SPECSAVERS OPENS IN HORSHAM
Article published in AAH Magazine on 1st May 2024
Specsavers in Horsham has moved to a new store in Bishop’s Weald House in the heart of the town centre.
The site at 2 Worthing Road, 150 metres from the old West Street location, is three times larger than the previous store, offering more space for customers and staff. It has been vacant since the departure of McDonald’s in 2014 and Specsavers hopes the move will help to rejuvenate this end of the town.
Amar Jogia, who joined the Horsham store 16 years ago and is now an Optometry Director, said the response has been phenomenal. ‘We have always offered excellent service, but some regular customers would sometimes jokingly remark about our need for a bigger location,’ he said. ‘They were right, as while we had renovated and extended our former store to its limits, it was time for a change.’
‘Moving into the new store has been wonderful for our team too. They have more space not only for consultations and interactions with customers, but also to relax, with large staff areas including what can best be described as a chill-out room. From upstairs, you can look out to West Street, which makes us all appreciate how lucky we are to be working in such a nice town. Everyone is proud of the new practice and enjoying the sparkling, spacious environment.’
While the old store had relatively limited downstairs consulting capacity, the new location allows everyone to be seen on a ground floor, with optical and audiology services available seven days a week. The Specsavers Hearcare audiology service is led by local audiologist and business partner, Carolyn Lawrence, with two bespoke audiology clinics on the ground floor.
WE’RE A BIT O.C.T
All the extra space means there are three Diagnostic Rooms where eye patients (both NHS and private) are seen by Clinical Assistants prior to an examination. By carrying out a variety of visual checks, retinal photography and scans, Assistants pass on extra information to the Optometrists, allowing them to give the best recommendations regarding a patient’s prescription and eye health. These diagnostic pre-tests include auto-refraction, retinal photography, tonometry (used to measure eye pressure and to help screen for glaucoma) and perimetry (used to check for visual field defects). These tests can also include an Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) scan.
Kumar Keshavji, Co-Owner of Horsham Specsavers, said: ‘An OCT works in a similar way to an MRI in that it provides the Optometrist with a highly detailed cross-section through all the layers of the retina and can help identify issues relating to eye health at an earlier stage. As recently as a few years ago, an OCT scanner was considered exclusively as hospital-grade equipment, but now they’re a feature of all our stores. We have always invested in the latest technologies to provide customers with the best eye care experience, embracing advancements in modern optometry. This is a never-ending commitment to invest in our services and customer experience.’
FACIAL FREEDOM
The spacious, modern store gives Specsavers the opportunity to showcase its range of products, as well as its clinical services. Great consideration has been given to the layout and the first thing greeting customers is a spacious showroom dedicated to glasses. With more space, many spectacles previously kept in cupboards can be displayed, so now there’s a vast range of styles to suit all tastes.
Specsavers have their own ranges of frames, including low-priced models that can be purchased with NHS Optical Vouchers for those who qualify for such support. They also work with brands such as Hugo Boss, Tommy Hilfiger, Quicksilver and Viktor & Rolf, with many designs made exclusively for Specsavers.
There is also an area designated to contact lenses, increasingly popular as contact lens technology becomes even more practical and easy to use. Terri Bacon, Contact Lenses Manager, said: ‘I only learned how to use contact lenses when I joined Specsavers, having worn spectacles for 40 years. They’ve been fantastic for me as they offer facial freedom. I love going to gigs and always wear my contacts as it means I feel relaxed and don’t need to worry about losing my glasses. They have so many other practical uses too, especially for those who enjoy playing sports.’
‘The technology has come on leaps and bounds and contact lenses today are soft, light and easier to wear than ever. We have lenses to suit people of all ages and customers can take advantage of a free trial before signing up to our Lensmail home delivery scheme.’
SUCCESSFUL SLOGAN
This year, Specsavers celebrates its 40th anniversary. Its famous slogan was only introduced in 2002, yet ‘Should’ve gone to Specsavers’ has become part of popular culture. It has been used by many journalists and reporters covering news and sport, and featured in countless social media memes. What is less well known is that Specsavers stores are locally-owned and operated by people who live in the community. The Horsham branch is no exception. It is jointly owned by Amar, Kumar and Alan McLean, who boast over 60 years of collective Specsavers experience.
Alan has been with the company for 35 years, running stores in Scotland before he was appointed Operations Director for the whole of Specsavers. Along with Kumar, he is co-owner of four stores in Sussex (Horley, Crawley, East Grinstead and also Horsham, where Amar is the third co-owner) and likes to share his knowledge and experience with others who are just beginning their own Specsavers career journey.
Alan said: ‘Specsavers stands out from others because it is owned primarily by optical and audiology professionals. It’s not a PLC generating share value for investors or pension funds, but a business run by local professionals for the benefit of their community. Because those behind it are committed to professionalism, customer care and satisfaction, we have grown continuously for the 35 years I have been involved. We have a culture of encouraging anyone who joins to become the very best they can be.’
‘We place individuals on development pathways where they can become accredited Retail Managers, Dispensing Opticians, Optometrists or Audiologists. Some go on even further to own their own Specsavers business. Many people who have joined us as Sales Assistants or Clinical Assistants have progressed through the Specsavers Pathway, gaining accreditations, diplomas and degrees to advance their career. For that reason, we’re always looking for new talent. You don’t necessarily need to have any retail, optical or audiology experience, as long as you possess a genuine willingness to help others, we’ll be interested in meeting you.’
CANADIAN DREAM
Having developed a passion for optics, Laura took internal courses and became a qualified Dispensing Optician, before gaining ILM (Institute of Leadership and Management) qualifications. Laura is now Manager of the Horsham store and will soon be taking on an exciting new role within the company.
Laura said: ‘It was a very easy job to fall in love with, as optics offers not just retail experience but medical aspects through patient care, so every day is different. Specsavers has also given me opportunities to further my career. Some people aim to become an Optometrist, but I prefer life on the shop floor, meeting and greeting people, so managing a team for the past four years has been incredible for me.’
‘Specsavers is now expanding in Canada and appealed for candidates interested in being part of that journey. I flew to Ontario to meet several partners who had already made the move and I knew then that it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work in a different country, doing exactly what I love to do. I could never have imagined when I joined as a 16-year-old that the job would take me to a whole new life in a different continent.’
Matt Gawn, Head of Operations, has been with Specsavers for more than 20 years, many spent as Manager of the Horsham store. He is on his own Pathway towards ownership of a Specsavers business and says that Laura’s story is indicative of the company’s commitment to its team.
He said: ‘It does feel like a community, because we’re all given opportunities to develop our skills and progress in our careers. Laura’s journey is a source of great pride to all of us. She first came to Specsavers as a shy 16-year-old and has risen through the ranks to become a fine leader. Now, she has all her accreditations and is heading to Canada for an exciting new chapter and that is really what we’re all about.’
CONFIDENT FUTURE
As Laura prepares to head to Canada, others will lead the way at the new Horsham store. Ben North also joined the team as an Optical Assistant aged 16 and five years later is training to be an Optometrist.
Ben said: ‘I have wanted to work in optics for as long as I can remember, as I’ve worn glasses since I was eighteen months old. I’m currently taking a course to be a registered Dispensing Optician and have two more years of studying at university to go and then hope to go on to become a qualified Optometrist. As I’m experienced in wearing glasses, I do feel I have more confidence when helping younger people coming in for their first prescription. Children can often be a little apprehensive about wearing glasses, but I reassure them and tell them that they will thank their parents for it in years to come!’
While a new chapter begins at Horsham Specsavers, it is the journeys of the individuals that are just as important to co-owner Alan McLean. He said: ‘If Amar, Matt, Laura or Ben had decided to walk into any other High Street retailer when they were teenagers, they would not be where they are now, with accreditations and exciting prospects. Our slogan is, ‘You should have gone to Specsavers’ but for me that applies to your career too!’
Further information:
Visit the new store at 2 Worthing Road, Horsham, RH12 1SL
(01403) 275115
