Andrew McClean: How was business at Leightons Opticians & Hearing Care in 2019?
Ryan Leighton: It was a year of ups and downs. Navigating the external environment conditions was challenging. Overall, we managed to post some healthy organic growth for Leightons Opticians & Hearing Care. The focus throughout 2019 was very much about staff learning and development, via our academy and through a series of structured conferences. The Hearing Care Partnership (THCP) grew steadily and we now proudly serve about 120 optometry practices with our audiology service.
AM: What are your business plans for the next 12 months?
RL: At Leightons, the big focus will once again be on investing in our people. We have developed and launched a new online learner management system called Leightons Learning Suite (LLS), which will be blended with face-to-face learning and development via our 16-module academy. In addition to this, we will run a series of specific subject matter training events. Our team is busy developing 92 bitesize learning modules that will be added to the LLS over the course of 2020. It’s about constant improvement and progressive development.
We have one awesome new practice of the future planned for May, five other major shop fits and a further 10 practices will undergo mini-face-lifts. New technology and equipment will help to upgrade the consulting room and clinical experience.
At THCP, we are building a more comprehensive support team to enable more contact time with our partners and audiologists with the aim of elevating the service provision with our existing partner practices. Building on our partnership with the IDA Institute in Denmark, we will further develop our audiologists to enhance their person-centred care approach to audiology.
A whole host of new marketing initiatives and local community awareness events are being rolled out. These are designed to attract new patients to our partner practices for hearing but also to help grow the optical new patient acquisition as well. In terms of new partnerships for THCP, we will carefully expand with practices that share our ethos throughout 2020.
Leighton Opticians in store
AM Leightons recently launched the Business Club, what is it and how does it work?
RL: The Business Club is a membership community exclusive to THCP partners that is built on the philosophy of stronger together. Leaning into the experience gained and support provided to Leightons optical practices, the Business Club provides access to advantages and knowledge that is designed to reduce some of the burden of running a business. It is a community where business intelligence is shared and choice is curated for easier decision-making, so that time is optimised. Marketing intelligence and high quality ready-made resources are available, plus a learning and development system is available 24-7 for owners and their teams built from Leightons online learner management. There are also planning tools and resources, plus access to business growth events. The Business Club is available to all THCP partners for a small monthly subscription.
AM: At 100% Optical you focused on the Pulse, can you share some details about this?
RL: We describe the Pulse as the beating heart of Leightons. It’s a specialist team of optometrists, dispensing opticians, managers, optical and hearing assistants and audiologists. They are here to help us to drive and deliver continuous improvement initiatives, reaching and sharing standards of excellence in every practice. The role is built on people who demonstrate innovation, energy and determination along with an enquiring mind to help research, trial and implement new projects and services.
The Pulse delivers clinical and service excellence across the entire practice network and they are ready to respond to the needs of the business at a moment’s notice. This is critical in achieving our goal to ensure that clinics are never cancelled and customers are always served, no matter what.
AM: How is Leightons developing its health and wellbeing strategy?
RL: Everyday life can be incredibly stressful and the triggers for positive and declining mental and physical wellbeing are different for everyone. Our experience is that some people want direct support from their colleagues, while others prefer to take a more independent and self-directed route. With that in mind, we have developed a programme that allows our staff access to key people from within the business and 24-hour support from our employee assistance programme.
The LLS has a section called health and myself, which has seven modules that promote positive health and wellbeing. It’s as important to balance prevention measures alongside ongoing management and care. Wellbeing is influenced by our environment so along with our plan to create positive and pleasing workplaces we have extended this into the wider world, engaging with community projects, particularly linked to the environment and sustainability, promoting a work-life balance and neatly connecting our company commitment to the charity Mind and the Woodland Trust to more local charity work. Do good, feel good.
AM: What areas will you be focusing on during your Optrafair presentation?
RL: I will educate owners about the cost of not doing hearing care, highlighting the benefits and how to get involved including the three key things that you must get right to make hearing within your optical practice a success.
AM: Why is providing hearing care in an optical practice important?
RL: Patients are starting to expect this service to be provided by their optician. This might have something to do with the £1m marketing from Specsavers and Boots who are helping to educate the consumer that this is normal.
AM: What are the benefits of including hearing care in an optical practice?
RL: Not doing hearing in your optical practice is costing your practice a considerable sum every year in lost profit through loss of patients who are seeking their hearing solution in other optical practices. Together with not being able to attract new patients, the compound effect of this year on year is significant. Adding hearing services increases the frequency of patient visits to your practice, loyalty and word of mouth recommendations to the practice increases and revenue share on the sales generated will become a profitable contribution. Ultimately, business value will improve.