How Practice Design Can Affect Your Bottom Line

I was at a conference recently and I shared some time with Dean Waugh who is the owner of RED, a design agency. Dean specialises in Optical Practices but he has worked with some Premium Audiological Practices in the past.

I believe that how you design and deploy your Practice has a great effect on the trust and authority that you engender. That effect is visible in your bottom line. I have spoken about it before when discussing my own involvement with Worcester Hearing, Hear4u and Edinburgh Hearing Practice. 

All Practices that understand the role of brand implicitly in their business strategy. While speaking about this with Dean, I asked him to outline what he does and show some examples. He is now working closely with Oticon, so it is worth understanding what he may bring to your business. 

Without further Blah, here is Dean

About RED

Retail Designer and owner of RED (Retail Experience Design), Dean Waugh has been delivering successful store environments and branding solutions for over 20 years. During his career, Dean has enjoyed working across a diverse range of clients and projects; from global brands to boutique and independent stores. He’s even bagged a few awards along the way!

Now, Dean channels his passion for leading edge creative and considered design through his agency RED; an industry leading design agency that specialize in providing engaging health, wellbeing and retail environments. The optical market is a core industry for RED, and this is why… 

The optical retail revolution

Over recent decades, optical has seen a retail revolution. Industry experts and retailers alike, all agree that change first began back in the 80’s – with the move from dispensing in a medical environment to selling in a retail environment. The sale of frames soon followed, and brought a need for product focal points. Following this Designer brands also realised the opportunity and potential, so this created a need to differentiate and promote various products. Yet, the most recent impact and arguably the biggest driver for change is the consumer! There is an expectation for a considered, enhanced and positive experience that focuses on putting the patient/customer first at each stage of the eye care journey.

The revolution over recent years has opened a whole new wold for the optical market – a world driven by environment creativity, design, brand and most importantly the customer/patient. For RED, this new world has brought the opportunity for creativity – it’s been and still is, an exciting journey to be part of and influence.

Your retail space

Without a doubt, effective retail design can have a tangible and far-reaching impact. It can increase footfall and sales, provide differentiation from competitors and ensure customers/patients are provided with an experience aligned to your business or company ethos.

The impact of technology and digital influence continues to change retail and consumer behaviour, so the need for stores to offer richer experience for consumers is more important than ever before. This applies to both the mainstream and optical retail market.

Customers look for retail environments to offer a bespoke and personal feel, so your brand and identity is crucial. It will allow you to connect with potential and existing customers and provide the patient experience they’re looking for. Considerations should focus on touch points in the retail space, shopfront signage, window displays, fixtures and fitting and general flow – all will need to work together to create a successful retail journey 

Creative thinking

RED pride themselves on being a down to earth, plain talking agency that simply know their stuff. Their knowledge and experience across the design spectrum enables them to take a fresh and considered approach to all of their optical projects. RED bring expertise and design techniques from the mainstream retail design world to deliver optical environments.

The philosophy of the agency and their core belief is that listening to their optical clients is the key to creative thinking and imaginative design. This results in exciting and dynamic environments that enable them to help their clients connect with customers and build relationships, ultimately increasing sales and customer loyalty.

RED are extremely proud to have delivered various optical projects for a number of national eyecare group members, most recently Aston and Woods. If you would like to find out more about their design work in the optical visit www.retailexperiencedesign.co.uk