Specsavers

[steff]

Hi All,
Is anyone here a part of specsavers, and if so, what do you think about them?

steff

[Framebender]

I don't know if they're in the US. There is a thread on the UK site about them opening in Austrailia. www.theoptom.com/viewtopic.php?t=3205 I would imagine its like most chains both good and bad. I'm not a good soldier myself, but I know many talented Opticians who are.

I hope you're having fun and making money!!

:cheers:

[jixyking]

im a member of a lab team for specsavers england, really good company and concentrate highly on training and quality

[Ammo]

talk to Retro Rat, he just got a job with them. Are you reffering to the UK or Aussie ones?

[RetroRat]

reporting in,

I was working with a smaller chain store (all of 30 stores nationally), who couldn't offer the same professional development opportunities as specsavers does. Speckies are currently working on having their "Optical dispensing" course accredited to be recognized as the equivalent of a cert IV in optical dispensing (formally the qualification needed to become a registered dispenser/optician in New South Wales, the last state in Australia to deregulate dispensing as of July 1st this year).

I can only talk from the impression I've gotten from A) dealing with them as a 'rival' practice and B) from what they expressed during the interview process. Most places are ex-independents and thus operate differently to one another (obviously though, within the confines and limits of specsaver policies). There is little interaction between stores as well (due to the fact that most are ex-independents) and it seems like their ideas behind a centralized lab (in Melbourne) supplying to all franchises has worked extremely well.

They have full capacity to outsource their lenses from other companies (be it from shamir, essilor, or wherever). However I think most stores are bound by a 20% outsource to 80% internally supplied target (don't quote me on that, I may be wrong). So there is access to freeform technology and personalized PAL's if need be.

The store that I just accepted a position at has a managing director (the owner, who is the optom) and another manager who deals moreso with the dispensary side of things and I believe this is fairly stock-standard throughout most practices. Some franchises have a dispenser/optician as the owner and they may be the sole manager.

The overall impression I get is that they are a tidy, efficient and professional set up. As a customer (or even just a 'browser') I have always been appropriately attended to and from an employee's perspective, it looks like a company that has the willingness and the ability to give you the support and training you need.

(I chose not to mention anything about pentax lenses as I am not one for starting a flame war with Ammo :shiner: hehehe)

I hope that this has helped! Please feel free to pm me if you wanted to discuss anything in particular and I'll be happy to (try) and answer any questions!

Oh, and also a quick sidenote - I saw this ad about a year ago and it always stuck with me, a bit of tongue in cheek humor really hits the spot

-> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FulvvgE87Q

Retrorat

[k12311997]

original post three years old

[IC-UC]

and if you want more of the SS steamtrain.......read about it on http://optomforum.com.au

They are akin to predators in the market and go in hard and fast. Kinda like Essilor on speed!
Be careful if they decide to enter the American market, and will do to optometric practices what Walmart did the independant store owner!