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Essilor of America operates a number of Web sites, each designed to support a specific brand, educational program or business unit. Although the sites are primarily ECP-focused, the company’s brand sites contain consumer-friendly information which ultimately leads to an ECP locator.

The main function of Essilor sites is operational. ECPs can place and track orders and receive invoices. Approximately 50 percent of the company’s order volumes come from electronic orders through VisionWeb and EyeFinity, according to a company spokesperson.



ECPs also utilize Essilor’s sites to get brand information, training guides, promotional materials and lab support. Brand-specific sites offer product range descriptions and availability as well as training to help ECPs sell to the consumer. Essilor Laboratories of America’s Practice Builder Web site offers easy to use promotional items for ECPs. Essilor also has lab-specific sites, such as Duffens-Optical.com, to ease ordering for ECPs. Essilor is in the process of moving the sites from a Web 1.0 presence that just lists the product range to a “semantic web of the future” that can provide personalized responses to specific ECP search queries, the spokesperson said.

Essilor also provides ECPs with personalized information through MyOnlineOptical, a Web portal launched in 2009 that enables ECPs to establish their own online businesses. Through its Web site content, Essilor explains why each product fits an ECP’s patient and why specific promotions will help an ECP sell more.

Training is a main focus for Essilor, and the company has leveraged its Web presence to deliver webinars and other educational content for ECPs. For example, the company’s CrizalUsa.com site offers the latest product training videos through the Crizal Theater. The Crizal Experience online demo helps ECPs explain to the enemies of glare to consumers. Similarly, on the XperioUsa.com site Essilor offers several training tools, including role-plays on how to have the sunwear conversation with more patients. Also featured is a peer-to-peer video series from Dr. Mark Wright, OD, that discusses the importance of prescription sunwear, related practice management tips, and when to medically prescribe a second pair to a patient. New for 2011 is the launch of the “Share Your Xperio Story” testimonial program which encourages ECPs to visit www.shareyourxperiostory.com to submit their experiences prescribing and wearing Xperio lenses.

Through Essilor’s ECP University website ( www.ecpuniversity.com), Essilor offers two educational programs for Dispensers: New Dispensers Quick Start program and Apollo for Advanced Dispensing Professionals. Each program is offered online on demand with hands on activities and learning.

In spring, 2010, Essilor launched a mobile site that delivers quick access to Essilor news, announcements and tips. Essilor’s spokesperson said the company will launch a consumer-friendly mobile application in first quarter 2011, with the goal to peek consumer interest and education and ultimately drive more traffic into ECP offices. In March, at Vision Expo East, Essilor will relaunch a revamped EssilorUSA.com with more intuitive and ECP-friendly functionality. ■ ■

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