Convenience has always been a factor in customer decision-making but in optics and audiology, it’s now one of the biggest competitive battlegrounds.
With the rise of home visit services alongside traditional in-store care, providers are asking:
Where are customers choosing to be seen and why?
The answer isn’t one-size-fits-all, but there are clear trends shaping the way people engage with eye and hearing services in 2025.
The Case for Home Visits
Home visits have seen huge growth in both audiology and optics post-pandemic. Here’s why:
Pros:
- Elderly or mobility-challenged customers find them easier
- Family involvement is more likely, especially with hearing tests
- Customers feel safer and less rushed in their own home
- Providers can deliver care in a more personalised setting
Challenges:
- Higher operational cost for providers
- Limited availability in rural areas or for less common services
- May lack the full range of diagnostics or frame choices
But when done well, home visits significantly boost conversion and customer satisfaction when combined with pre-qualified leads and follow-up support.
The In-Store Advantage
Despite the rise of home services, in-store care still plays a vital role for many customers.
Pros:
- Full access to the latest testing technology and product range
- Immediate purchase and fitting
- Opportunity for cross-sell and add-ons
- More scalable for providers
Challenges:
- Not accessible for all age groups or those with transport issues
- Requires more customer effort to book and attend
- Can feel impersonal if not well-managed
For more tech-savvy or cost-conscious customers, in-store can be the preferred choice when paired with easy online booking and reminder communications.
What the Data Shows
From campaign data across both audiology and optics:
- Home visit campaigns often convert better when targeting over-70s or customers flagged as less mobile
- In-store appointment campaigns see stronger uptake when promoted to younger segments (50–65) or urban areas
- Multi-option messaging (e.g., “Visit us or we’ll come to you”) delivers the highest engagement overall
In other words: let the customer choose.
Takeaway for Marketers
When planning acquisition campaigns:
- Don’t assume one format fits all, segment your audience by age, mobility, geography, and tech comfort
- Use first-party data to pre-qualify for home visit suitability
- Promote both options where possible, and let the customer decide what’s most convenient
- Reinforce with channel-appropriate messaging (mail for home visits, email/SMS for in-store bookings)
The convenience war isn’t about picking a side. It’s about making sure you’re offering the side the customer wants.
