The Observatory the Opticians group is still buzzing from the night of success when the Southwold branch picked up the coveted Independent Practice of the Year Award and the Muswell Hill store scooped the prize for Fashion Practice of the Year.
Jonathan Foreman, managing director of the Obsevatory the Optician group, says: ‘To be recognised as the best independent optician is a fantastic achievement. There was a great atmosphere on the night, [presenting comedian] Miles Jupp was highly entertaining. The whole team wanted to win so badly and I kept saying it’s enough to be shortlisted. Then we won twice. It was genuinely unexpected and completely thrilling.’
Last year the Observatory Southwold completed an all-encompassing practice refit. The first year after the revamp saw turnover grow by 24%. Foreman adds: ‘We believe that, more than ever, independents need to re-invest in our businesses in order to compete with the big multiples who are claiming an ever-increasing market share. We need to go for growth. The Observatory is continuing to grow while other independents are struggling to survive.’
Invest and diversify
Following the UK’s vote in June to leave the European Union the pressure on small independent businesses to invest, strengthen and diversify revenue streams has increased. Foreman says: ‘I am as worried as anyone about any negative impacts from the referendum, and some locations are seeing a lack of customer confidence. We are in a very competitive field, in a very competitive country, in very competitive times and that needs the motivation power of the whole team.’
The Optician Awards judges noted the investment in staff training and care, commenting: ‘Team Southwold showed a tireless obsession to look at and improve every aspect of the practice for the benefit of patients, staff and the surrounding community.’
Foreman adds: ‘Our budget for leadership and management training is higher than our advertising budget. This is because more than just collecting CET points, our team has undergone extensive training, coaching and counselling for those who feel their personal issues may be holding them back. The team at Southwold have pride in our aims, ethics, products and values.’
For example, training in product display was provided to the practice’s assistants. This came alongside a more defined frame range that tailors the product choice towards the identity of its local patient demographics and budgets.
Foreman says: ‘All of our team have a thorough knowledge of our inventory and experience with our frames through staff training days. We also invested in practice visits to trade shows, such as Optrafair Birmingham and Mido Milan, to keep staff creative and in the loop on trends.
‘By working with our suppliers on a seasonal basis, we determine the best frames for our practice. Editing frame purchases according to our demographic reduces the chance of having frames which sit on the shelf. It is also important to work with suppliers to develop a flexible returns policy which is to everyone’s mutual benefit.’
The team found that visits to other trendy practices were helpful in the search for enlightenment on the road to practice innovation. ‘Visiting the top opticians in continental cities is incredibly inspiring. We also enjoy visiting opticians within the UK, particularly in style hotspots such as Shoreditch,’ explains Foreman.
The practice further differentiates its dispensing area by broadening its range of eye care products. It offered items such as make-up for dry eyes, low vision aid clocks and magnifying mirrors.
The revamp also saw the practice upgrade its dispensing aid equipment to a portable app, specifically the visuReal app manufactured by Hoya. It further invested in tracers and lab facilities to match the front of house technology. The practice’s seaside-themed modern decor is designed to visually identify the practice with its local patients on the east coast.
Personal touches
An awareness of the impact that a personal service has on return patients’ trust led the practice to school its dispensing staff on body language when engaging patients. The MD says: ‘A smile must be over three seconds long to impact as friendly, and a short smile is perceived as predatory. The staff use open body language, relaxed arms and open hands. Our Observatory music playlist ensures the ambience in our shop is right. We also created store-specific “look books” that are used to educate customers on specific brands and looks.’
‘The challenge is to ensure that all of our [team’s] behaviour is congruent with our patient journey’s design. Attention to details that many businesses don’t bother with can make all the difference between a good optician and an outstanding optician,’ he says.
Last year’s ‘tireless obsession’ in patient journey development and strengthening revenue streams culminated in the Optician Award title. Since then, the practice has spread the word: ‘We made sure the public knows we are an award-winning practice. I think it makes the team’s job easier as they get more respect, more trust from patients.’
Independent practice of the Year 2016, sponsored by Hoya
Winner: Observatory of the Opticians, Southwold
Shortlisted: The Specky Wren, Brighton
Cooper & Barr Optician
Buchanan Optometrists