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The Optician Award for Family Optician of the Year is awarded to the optical practice that really understands how to attract and care for families and provide all family members with the eye care they need and the eyewear they want. The judges were looking for evidence of a practice that appeals to young and old while harnessing such a strategy to business sense and achieving growth.
The winning entry for 2009 was Specsavers Sutton-in-Ashfield, a practice in the East Midlands that is the largest single floor Specsavers in the UK. The Sutton-in-Ashfield practice was founded in 1995 and after several years of growth it was moved to larger premises in 2002.
Nigel Davidson, store director of the Sutton-in-Ashfield practice, explains: 'When we moved to the new premises, we ended up knocking two formerly separate premises together, so it is a very long, fairly narrow practice that is all on one level,' comments Davidson. 'This is an advantage in offering disabled people access to all areas of the practice.'
Morale boost
Davidson feels that winning the award has boosted practice morale. 'It is always a great motivator to win an award,' he says. 'This practice is no stranger to winning awards because it has won a number within the Specsavers environment over the years, including the overall practice of the year twice. I was interested to see how the store would fare at the leading industry award night and we were all delighted to win.'
The most impressive parts of the practice's entry were the obvious ambition it shows to cater for people of all ages and its active role in the local community through charitable activities.
Davidson explains that, although the practice operates under the umbrella of a nationally recognised company, it is still essential to really make a big effort to keep those customers happy if they are to become committed long-term users of the practice. 'We've always looked to be as appealing as possible to all members of the public from a child in a cradle to an elderly individual,' he says. 'This is achieved through having a concept of never ending improvement and a dedication to providing eye care for the full spectrum of people in society. One of the initiatives we have recently set up is macular screening - something that is quite new on the scene and groundbreaking but fits very well into where the practice is clinically.'
The practice has been involved in an assortment of community projects. 'We sponsor a young achievers award at a local school, and this is a nice way of giving something back to the community. There are a lot of local charitable groups that we support and in general we find the practice benefits from this in terms of stature and subsequently in terms of business too. Through Specsavers I get a lot of support on the financial and marketing side of the business which frees me to spend more time to involve the practice more in the community.'
Future investment
Davidson notes that there is an ongoing programme of investment in the practice around the time of the awards a new digital camera was bought to improve the professional service provided. There are also plans to improve the size of the pre-screening area to allow for auditory screenings in the future.
'We will definitely be looking to continue improving all aspects of the practice in terms of family appeal in the future. The key to this will be further investment in people and equipment. I see investment in people as being crucial because a lack of motivation among the staff on the shop floor would be reflected in the experience that customers have. So I always prioritise training and securing sponsorship for individuals that want to develop and improve. I think that looking after the internal family of staff has helped us to form a stronger bond with our customers.'
Davidson also pays tribute to the quality of the event. 'It is a fantastic awards show,' he says. 'The whole night was professional, well organised and a thoroughly enjoyable experience. The food was excellent, the entertainment was very funny and winning capped the whole night off for me and the other staff in attendance.'