Independent Opticians Practices Top New 'Which?' Survey

LEICESTER, U.K. - July 6, 2014 - PRLog -- Over 5000 Which? Members participated in the survey in March 2014 and were asked to rate their experience of having eye tests, buying glasses and contact lenses in the past 3 years.

The top performers were local independent practice (like Visual Answers Opticians Loughborough) achieving a customer score of 88% with well know High Street chains such as Spec savers, Boots and Vision Express coming 5th, 6^th & 7^th respectively.

Independent practices also achieved top ratings in ‘customer service’, ‘timekeeping’ and ‘product quality’ too. Independents were also picked out for ‘staff communication’ and ‘staff skills’ and were recognised for being ‘more likely to fix a problem with glasses at no extra cost’.

Commenting on the results Which? editor Richard Headland said, ‘not all opticians are the same and we found big differences between them. We were surprised to see some of the big High Street chains did not fare as well as others’.

The article also recommended that glasses are bought from the practice that carries out the eye test as resolving issues can be much more complicated if this does not happen.

Mohammed Bhojani managing director of Visual Answers Optometrists  who runs two award-winning independent optical practices in Quorn and Barrow Upon Soar near Loughborough said, ‘its very pleasing to see that the high quality offered by independent practices like ours has been recognised in the survey. Patients have shown that they acknowledge and appreciate the investment in technology, professional standards, skill levels, training, service and value that independent practices like ours offer day in, day out’.