Independent turns to texts

West Midlands-based 4 Sight Opticians has found a new way of circumnavigating escalating postal charges and potential winter delays.

The seven-strong group has implemented an email and SMS system to communicate more effectively with its patients. The practices use the marketing suite of Optix business management software, which can create newsletters and messages for patients from customisable templates.

4 Sight Opticians director optometrist Rod Mason (far right) said: 'The cost of postage means that we are moving more towards email and text and use the back-up of a letter if needed. We are building an email database and use text as much as possible.' Also pictured is 4 Sight director Nigel Atkinson.