NEW YORK—Influential independent retail thought leader, Nicole Leinbach, Reyhle, founder of RetailMinded.com and mobile/payments expert Sih Lee, SVP of new business development at Synchrony Financial, one of the country’s largest credit card providers, are two of the featured speakers set to share insights and business trends to help optical retailers and ECPs “Retail Smart – New Paths for Discovery, Choice and Purchase”, a special VM LIVE session set for Wed., Sept. 26, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., at the Venetian/Sands Convention Center just prior to the opening of Vision Expo West.

They’ll be joined by two innovative, successful optometrists who have each implemented radical new approaches to the design of their offices and will share how they’ve used new digital technology to reinvent their patients’ eyecare and eyewear purchasing experiences in their practices. Dave Ziegler, OD, Ziegler Leffingwell Eyecare, Milwaukee, Wis. is a veteran optometrist, who’ll explain in a very visual way how he modernized his new practice by using a combination of digital technologies, video tools, “pop-up” shops, the web and social media to create a new “experience” for both eyecare and eyewear for his patients.

Carole Burns, OD, FCOVD, Professional VisionCare, Westerville, Ohio, will both show and tell how she took an “outside the box” approach to the design of a fourth location in Lewis Center, one of the fastest-growing towns in Ohio. Embracing digital tools, systems and office design, the eco-friendly, open environment has no phones, no receptionist, no check-in desk and uses absolutely no paper. The industrial upscale showroom is interactive for patients.

“Consumers’ shopping habits and patient expectations are changing fast, and all ECPs and optical retailers need to keep up,” said Marge Axelrad, Vision Monday’s editorial director. “Today, shoppers want instant information about product features, styles and availability, and they want to decide where, when and how to make a purchase and have it delivered to them. Come to VM LIVE to learn how new systems and strategies can engage customers and create a seamless path to purchase.”

CareCredit is the Premier Sponsor of VM LIVE. HEA is the Silver Sponsor.

Seats are still available and registration details are posted here for VM LIVE.