Partnership - Specsavers Opticas Spain

The Specsavers
Partnership
Introduction
Partnership has been at the very heart of Specsavers since it was
founded in 1984.
Though no-one at that time could have predicted the success of
Specsavers, there was a clear belief in what mattered: a business that
would provide local practitioners with exceptional support services;
sharp customer focus to deliver the very best price, service, quality and
choice; and an unrelenting drive for results, keeping it simple, getting it
done and delivering on our promises.
The Specsavers Partnership has flourished because roles are clearly
defined. Specsavers provides support to each store through delivering
world-class product via an agile supply chain, award-winning marketing,
reliable IT systems and a wealth of training and development. This frees
up store teams to focus on what matters most – providing the very best
clinical care and service to customers.
Specsavers Opticas is performing exceptionally well in incredibly tough
economic conditions. Latest figures show that our sales have increased
despite a shrinking retail index in Spain (source: Eurostat, 2011). Our stores
in Spain don’t just attract British and Northern European expats, who
know and trust the Specsavers brand, but also an increasing number of
Spanish customers. Ramping up our local PR and marketing activity in
Mallorca, for example, has led to the Spanish now accounting for more
than 40% of our customers at the Santa Ponça store.
Our success – in Spain and internationally – is set to continue. Contact us
today to discuss how you can be part of it.
4
Facts about the Specsavers Partnership
6
Partnership
8
World-class product
11
Championing professionalism
13
Partner communication and feedback
14
Passionate about people
16
An award-winning brand
18
The history of the Partnership
22
First-class business support
25
The Partnership in Spain
28
Your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
02 / 03
Facts about the
Specsavers Partnership
2,500+
30,000 +
Total number
of partners
Total number
of employees
13 million+
Total number
of frames sold
340m+
Total number of
contact lenses sold
£
£1.8 billion
6.9%
1,662
Total revenue 2012/13
Total number of optical
and hearing stores
78,000+
% increase on
revenue 2011/12
Total number of
hearing aids sold
Number of stores at end of 2012/13
122
ROI
35
115
114
Sweden
Norway
74
Denmark
78
Spain
Finland
8
57
Australia
New Zealand
nd s
alaver ts
e
Z a s
w ecs tri
Ne Sp ome
t
Op
a
ali rs
strave sts
u
A ecs etri
Sptom
Op
d
laners
Finsav ikko
ec t
Sp Op
9 44
Netherlands
276
53
optical
hearing
Total revenue end of 2012/13
Netherlands
Sweden
Norway
Denmark
Spain
Finland
£58.4m
New Zealand
2007
2006
2005
k
ar is
nmLou en
e
D
els
Ni
2005
ay
rw ers
Nocsav tikk
pe Op
2004
en
edvers k
w
S csa pti
pe O
1997
s
nd rs
rlaave ns
e
th cs cie
Ne SpeOpti
1990
I
ROers
v ns
a
s a
ec ici
Sp Opt
1984
S
£74.2m
£85.5m
S
£70.5m
£81.1m
£3.9m
£34.4m
Australia
2008
ain s
Sp ver as
sa c
ec pti
Sp O
£981.3m
UK
ROI
2008
686
£345.9m
£43.7m
* Hearcare services are also available in 540 of our UK optical stores,
31 of our ROI optical stores and 97 of our Dutch optical stores
UKrs
ve s
a
s an
ec tici
p
S Op
First store
UK
Specsavers is the
world’s largest
private optical
retailer, selling
a pair of glasses
somewhere in
the world every
six seconds.
Spain’s overall retail
trade index declined
to -5.8% in 2011
(source: Eurostat),
but Specsavers
Opticas stores
achieved an average
growth of +4.9%
in the same period.
The partners of our Santa
Ponça store, who had
Specsavers Opticas
has more than
18,000 registered
customers* and
attracts locals and
expats alike.
*as at end March 2012
At Specsavers we are
passionate about our local
communities and support
good causes all over the
world. Our Spanish stores
support a number of local
charities, including Caritas,
Cudeca, AECC, Red Cross,
EMAUS and the Lions Club.
previously operated an
optical store in the same
town, achieved a 400%
(July to December 2011)
increase in custom in
their opening months.
04 / 05
Partnership
The growth of Specsavers around the world is in large part
down to the way the Partnership works.
Stability and growth
The Specsavers Partnership has seen increased revenue year
after year. Specsavers’ core strategy of value for money
and outstanding customer service has allowed us to
continue to deliver revenue growth despite ever-fiercer
competition and a turbulent global economy.
Standing still is not an option for us. To protect and build
on our success, the Partnership remains vigilant about the
competition and strives to continue to grow in all markets.
Business support
A variety of support services is on offer to partners to help
them make their store a success. See pages 22 to 28 for
more information.
Protecting partner profits
Specsavers places a priority on maximising long-term
store profitability and the value of each and every
business. This means that, as one of the largest retailers
in many of our markets, we are in a position to make
significant cost savings in a number of critical areas (for
example, product purchasing, marketing and property),
which we pass on to our partners.
Joint managing director John Perkins addressing more than 1,000
partners at the 2012 UK Partners Seminar – an annual partner seminar
is run in each of our markets and constitutes the most important partner
event of the year with strategic updates, rousing presentations and
interactive feedback sessions.
‘I chose Specsavers as I wanted my own practice. Specsavers supports me
by providing facilities for accounting, marketing and any other additional
resource I require. This is a unique partnership that has let me continuously
grow my business and let me expand into another two successful stores.’
Raqia Hanif, Tottenham Court Road store, London, UK
‘Do everything you can to
experience the Specsavers
culture first-hand. Visit a
store, talk to the partners,
mystery shop if you like.
Research your options,
but do it now! The symbiosis
of professional eyecare
and retail excellence is
brilliantly represented in
the Specsavers model.’
Chris Papatheodorou,
Castle Hill store,
New South Wales, Australia
Purchasing and distribution
Specsavers purchases millions of frames each year.
This enables stores to obtain stock at very competitive
prices, so they can profitably provide the value-for-money
service for which Specsavers is renowned. Buyers travel
worldwide, regularly updating the overall range of more
than 1,500 frame styles. Our state-of-the-art warehouse
uses sales information supplied electronically from the
stores. This enables ranges tailored to each geographic
market to reach stores at the right time.
Customer focus
We want Specsavers customers to be customers for life,
which means building their trust and offering the very
best in value – not just low prices but first-class quality,
great service and exceptional care.
At the Specsavers Partnership we are passionate about
best value for everyone. There are now more than 23
million registered customers worldwide, a fantastic
endorsement of Specsavers’ retail offer.
Our ‘green blood’ culture
Specsavers is an entrepreneurial business with partnership
at the centre of the way we work. We are part of a fast
paced industry and, to stay ahead of the competition,
we must anticipate challenges, act quickly and never
become complacent.
The Partnership is based on trust, understanding and
mutual respect, working together to achieve shared
goals. Our values include treating people as we would
like to be treated ourselves, passion for customers, the
Partnership and the communities in which we operate,
and passion for results.
Our Vision To passionately provide best value eyecare to everyone, simply,
clearly and consistently, exceeding customer expectations every time.
Our Values Treat people as we would like to be treated ourselves.
Passionate about:
• Our customers – the lifeblood of our business
• Our people – supporting our staff to be the best they can be
• Partnership – at the heart of everything we do
• Communities – giving back to and working with our local communities
• Results – keep it simple, get it done, deliver on our promises
06 / 07
World-class product
Delivering more choice
The Specsavers Partnership offers customers in all
markets an exclusive range of well-known designer
brands. We also stock a selection of locally-relevant
brands such as Gok Wan and John Rocha in the UK,
Tiger of Sweden and Sand in the Nordics, Country Road
and Alex Perry in Australia, and Spijkers and Spijkers
and Francisco van Benthum in the Netherlands.
Deciding which designer frames to offer in which market
is a collaborative process between our global buying team
and local product managers, with input from partners
through our frame user groups.
We have invested heavily in recent years to provide more
choice in our own-brand range of frames. Offering value
for money at a range of prices, the Specsavers own-brand
range includes frames for men, women and kids
and comes in a variety of colourways, styles and sizes.
Our buyers attend major optical fairs, conduct research
and draw inspiration from the very latest fashion trends
to ensure the range stays fresh, exciting and relevant.
Specsavers purchases millions of frames each year. The
sheer scale of our business allows the Group to offer more
than 1,500 frame styles to our stores with new stock
typically arriving every six to eight weeks.
In 2011/12 the Specsavers Partnership sold more
than 290 million contact lenses. Continuing
investment in contact lens technology ensures the
latest products are launched as early as possible.
Since Specsavers introduced the world’s first
range of silicone hydrogel contact lenses in 2011,
they have proved so popular they now account
for more than 75% of the Group’s monthly lenses
sales. Our own contact lens brand, easyvision, is
the most known on the UK high street, with good
brand awareness in our other markets.
‘Specsavers is the future
of optics, in my view,
and I was certain that
the concept was going
to be just as successful
in Norway as in England.
There is professionalism
at all levels in Specsavers,
right down to the smallest
detail, from the head
office to frames.
Specsavers is a chain
that knows what it is
all about, so if you get
the chance – take it.’
Tore Syvertsen,
Øvre Slottsgate store, Norway
08 / 09
The Specsavers supply chain
To meet the ever-evolving needs of stores, the Specsavers
Partnership has developed a robust supply chain by
investing with partners in a variety of manufacturing
and distribution sites.
These sites provide a dedicated service to meet the
ophthalmic lens requirements of Specsavers stores.
Surfacing laboratories are equipped to a high specification
to supply Specsavers stores with quality surfaced PENTAX
lenses at competitive prices. Prescription lenses can be
treated in-house using the latest technology. Barcoding
and computerised chasing systems contribute to high
service levels.
The geographical spread of the supply chain, which
includes some of the largest manufacturing and
distribution sites in Europe and Asia Pacific, allows the
Group to supply product to stores across our markets
quickly, reliably and competitively. For example, in
2012, one of the Group’s sites was approved by the
British Standards.
Institute to supply safety glasses for corporate accounts
across Europe and was the first to pass the Carl Zeiss
Vision three-star standard of operational excellence.
We are planning to get our other sites assessed for
this standard in 2013/14.
Our hearing aid suppliers are approved to ISO 9001,
with all products CE-marked and guaranteed for seven
years from the time of manufacture.
Assuring the highest standards
We make no compromises on the safety of our product.
Specsavers’ quality assurance team, based in Hong Kong,
works closely with manufacturers to ensure quality
and safety standards are met at every stage of frame
development. To see this through to completion, every
one of our frames is hand finished to exacting standards.
Specsavers’ buying team works with leading optical
manufacturers across Europe, Asia and North America
to source, design and develop the Group’s frame ranges.
Many of these suppliers have worked with Specsavers
for over 25 years. It is because the Group has forged
such strong business ties with our suppliers that we
can enjoy ready access to their design teams, giving
us some of the shortest lead times in the industry.
Our ethical trading policy demands high standards
of suppliers, often exceeding the requirements of
local law. Suppliers globally are regularly audited by an
external company on a range of issues from management
of industrial processes to minimising impact on the
environment, to living and labour conditions for staff.
Lab staff checking quality at one of
our manufacturing and distribution
sites in Kidderminster, UK.
Championing
professionalism
As a business founded by optometrists, we are proud
of our reputation for professional and clinical excellence.
We recognise that customers’ needs differ but we aim to
deliver the same high standards of clinical care to all
through a commitment to continuous improvement.
Pushing the agenda
The Specsavers Partnership has representation on major
professional bodies, including the European Council for
Optometry and Optics, which allows us to contribute to
industry debate and decision-making. In the Netherlands,
where the optical profession remains unregulated, we are
leading a campaign to improve professional standards of
eyecare by protecting the title of optician.
Professional communications
Our flagship professional advancement conference,
established 18 years ago, is the largest of its kind in
Europe. Now adapted and launched in other markets,
this annual event offers Specsavers practitioners the
chance to hear from leading industry experts about
the very latest developments in their profession, as
well as to network with peers.
Our global professional journal, ProFile, is published
monthly. ProFile includes news, views, training updates
and clinical articles of relevance and interest to a
professional audience. Featuring sections for both
optics and hearing care, the publication also includes
specially commissioned CET-accredited articles which
link in with our online learning system.
‘I started with Specsavers as a partner at Knox in 2011, having been with
the Optical Superstore for some years. We had 70 square metres and one
consulting room. Less than two years on we have moved into new premises at
Knox with 145 square metres, three consulting rooms open and a fourth ready
to go. Having the new store is just unbelievable. We can now take our store
forward with a real prospect of reaching AUD $5 million annual sales in the
next couple of years. A year ago we wouldn’t have believed that possible –
now it’s our goal.’
Sanja Babic, Knox City store, Victoria Australia
Specialist Ketan Dhatariya presenting at the 2011
Finnish Professional Advancement Conference.
10 / 11
The tools of the trade
We understand that good equipment is an investment,
not an expense. Standards of care in optometry are
rapidly changing – as is the technology to support
this change. With the aid of experienced procurement
teams, we offer stores the ability to access the best
and latest clinical equipment at competitive prices.
The Specsavers Partnership is one of the few optical
businesses to offer a free digital retinal photography
service to customers, and it is available in all bar one of
our markets. This service reflects a significant financial
investment in fundus camera technology by our stores,
an investment that underlines our stores’ commitment
to their customers.
‘To be a franchise partner in Specsavers, which means
you are part of a big organisation but still running your
own business, is exciting, fun and you learn something
new every day. Good quality and right prices – value for
money – is a winning concept.’
Jens Demegard – Lidkoping store, Sweden
Partner communication
and feedback
‘Once you get the Specsavers bug, you don’t lose it. Seriously, the whole offer is brilliant:
a great selection of glasses and contact lenses combined with fantastic support from the
centre. In 2002 I took a Saturday job in the Zwolle store. Part-time became full-time
and the next thing I knew, the Zwolle store partner encouraged me to take a qualification
in optics and contact lenses. The next challenge followed soon after – my own store.
I find it hugely rewarding to manage such an enthusiastic team. I am proud of them
and the success we have made of the store together.’
Bianca van der Weerd – Van den Heuvel, Kampen store, the Netherlands
Continuing partner involvement ensures that stores
remain close to customer needs and can react quickly
to changes in the market. Our partners’ insight, thoughts
and views on what happens in store are absolutely critical
to the Partnership’s ongoing success.
Regular regional meetings are offered to partners
in all our markets to share updates and discuss new
initiatives. These meetings give partners the chance
to network, share best practice, discuss product,
marketing and training issues, and have their say on
the direction of Specsavers through brainstorming and
feedback sessions. An annual seminar is also held in
some of our markets, bringing together partners for an
invigorating day of presentations, strategic updates,
hot topics and interactive sessions.
To maintain regular feedback on specific aspects of
store business, regular user groups are also held with
a cross-section of partners. Whether it be discussions
about new frame styles or retail initiatives, IT
infrastructure or businesswear, the user groups are an
effective forum for feedback and an invaluable sounding
board for new product and ideas and strategies. In addition,
surveys are also conducted on a regular basis with partners
to find out what is working well in the partnership and
what could be improved.
Customer feedback
Our customer research system, MAZE, enables each
store to receive online feedback from its customers
within 24 hours of their visit.
The insight from MAZE is incredibly important. It allows
partners to discuss the customer feedback with their store
team, and contact any customers who were not completely
satisfied with their experience in store to help build closer
relationships between the store and its customers. At
a wider level, MAZE offers the Group a true understanding
of what matters to customers, helping the development
of the retail offer and customer-driven initiatives.
12 / 13
Passionate about our people
A retail development manager
training staff in one of our UK stores.
Our people set us apart from the competition. In an
increasingly competitive market, it is absolutely critical
that partners recruit and retain the best staff in their stores,
and invest in their development to keep driving forward
their businesses.
In most of our markets, regular courses are available
for partners to attend, on both technical and
management skills such as customer service, product
knowledge, staff recruitment and assessment, and
financial management, as well as workshops on
business leadership and how to drive their store’s
profits. Spotlight, a two-day event offered to partners
globally, explores how strong leadership skills can
influence the business for the better, particularly in
the current challenging economic environment.
The right plan of action
Effective development is rarely achieved through a ‘one size fits all’ solution.
Specsavers’ training teams are available to work with partners to assist them
in developing a learning and development plan that is right for their store – one
that links directly to the needs of their team and to the store’s business plan.
This planning process can be backed up with regular store visits by training
managers to support progress and advise on next steps.
Through this consultative approach, we support partners to develop highperforming teams in their stores so that they can continue to provide great
customer service and stay ahead of the competition.
Keeping store teams informed
Good communication is key to running a successful business.
In addition to printed publications, operational and business news is regularly
posted on our intranet alongside a wealth of information and support on all
things Specsavers. The intranet also allows partners to share their views
and ideas by adding comments.
‘Having owned a UK Specsavers store in the 90s, I was one of the first to get on board when
Doug Perkins announced he was coming to Australia in 2007. The sales growth at Robina
continues to surprise me every month. Last year we finished the year as Specsavers’ highest
turnover practice, and in the last few months we have been averaging like-for-like growth
of more than 30%. The volume of people coming into our store is astounding and relentless.
As our turnover has increased, so has our bottom line and the percentages appear to remain
consistent as the practice grows. This means a great bottom line for me as an owner-operator
– a fair reward for all the hard work. You don’t get that reward working for someone else.
With very conservative budgeting, we plan on turning over more than AUD$6 million per
year by 2014. I never thought that was possible when I had an independent practice four
years ago. With a new five-room store being planned, the sky is the limit. My advice for
anyone contemplating a Specsavers practice: do it now. UK JVP waiting lists are several
years long and the same will happen here in Australia. Plan big, work hard and Specsavers
will help you gain all the rewards for your efforts.’
Luke Mathers, Robina Store, Queensland, Australia
14 / 15
An award-winning brand
‘I have to say that my initial reaction was where’s the catch?
I now know there isn’t one. I have since trained in optics and
haven’t looked back. Quite simply this is the best move that I
have ever made. My only regrets are that I didn’t make it sooner.’
Mark Walker, Bristol store, UK
A still from one of our latest TV ads featuring British
chef Gordon Ramsay and an embarrassed guest who
mistakenly enters the hotel kitchen thinking it is a sauna.
Our success is closely linked to the public’s perception
of Specsavers as a trusted name. We have worked hard
to build up the reputation of the Specsavers brand, a
brand which today is strongly associated with value for
money, choice and great customer service.
The facts speak for themselves: Specsavers has been voted
the UK and Ireland’s ‘most trusted’ brand for 11 years in a
row (source: Reader’s Digest, 2002-2012); brand awareness
exceeds 90% in all but two of our markets and we hold
the ‘best price’ position in eight (source: TNS, September
2012); consumers voted Specsavers ‘Best optical store’
at the 2012 ING Retail Excellence Event; and Specsavers
was ‘highly commended’ in the VISA Australian Retailer
of the Year category at the prestigious Australian Retail
Association’s 2012 Retail Awards.
16 / 17
Hitting the mark
Specsavers probably conducts more market research than
any other optical or hearing care business to ensure that
our customer offer remains compelling and competitive.
But it is not just the market research that tells us we are
getting it right. Specsavers’ marketing and creative teams
have won award after award for their work, whether TV
or radio commercials, press advertisements, digital
solutions or integrated campaigns. Our strapline ‘Should’ve
gone to Specsavers’ has become so rooted in British
culture that it is often quoted on TV, in press headlines
and in social media and is now used in advertising across
nine of our 10 markets.
Clockwise from top: image from the ‘Shocked by the price of hearing
aids’ ad campaign in the UK; press ad poking fun at Ukraine’s goal-thatwasn’t against England in Euro 2012 which hit the papers within 48
hours of the match; still from the ‘Shuttle’ TV ad featuring astronauts
who mistakenly land at Luton Airport instead of Kennedy Space Center;
Specsavers’ response to the 2012 Olympics blunder when the South
Korean flag was mistakenly displayed at the start of the Colombia v.
North Korea women’s football match.
Marketing expertise
Our in-house marketing teams produce campaigns across
the full range of marketing channels – TV and radio
commercials, digital marketing, point-of-sale, direct mail
and press ads. Partners can take advantage of a range
of local marketing activities tailored to their store’s needs
in addition to the national marketing programme.
The Specsavers website not only promotes our products
and latest offers but also provides important information
for the customer, such as advice on health matters and
what they can expect when they enter one of our stores.
Each individual store has its own page with contact
details, opening hours and a location map.
Customers are also reminded of our retail offer through
recall and relationship marketing programmes, and
through customer magazines.
Raising Specsavers’ profile
Specsavers has PR teams in each market dedicated
to raising the profile of our brand at a local and
national level.
(as they might say in North and South Korea)
Book an eye test at specsavers.co.uk or call 0800 0680 241
©2012 Specsavers. All rights reserved.
Bам треба було піти
до SpecSaverS
(as they say in Ukraine)
Book an eye test at specsavers.co.uk or call 0800 0680 241
©2012 Specsavers. All rights reserved.
Ukraine_Should've_380x254_DailyTelegraph.indd 1
A coordinated network of press agencies within each
market means that every store has access to local PR while
also benefiting from a range of national campaigns –
raising awareness about health issues, promoting
community involvement and fund-raising activities.
A strong professional presence in the optical and
hearing care industries is maintained through regular
features in the trade press and through the production
of tailor-made educational publications.
Ultimately, all this helps us drive new customers
to our stores – and to ensure they return.
20/06/2012 15:25
From humble beginnings on a table-tennis table in
a spare bedroom to the billion-pound multinational
business that it is today, Specsavers has achieved a
considerable amount in its relatively short history.
Our success story
Husband and wife Doug and Mary Perkins, both optometrists,
sold a small optical chain in the south-west of England in
the early 1980s. They moved to Guernsey in the Channel
Islands, where Mary’s parents lived, and it was from there
that they opened the very first Specsavers store, on Bristol’s
Bond Street, on 14 February 1984.
That store has since been joined by more than 1,600 stores
in the UK, the Republic of Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden,
Norway, Denmark, Finland, Spain, Australia and New Zealand.
From just two staff working at that table-tennis table there
are now more than 26,000 people employed within the
Specsavers Partnership around the world.
of glasses for one low price – has helped people to see
glasses as a fashion accessory, not just a necessity. 2 for
1 was revolutionary in the optics market when introduced
by Specsavers in 1990.
Today the Specsavers Partnership is the world’s largest
private optical group and market leaders in six of the 10
countries in which we operate. We are the retail market
leader in contact lenses in the UK and the largest provider
of home delivery contact lenses in Europe. Our retail rollout in Australia was possibly the fastest ever for the market,
at its peak opening 100 new stores in as many days.
Back in 1984 Doug and Mary realised that for optical
professionals to really be part of the business, they had to have
a stake in its ownership and profits and so they developed
the groundbreaking joint venture partnership model.
Specsavers Hearing Centres, which operates in the UK, the
Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands, is now doing for
hearing what we have already achieved in optics – offering
customers dramatically reduced prices and waiting times
and making audiology more accessible for everyone.
In the early 1980s the UK Government made the
unprecedented decision to let professional service providers
advertise their products and services. This transformed the
market. That first Specsavers store offered value-for money,
quality eyecare and clear pricing.
The recent introduction of AQP (Any Qualified Provider)
in England, which gives NHS patients more freedom to
choose where they go for their hearing care, provides
a fantastic opportunity for the Group’s hearing care
businesses to expand significantly in the coming years.
The price tag on the frames included the cost of standard
lenses and additional options were clearly displayed. This
meant that customers knew exactly what they were going
to pay before they got to the till. Our 2 for 1 offer – two pairs
The Specsavers Group remains family-owned, led by Doug
and Mary with son John as joint managing director, daughter
Julie as country director in the Netherlands and daughter
Cathy working as an audit manager.
Partners gathering for the first ever UK Partners Seminar.
18 / 19
1984
1988
Opens first Specsavers Opticians in
Bristol, England, followed by Guernsey,
Swansea, Bath and Plymouth
Opens 100th store
2004
Expands into Sweden as Specsavers
Blic Optik, after acquiring the Blic
optical group
2005
2006
Launches in Norway as Specsavers
Optikk and buys the Louis Nielsen
chain in Denmark
Opens in Spain as Specsavers Opticas
Introduces PENTAX lenses with all glasses
2011
Becomes market
leader in Australia
20 / 21
Expands into hearing care, opening first
Specsavers Hearing Centres in the UK
2010
Becomes market leader
in New Zealand
1996
Opens contact lens centre
in Plymouth, England
Opens first international
store in Haarlem,
the Netherlands
Flagship store opens in
Tottenham Court Road,
London, UK
2003
Becomes an official ‘Consumer
Superbrand’ (source: Superbrands)
500th store opens
2002
Voted Most Trusted Brand of Opticians by
Reader’s Digest, an accolade that we go
on to win 11 years in a row...so far
‘Should’ve gone to Specsavers’
strapline launches in the UK
2007
Sets up a supply chain in Australia, supplying independent
optometrists with frames and lenses
Arrives in Finland as Specsavers Optikko
Mary Perkins made a Dame Commander of the Order of the
British Empire and wins Most Outstanding Business Woman at
the National Business Awards in the UK
2008
Specsavers Optometrists opens for business
in Australia with 150 stores to its name by the
end of the year
Opens 1,000th store
Specsavers Optometrists opens its first store
in New Zealand
Opens first hearing centres in the Netherlands
2012
2009
Specsavers Optical Group
celebrates 25 years in business
Opens 1,500th optical store
Specsavers Hearing Centres wins all 25 contracts
offered by the NHS to date to be a ‘qualified provider’
of hearing care for NHS patients in the UK
THE FUTURE...
Apoyo comercial
de primer nivel
As a franchise partner in Spain, you will enjoy the
freedom and day-to-day responsibilities of running
your own business. Our central Specsavers team
will give you all the business support you need,
covering everything from distribution, IT issues and
manufacturing to marketing and purchasing, letting
you focus on your business and your customers.
Business development
Our business development team is involved from the
moment that you get in touch with Specsavers Opticas,
providing you with the advice you need to make
your decision and then all the support you require to
maximise the success of your business. Drawing on 29
years’ experience in high-volume optics, they provide
guidance and assistance throughout the process,
together with project management.
23 / 24
First-class business support
Product, supply chain and procurement
This includes a world-class range of frame styles and
colours, designer brands, PENTAX and Transitions
lenses, and Specsavers contact lenses; Specsavers
global procurement team has secured the best deals
on furniture and optical equipment, which means your
store will be established cost-effectively and to a highquality specification.
Contracts management
Specsavers Opticas has a professional team of contract
managers who provide a comprehensive design and
project implementation service. They will undertake
all of the work involved in designing and constructing
your store.
Training
Our experienced training team will provide you and
your staff with an intensive training programme prior
to opening, to ensure that you are confident in
delivering the Specsavers Opticas concept to the many
new customers that you will see.
Marketing and PR
Our marketing and PR team will devise an extensive
launch plan, drawing on your local knowledge and our
experience to ensure the best possible start for your
Specsavers business. If you have an existing business,
we will contact your customers to promote the benefits
of your relationship with Specsavers Opticas and
reminding them that you are still running the store
on a daily basis.
IT
Our IT team will configure and install your IT system
ready for use on the first day of trading, and provide
ongoing support. The award-winning system, called
Socrates, is used across all our markets and benefits
from regular reviews and upgrades based on the
feedback of partners worldwide.
Communication
Regional communications meetings ensure that all
partners have the opportunity for two-way consultation
on all initiatives.
22 / 23
The Partnership in Spain
‘It was an immediate success and the first day was really crazy.
Specsavers is a really well-known brand among the non-Spanish here
in Mallorca, but also we were really surprised because we welcomed
a lot of Spanish as well who didn’t know the brand but were attracted
by the marketing, publicity and all the promotion. It’s really been great.’
Andrés Román Romero, Mallorca store, Spain
Specsavers has years of experience in markets as
diverse as Finland and New Zealand. We know how to
bring new customers into your store, and we will enable
you to achieve new heights in customer volume.
Strength of our brand
Specsavers will not only help you attract Spanish
customers, but our brand will also attract the expat
community. Around a million expats from the UK and
Northern Europe live in the Costas, and they already
know Specsavers’ reputation for affordable eyewear
and professional excellence.
The familiar Specsavers logo acts as a magnet for
Dutch, Nordic and British expats. The value of the
brand to the Costas expat community has already
been proven in our existing stores in Benidorm, Calpe,
Fuengirola, Guardamar del Segura, Jávea, Mallorca,
Marbella and Torrevieja.
The Specsavers brand has been built over 29 years of
continuous ownership and involvement by the same
management team. Its value is as intangible as it is
invaluable – forming the backbone of the relationship
between ourselves and our stores. It’s the reason so
many professionals approach us to be partners. And
it’s a big part of why a Specsavers Opticas store, once
opened, has never been closed.
24 / 25
‘Within 12 months of opening our store, we were receiving
partner profit distributions, having already repaid our initial
set-up costs. We’ve now just about outgrown our current
premises of two consulting rooms and are looking to relocate
and double our testing capacity and retail floor space.’
Gurpreet Rai, East Maitland store, New South Wales, Australia
How to join the Partnership
To make things as straightforward as possible, we have
split the process of becoming a franchise partner into
seven steps. Through each stage, we will do everything
we can to make the journey as stress-free, informed
and smooth as possible.
Step 1 – contact us
Get started by emailing our Business Development team
to arrange a meeting (see details on the next page).
They will explain how Specsavers Opticas can support
you and chat through your motivations and concerns.
Step 2 – structured interview
This is our chance to find out whether you have the
attributes we know a successful franchise partner
needs. It also helps us to find out more about you
so that we can structure training and coaching
programmes specifically to support you.
The interview will consist of a questionnaire, a one-toone meeting, a case study and competencies quiz. The
interview is informal – think of it as a frank exchange of
information – you’ll learn as much about us as we will
about you. The case study and competencies quiz are
set around a fictitious store, which is operating poorly,
and you will be asked to identify a range of issues and
create solutions to overcome its problems.
Step 3 – disclosure
Assuming your interview is a success, you will be approved
for partnership and our relationship will really begin.
Firstly we will sign agreements to assure confidentiality
between us and you’ll receive extensive information (a
disclosure pack) with details about Specsavers España
Franchisor SLU and copies of draft agreements.
We will make sure you have enough time to read all
the contents. We will also encourage you to get in touch
if there is anything you don’t understand or want more
information about. The aim is to ensure you have all
the right information and that you can make an
informed decision.
Step 4 – project development
The next step is to look at the financial models which,
together with their supporting data, will have been
prepared for your town. Your Business Development
Manager will talk you through them – discussing
projected earnings and how to increase performance.
When you are happy and an agreement is reached,
a written set of ‘Heads of Terms’ will be signed. This
ensures that we both know what we have agreed to
and we can both begin to plan the next stage of your
transition into a Specsavers Opticas partner.
Step 5 – signing the franchise agreement
The formal agreement that confirms our relationship is
the franchise contract. This is the legal document that
details all of the terms and conditions by which we have
both agreed to live. By signing the franchise contract, we
are both agreeing that we want to enter into partnership
together and agree to those terms. This is the most
exciting part of any project because once this has been
signed you are welcomed into the fastest-growing
optical and optometry group in the world – part of the
Specsavers family.
Step 6 – shopfitting
Once you are a Specsavers Opticas partner, your new
store needs to be prepared and fitted out to Specsavers’
latest quality standards. This will involve Specsavers’
skilled professionals and local agents. Where
permissions are needed, Specsavers will liaise with the
relevant local authorities to make the process as easy as
possible for you.
Step 7 – training and store opening
Training is not just carried out while the store is being
worked on – it is a continual process. Once the transition
work in store has been carried out and Specsavers
systems are in place, you and your team undergo
intensive training from our retail team. We’ll give you
an understanding of Specsavers’ customer offers, the
IT system, training packages, marketing and support
services.
26 / 27
Business Development team
English-speaking:
James West
0044 1481 232 472
james.west@specsavers.com
Spanish/English-speaking:
José Ángel Moral-Tajadura
0034 637 237 320
joseangel.moraltajadura@specsavers.com
Specsavers
La Villiaze
St Andrew’s
Guernsey
Channel Islands
GY6 8YP
Tel +44 (0)207 2020 241
specsavers.com
Printed on recycled paper