TA L K I N G H E A D S
Making an impact New products and services are the lifeblood of every independent business and since 2008, Positive Impact (PI) has introduced new products and services to independent practices on behalf of some of the biggest names in the optical industry.
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ounded by two optical stalwarts, Nick Atkins and Maxine Green, PI subsequently started distributing its own products and is now a multi award-winning optical supplier. PI boasts a unique portfolio, including contact lenses and dry eye diagnostics and treatments, all focused on supporting independent practices with most of the range not available through other retailers or online. Vision Now editor Nicky Collinson talks to Maxine and Nick about the company's evolution, and the benefits PI can offer NEG members. NC: PI's focus is on independent practice: why is this so important for you? M&N: PI is an independently-owned supplier committed to its partnership with independent opticians: not surprising really when you consider the first thing Nick did after he left Bausch + Lomb was to set-up Proven Track Record, the company behind Independents Day since 2005. When setting up a business later in life,
Some of the Dry Eye Zone treatment range
30 Vision Now May 2022
Maxine and Nick (standing second and third right) with the Positive Impact team
you have a different perspective. It means you can do business the way you want to, consider the customers you want to serve and how you want to serve them. We have enjoyed working with customers in all sectors over the years, but find there is a greater sense of achievement when you can directly see the product/s you sell making an impact on both our customers' patients and their small business. Business is about relationships, and we believe being nice in business is a strength not a weakness. Having a 'commercial conscience' drives everything we do. NC: Originally, PI worked as a contract sales company providing consultants to support other suppliers’ products, but you have moved more towards distributing products. Can you explain this move and what you offer NEG members? M&N: This business redevelopment has been an organic process that started with Glasklar back in 2013. We’d been looking for innovative products that we could sell alongside our clients' products, and that meant finding something with no conflict of interest. The Glasklar customer loyalty concept, delivered via its refillable spectacle lens cleaning system, presented that opportunity. What we didn’t realise at the time was that it marked the beginning
of what has become a move away from contract work to becoming a fully-fledged distributor. It was a couple of years before the next significant step in the metamorphosis took place. In 2015, we took our first foray into the dry eye arena with Parasol, a patented punctal plug design. Within weeks we landed the exclusive UK distribution rights to InflammaDry, the only diagnostic test for ocular surface inflammation. Since then, we have continued to expand our dry eye range by carefully selecting innovative and differentiated products to curate what we believe is a best-in-class dry eye portfolio, which takes the patient from diagnosis (osmolarity, inflammatory biomarkers, meibomian gland imaging) to a holistic management of their symptoms (heat, hydration, cleansing, hygiene, diet/ supplements). We market this under the Dry Eye Zone. In 2017, when it was looking to sell directly in the UK, SynergEyes signed an agreement for us to provide sales, marketing and back office support for its unique range of hybrid contact lenses. SynergEyes marked the beginning of our journey into the contact lens market, an area where we have a proven track record of success. In 2019, we introduced NaturalVue 1-Day
