by- pass the normal communication channels and get my data straight to the fabricators, or opti- cians in this case. You can bet my expectations were high when I found a Warby Parker parcel in my mailbox. My glasses? Perfect. My experi- ence? Also perfect. Warby Parker is wildly successful right now. The rise of the brand's cache is ballistic. The customer experience is stellar. They've figured out how to integrate the electronic channels in- to a primarily personal, interactive experience. The web-based functionality assists the sales staff, not the other way around. This new ap- proach is the vibration you're feeling because in our industry, some sales teams are still say- sense of a relationship between the designer and fabricator became even more prevalent. "Now hold on a minute!" I hear you saying, "If a no-touch e-commerce tool is expected, but the customer wants a personal touch, then how does this work?" Well, it does if you look at it right. To do that, it's the millennial gen- eration's effect on the buying experience that gives us an example, as does a popular sup- plier of prescription eyewear. There may be two generational groups (Gen X and Gen Y) between baby boomers—the largest generational wave in U.S. history—and millennials, but millennials are even more nu- merous than the boomers. Since we're talking sales strategies, here's your jungle survival pro tip—master the process of attracting millenni- als now to bridge the gap. Let's look at a successful example by going outside of our industry. Warby Parker is a new- er player to the eyewear market. Though they have physical retail stores, there aren't very many of them; by many accounts, Warby Park- er came into public awareness with their web presence. In a traditional retail business model (targeting baby boomers), Warby Parker would try to drive customers to the store and use on- line purchasing to support the store. Given that eyeglasses are a custom-manufactured item specific to an individual—the frames may be standard, but the lenses that go into them are custom—traditional business models persist in continuing to drive customers into a store to interact face to face with the optician to order glasses. Instead, Warby Parker appeals to millennials by doing things differently. Millennials expect the available online resources will make the in-person interactions more powerful. And to that end, Warby Parker does a large amount of business on the web by tapping into that millennial expectation. Sure, you can visit the store. You can also have up to five sample frames mailed to your home, or go straight to the website to order. Back in the spring, I happened upon a Warby Parker retail store while on business in Boston. I stopped by to window shop and found a perfect pair of