Wes’ Blog

I wear glasses/contacts ALL the time because if I don’t wear them I can’t see ANYTHING.  My sister works at an eye doctor and gives me the extra contact solution.  So I haven’t bought contact solution in about 2 years, which is fantastic.

But she sent me an e-mail the other day telling me to go buy some contact solution because Bausch and Lomb was temporarily stopping shipments of the contact solution that I use because of some recent fungus that may be associated with the contact solution..

I read the press release and I thought to myself,” How would I handle this situation?”

Contact solution is used everyday.  That aspect speeds up the crisis management plan because the consumer has to go and purchase a brand new bottle of contact solution immediately.  So how do you not lose previous consumers to another brand of contact solution?

I would agree with the CEO and say that the consumer’s safety is the number one priority of the company.  Bausch and Lomb did this and proved that desire by pulling the questionable contact solution off the shelf.  But will that alone keep consumers?  I don’t think so.

Unfortunately, I think consumers are going to be lost.  But I think the previous steps above will help in limiting the number of consumers that are lost.

I have already switched companies, but only for a temporary time.  I am going to give Bausch and Lomb a chance to improve its product.  But if it doesn’t then I am gone to Alcon.

Bausch and Lomb has a sticky situation now, but will have an even stickier situation if it is proven that the contact solution causes the fungus.