 stop giving raises for time served where there is an optician who has been doing it for 18 years and then make a decent amount of money and they're asked to everyone. I've been working for my current doctor for about four years now. The last time I got a raise was about two years ago and it wasn't much. The doctor does not give raises every year like my previous employer. What's the best way to approach the doctor to ask him for a raise? Yeah this is happening in so many opticles where there are not consistent raises or any raises happening at all. Now you might not like this response but just hear me out because it has really two parts one for the employer's part and then the other one for the optician. So first let's discuss the employer. I think the optical should stop running their offices like a prison. Now some of you might be thinking yes you tell them this place is run like a prison but what I mean by that is stop giving raises for time served. It's an archaic way of thinking to give your employees a raise every year just for breathing. I remember in my first optical I had worked in I was there one of four opticians and everyone got a raise on their anniversary date. I busted my tail and I sold like crazy and there was one optician who was extremely lazy and she did not do squat. She happened to have a big mouth also and I overheard her saying that she got a 75 cent raise and her review was right before mine. So a few weeks later my review comes up and wouldn't you know it I got a 75 cent raise too. I was certain I earned more than that right. So I asked the manager if there's anything that I could do better and she said no you're Kayla you're great. So I asked does everyone get a 75 cent raise at their review and her response was well everyone gets a raise some get 75 cents and some get 50 cents. Whoa whoa whoa everyone gets a raise every year even if they suck. So I did some quick math on that and that 75 cents a year increased told me that I was not in the right place for me and one month later I was in a different optical. We'll just say that. The moral of the story is that giving raises every year because the calendar has flipped is not a very motivating source for your team and this type of rewarding just for time served mentality often creates a certain mindset and you know what your reps can vouch for this because they see a lot of different opticals where there's an optician who's been doing it for 18 years and they make a decent amount of money and they're a gift to everyone. I'm sorry that is not okay by me. As an employer you have allowed for that behavior to happen and you have rewarded that behavior and now your optical is suffering because of it. As an alternative to prevent this type of structure in your office set up annual reviews and set goals and then schedule quarterly check-ins on each team member's progress. In Spexy University we covered this in month five I think setting out proper performance-based goals and groundwork for each team member to follow you know in their kind of moving forward in growth that will earn them a better wage. We also give worksheets in Spexy University for the office to use for the employee's annual review and for quarterly reviews too and these are used to really make sure goals are being set and tracked and rewarded. And secondly the employee side we get the question often from opticians what should an optician be making and honestly it's all so all over the board. We've got licensed and unlicensed cost of living here, cost of living there, opticals that reward nicely and some offices that are cheap ass punks. So in regard to what should an optician be making I think a better question is what is it that you are doing to grow your office? How much value are you creating? How much money are you bringing in? What are you doing to make your office fabulous? And this takes me back to the best way to approach the doctor to ask for a raise right? Ask for a quick meeting a sit down not chatting between patients I'm talking like let's you know reserve the first 15 minutes of the doctor's lunch break so we can chat okay then go back to the doctor's office with a notebook and you ask this question and be ready to listen. Say doctor where would you like to see this office this next year? Let them think and you guys talk about it right this is a conversation and then during the conversation I want you to follow up with where would you like to see my performance get better this year? I would like to earn a higher wage and I want to know where you would like for me to focus on to do so. What do you see value in and how can I be better? I want you to ask these questions and I want you to brace yourself because you know he might just say listen we've got to get your optical sales up and give you a certain amount but he might say that you're a superstar everyone is walking on eggshells around you but you must be ready to take it as a matter of fact I would even ask for the most brutally honest opinion from the doctor sometimes it will be something monetary you know a goal or a percentage that they want you to meet but sometimes it could be as simple as maybe the doctor would like for you to show up for work like you did for your interview put together looking nice makeup done hair done I personally feel that people who show up for an interview looking refined and then after the first month of working come in wearing last night's makeup and a ratty ass hoodie. I don't like that that does not fly at my office you do that bait and switch crap that makes you a liar that is not rewarded in spexy land and it shouldn't be rewarded in your office either you need to look the part sorry I got onto my little soapbox oh yeah okay no one likes to feel backed into a corner so don't just walk into his office and ask for a raise approach your doctor during a time of no distractions and ask where you can be better because you would like to earn more and I want you to close the conversation with I would like to check back with you in four months to see how I am doing let's schedule it so we don't forget when you come back set that timeline however you guys agree whatever you guys agree upon set that timeline and when you come back the doctor will be prepped and hopefully has been assessing your worth and the follow-up meeting will have the perfect groundwork laid for you to earn a raise