1. Relationship between optics/retail and audio:
Specsavers operate a model by which optics clients who have eye tests performed before appointments with optometrists, will be offered a free hearing screening. This screening process is smart in the sense that it piggy backs off optic clients for a revenue/client stream. In essence, it serves as a "capture" system for clients whether they are ready to begin their hearing aid journey or not - the seed is planted for audiology services. However, Specsavers have grossly stuffed up this model. And I can't stress the term grossly enough here. Why? Because the retail/optics staff who perform these procedures, are in no way accountable to you. They do not report to you. And they damn well know it and take advantage of it. They routinely will not screen, and if training interventions are implemented, they often have a hostile and non compliance attitude. Audio management will pretend to care but when push comes to shove, they will never do anything. This means your potential revenue stream often under performs, and Specsavers has no solution to fixing this. Actually even worse, according to them, it's not even an issue. This decision /stance is very poor and feels like a virus that's infected the entire operation.
Moreover, the managers in optics are not invested in the audio - optics model, in the sense that they rarely have your back or assist in the relationship between optics and audio. They are so busy in their roles, they don't have time to understand the potential benefits of the revenue audio pays them, and how coming into their business as an "excess cash" amount, with no core costs associated with it (ie revenue from an Optometrists with a wage attached) actually is highly profitable for them. Which begs the question, why did they sign on audiology to be shared in their stores in the first place?
2. Very poor pay and commission / dividends structure:
Specsavers, being a franchise model, obviously take the "cream from the top" when it comes to money being generated. They sell very well in the employment ads that you'll get $100-110,000, but leave out the fact that this is based on your store performance. They say in advertising jobs "there is no kpis" but this is utter bs - if you don't sell well, you are in trouble. And even when you do sell well, the dividend structure is extremely one sided and bias to Specsavers. It's dependant on your store loan, monthly variations, and Specsavers heafty cut that they always take. In fact, at my previous place of employment, I was just out of my graduate period and was effectively earning the same as I am now. But now I run a team, work 45hr weeks, and have far more stress. Furthermore, I haven't seen a single pay rise in 3 years. Instead, Specsavers would prefer to keep the hearing aid prices low and make us suffer, for their true aim of market domination.
3. Excessive priority on having a volume-sales based business model over a service based model, degrades our professional integrity and value:
Specsavers have chosen to focus on high volume over service, and do so by providing our services/time at an extremely cheap price to clients. For example, a full 45mins hearing assessment is billed at $49. We effectively cannot charge for maintenance appointments whatsoever (privates of course) and hearing aid prices remain extremely low when compared to the competition. There hasn't even been an adjustment for CPI in the 3 years I've been here, meaning us, the Partners, wear the extra costs associated, not Specsavers themselves. By focusing on high volume, they have under-priced our services and devalued our profession. A balance here was required, but they really didn't think this though much at all.
So in summary, Specsavers has a reasonably good culture and your general day-to-day operation can be designed in a way to suit your working style. However, this will come at a cost. You'll be a worked hard with low pay, and you'll want to tear your eyes out over the Optics-Audio business structure. Furthermore, Specsavers will ALWAYS put your welfare and benefits last, in the 3 groups that sit in this business model - being the client, Specsavers and youself.
I'm not saying don't work here. But if it's for the money or to run a successful clinic, think really hard about that choice - with the cost of living is going through the roof, and Specsavers always having the final say, your potential for success is always going to be greatly reduced by poor choices made by top management.
