EIGHTEEN MONTHS IN THE MAKING

The new model is the product of an extensive process of 18 months of research, member engagement, specialist consulting, and internal review. When ProVision audited its own offering as part of that process, the team identified more than 50 distinct points of value within the membership. The challenge wasn’t the breadth of what was available; it was ensuring every practice could clearly see what was most relevant to them.

“What we found was that complexity had crept in over time,” Mr Jones said. “We needed to simplify – not by reducing what we offer, but by organising it in a way that makes sense to a practice owner at any given stage.”

The outcome is a six-stage membership structure designed to map directly to the practice lifecycle, from the first spark of independent ownership through to a successful and well-supported exit.

A STRUCTURE THAT REFLECTS REALITY

At the entry point sits ‘Aspire’, a free program for optometrists exploring independent ownership, offering guidance, tools, and mentorship before the ownership journey formally begins. With approximately 180 optometrists already registered ahead of the 1 July launch, demand for this kind of pre-membership support is clearly established.

At the other end of the spectrum is the ‘Transition’ program built for practice owners approaching exit. It focuses on protecting the value a principal has built, supporting the sale process, and where possible, connecting outgoing owners with Aspire program optometrists, helping to keep practices within the independent sector.

Between those two bookends sit four paid membership tiers. ‘Launch’ is a heavily subsidised full-service program for first-time independent owners in their critical first 12 months. ‘Core’ serves established practices focused on buying power and streamlined administration. ‘Grow’ is designed for practices actively working to scale, with access to smarter systems, practical marketing, and pay-as-you-go services. ‘Thrive’ provides the organisation’s full-service offering including tailored coaching, data-driven insights, and all-inclusive access to ProVision’s full suite of services, for practices seeking to optimise performance and achieve their longer-term goals.

“Our members are running increasingly sophisticated businesses,” Mr Jones said. “They expect and deserve support that matches that sophistication, with complete clarity around what’s included and the value it delivers.”

PERSONAL SUPPORT, PROFESSIONAL DEPTH

Every member practice has a dedicated central contact, either a ProVision Business Coach or support office team member, who serves as their primary point of connection with the organisation. Behind that sits a team of more than 30 business specialists spanning supplier partnerships, business operations, business coaching, marketing and design, people and culture, practice recruitment, learning and development, leasing, practice sales, and more. For independent practice owners, that combination – a consistent relationship backed by genuine specialist depth – represents something genuinely difficult to replicate elsewhere.

“Most independent practices simply can’t afford to have this breadth of specialist expertise in-house,” Mr Jones said. “That’s exactly what ProVision provides, and it’s one of the most tangible advantages of being part of the network.”

MOVING BETWEEN STAGES

One of the deliberate features of the new structure is its flexibility. The model has been intentionally designed so that practices can move between tiers as their needs evolve, ensuring the level of support and services they access always reflects where they are in their journey, rather than where they were when they first joined.

“We want to help our members from the moment they start out to the moment they decide to transition out of ownership, and at every stage in between,” Mr Jones said.

THE NUMBERS BEHIND THE VALUE

The return on membership investment is tangible from the outset. ProVision has already calculated over AU$3 million in quantifiable member savings year to date, spanning pay-on-time rebates, practice recruitment and leasing costs, and practice sales broker fees – and that’s Before the broader efficiencies that resist easy measurement, practices at the highest level of ProVision membership—who will predominantly transition to the new ‘Thrive’ tier—have consistently tracked above like-for-like market growth.

“The harder savings to measure—the time saved, the advice given, the problems solved—those are just as real,” Mr. Jones said. “We can’t put a dollar figure on peace of mind, but many of our members know what it’s worth.”

WHAT THE NETWORK IS SAYING

The official member launch took place in January, and Mr. Jones describes the response as encouraging. Members have responded positively to both the structure’s clarity and the transparency it provides around fees and inclusions.

“Our members are passionate about what they do and deeply committed to their patients,” he said. “Our role is to make sure the business side of the practice is strong enough to support that. When everything is running well, they can focus on what matters most—delivering outstanding care.”

By 1 July, all members will be operating under the new model. For Mr. Jones, the change is less a reinvention than a natural progression, one that draws on deep relationships with independent practice owners to deliver something more tailored and purposeful.

“This is over 35 years of understanding our members, built into a model that reflects the full complexity of their journey,” he said.

Visit: optom.provision.com.au