Everyone pays towards (facilitates) the cost of the centre at a particular location. It’s very easy for the individual to look at the ‘profit’ on their sale without realising it pays the rent/utility/receptionist wage at that location (for years at some locations before really turning a net profit). Specsavers run a much tighter ship in this respect as they’ve got highly defined ROI’s to hit.
The pure Capitalists here might not like it, but at one level, it’s a form of micro-socialism which happens in all companies to an extent; some clients just suck more resource from the business. And before everyone assumes they’ll never be in that category; tell it to my 57 year old client who underwent a series of mini-strokes (TIA) 6 months after the most straightforward fitting with mild presbyacusis. The client ended up with massive variable SN asymmetry, raging tinnitus and cluster headaches from hyperacusis of the aids were turned up enough to combat the tinnitus.
Now, the 30 odd visits (with store provision for flat chair access, facilities for a carer, Covid decontamination etc.) have no doubt cost everyone else on my books at that location, but, what’s the alternative? Kick them out or say that accommodating their needs is too difficult like the example above?
Nobody ’likes’ paying ‘bricks and mortar’ insurance, but when you do, you’re acknowledging the calculation that one day you could be the individual above. Same goes for buying from ‘fire and forget’ locations: of course they’re cheaper, but you get the level of service you pay for. If you’re buying a bag of seasonal vegetables from a street-market or the latest tech from Bezos, not such an issue; if you want me to physically shift around my fitting room to make sure your mother gets seen with the level of time, patience and expertise she deserves for the 3rd time this month; then it IS going to cost (you AND everyone else too).