Winning an Optician Award is a career highlight for many optical professionals, businesses and suppliers but with that comes tangible benefits. Each year, when Optician interviews the winners, a perennial response is that the Award has put the practice on the map, provided a golden marketing opportunity or motivated staff while the process of entering is often quoted as being a valuable exercise that has enabled entrants to review what they do and why they do it.
Anyone who has entered the Optician Awards will also understand the power of the presentation evening. It takes place next March 30 at the Birmingham Metropole. This is a special event offering a great night out. It brings teams together, rewards staff and celebrates success.
March may seem a long way away but the road to Optician Awards stardom starts here. Opposite is a full listing of the 18 categories on offer and once again we have endeavoured to provide categories that cover the whole of the optical profession, the retail business and the supply industry.
As they say, you have to be in it to win it. Nice as it would be Optician is not going to knock on your door to tell you that you have won. The Optician Awards are judged from entries and nominations. Our panels of expert judges will need to gain an insight into you and understand your ethos in your chosen category so spend time thinking about your entry.
Optometrist of the Year - Michael O’Kane, Specsavers, Morningside
The good news is getting involved could not be easier. The most important element has to be selecting the right category. The categories are listed here and you can go to www.opticianawards.co.uk to see the full criteria. Do not assume you know already because new ones are being created every year. This year there are two new categories: The Frame Stylist of the Year sponsored by Transitions and The Low Vision Award. Both of these categories opening up the prospect of an Award to new groups of people and organisations.
Consult the whole team about your strengths and play to those. Choose an entry champion who can get the whole team involved. A regular observation made by our winners is ‘I didn’t think people like me won Optician Awards’, but they do.
The website provides a comprehensive line-up of categories available along with full details of how to enter, information on the sponsors and information about previous winners.
Once you have decided on the categories you want to enter, read the criteria. Each of the categories covering practices, people and teams is judged by separate panels of four experts driven by the particular criteria of that category. They may have a lot of submissions to read so keep your entries concise. Any additional materials should be within the limits laid down in the rules. Do not be tempted to describe what your practice does on a day to day basis. If photos or samples are requested only provide what is specified.
Use the time in the run up to Christmas to review your year and put your entry together. Judging will take place next January with a special party in London for those shortlisted in late February.
Comedian Mark Watson, host of the 2018 Awards
The Optician Awards presentation ceremony takes place on March 30 during the Optrafair weekend so check your diary. Think of the Awards presentation as a team bonding event. If you are successful in being shortlisted then it becomes a great celebration for the team; if you are not, go along and see who has been. It is one of the biggest nights of the optical calendar so it is a great way to bond with your staff.
The audio visual show at the Optician Awards is legendary and this year takes a 1980s theme. Make sure any images you supply are good quality as they will be beamed 20 feet tall as part of the AV show in front of 600 of the optical profession’s great and good.
Being shortlisted is reason enough to start using the Awards to your advantage. Alert your local press, use the logo on your stationery and on your website, have a display in the practice. All our winners will be interviewed by Optician so be ready for that too.
Entering the Awards is a rewarding process whether you win or not. It raises your profile in the profession and locally, it enables you to reflect on what you do, it is also a great way of bringing your team together and allowing you to recognise their efforts.
The Optician Awards are designed to recognise practices like yours, so why not give it a go in 2019?
To enter visit opticianawards.co.uk
Optician Award categories
Independent Practice of the Year
sponsored by Hoya
The Family Optician of the Year
Fashion Practice of the Year
Multiple Practice of the Year
Practice Growth Award
sponsored by A+E+L Markhams
Lens Product of the Year
Frame of the Year
Frame Stylist of the Year *New*
sponsored by Transitions
Contact Lens Practice of the Year
sponsored by Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Companies
Contact Lens Product of the Year
Contact Lens Practitioner of the Year
sponsored by Alcon
Optical Supplier of the Year
Low Vision Award *New*
Dispensing Optician of the Year
sponsored by Asda Opticians
Enhanced Optical Service Award
Technology Practice of the Year
Optical Assistant Team of the Year
Optometrist of the Year
sponsored by CooperVision