For most people, booking an eye exam or renewing a prescription is a chore. Now Optics is changing that.
As one of the largest eye health providers in the US, the company behind Stanton Optical is reshaping how patients access vision care, removing friction, reducing costs, and delivering convenience through technology. From virtual eye exams to personalized appointment reminders, every interaction is designed to feel effortless.
In this blog post, we’ll explore how Now Optics is using SAP Emarsys to power this transformation, building seamless customer journeys, driving measurable results, and setting a new standard for omnichannel engagement in healthcare.
From Disruption to Innovation: The Now Optics Story
Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Delray Beach, Florida, Now Optics set out with a clear mission: to make eye care more accessible and affordable for everyone. That mission led to the launch of Stanton Optical, a brand that now operates hundreds of stores across the US.
But it’s not just about scale. Now Optics has also been a pioneer in virtual eye care, introducing telemedicine exams that allow patients to receive accurate prescriptions without needing to visit an in-person optometrist. In 2024 alone, the company facilitated over 600,000 telemedicine appointments, proving that convenience and clinical quality can go hand in hand.
However, as the business grew, so did the challenge of engaging customers in a consistent, personalized way. That’s where SAP Emarsys came in – helping Now Optics connect the dots between online and offline, acquisition and retention, appointment and purchase.
A Strategy Built for the Full Lifecycle
Like many fast-scaling retailers, Now Optics initially focused heavily on acquisition. Between 2019 and 2020, the brand more than doubled its annual new customer numbers, from 251,000 to 497,000. But as the business matured, the team recognized the need to shift from volume to value.
By weaving personalization into every stage of the journey, Now Optics is attracting customers, keeping them engaged, converting the m more effectively, and increasing their lifetime value across every channel.
Automating Meaningful Touchpoints Across Channels
To create a truly connected customer experience, Now Optics built a strategy rooted in automation using real-time data to deliver relevant messages at key moments.
With SAP Emarsys, the team rolled out targeted programs that respond to each customer’s unique journey, improving both engagement and outcomes.
Driving action with prescription expiration reminders
Prescription data is critical in the optical industry, but it’s often underused. Now Optics takes a smarter approach, passing expiration dates directly into SAP Emarsys to trigger timely, personalized reminders via email and SMS.
These automated campaigns help customers stay on top of their eye health and drive repeat appointments without relying on promotions.
In 2024 alone, this program delivered:
- 7.6 million total engagements across email and SMS
- 1,554 appointments from a single “catch-up” message – a 576% increase on the average
- Zero promotions required—just well-timed, relevant reminders
This simple, effective use of data keeps customers engaged and the Now Optics appointment calendar full.
Winning back no-shows with automated journeys
Missed appointments used to be a dead end. Now, they’re an opportunity. By integrating appointment status data into Emarsys, Now Optics can trigger automated no-show follow-ups and personalized rebooking journeys across email and SMS.
The results speak for themselves:
- 65% year-over-year increase in churned customers won back
- 3% purchase rate from no-show reminder campaigns
- $139.65 average order value tied to follow-up messaging
What used to be lost revenue is now a high-performing recovery channel – driven entirely by smart automation.
Multichannel, AI-Powered Promotions
Beyond one-off messages, Now Optics needed a way to coordinate large-scale campaigns across multiple channels – without sacrificing relevance or timing.
By tapping into SAP Emarsys’ AI capabilities, the team delivered personalized promotions at scale, tailored to how and where customers engaged.
Running smarter campaigns with AI segmentation
Seasonal promotions play a major role in retail, but executing them across multiple channels can be complex. With SAP Emarsys, Now Optics used AI-driven segmentation and the Automation Center to streamline a back-to-school campaign that ran from July through September.
The campaign unfolded in three stages and was delivered across email, SMS, on-site messaging, and paid social. By unifying targeting and execution in one platform, the team created a cohesive experience for every customer – regardless of where they engaged.
Driving results across every channel
The strategy paid off. The campaign generated an impressive 5.8 million total engagements, with 664,000 customers matched via Meta Ads and 65,000 web impressions recorded.
By using first-party data to power segmentation and campaign logic, Now Optics maximized reach while keeping messages relevant, boosting performance without increasing media spend.
Results That Speak for Themselves
From lifecycle automation to multichannel campaigns, Now Optics has transformed how it connects with customers. What started as a push for convenience has evolved into a comprehensive, data-driven engagement strategy – one that delivers value at every stage of the customer journey.
With SAP Emarsys, the brand is turning insights into action:
- Re-engaging lapsed customers with timely no-show journeys
- Increasing appointment volume with smart reminders
- Maximizing campaign performance through unified, AI-powered execution
Now Optics is setting a new standard for how healthcare brands engage, retain, and grow their customer base.
Looking to take your omnichannel customer engagement strategy to the next level? Discover what SAP Emarsys can do for you today.
