Both the Australian and New Zealand public have independently voted Specsavers as the best optometry customer service provider in nominating the winners of the 2018 Reader’s Digest Quality Service Awards.

The annual Reader’s Digest Quality Service Awards, which are conducted separately in Australia and New Zealand, recognise companies that deliver outstanding customer service and go above and beyond their customers’ expectations.

The 2018 results were based on independent surveys of 3,000 adults – 1,500 in Australia and 1,500 in New Zealand – who were asked to nominate service providers in more than 40 categories before ranking their experience with the nominated companies against four service quality criteria:

  • Personalisation – Was an individual customer experience provided?
  • Understanding – Was a genuine insight into the customer’s needs demonstrated?
  • Simplicity – Was dealing with the company quick and easy?
  • Satisfaction – Was the customer’s expectation met and, even better, exceeded?

After being named the Gold Winner in the Optometry category for the 2017 New Zealand Reader’s Digest Quality Service Awards, Specsavers retained its position at the top in the recent 2018 awards.

Dominic Savill (right) with Specsavers Director of Communications Charles Hornor

In addition, Specsavers claimed the 2018 Australian Reader’s Digest Quality Service Award for the Optometry category, with Australians voting the company the Gold Standard Winner.

Brendan Thompson, Director for Specsavers New Zealand, said, “Winning the New Zealand Reader’s Digest Quality Service Award for the second consecutive year is a testament to our store teams’ tireless work in meeting their customers’ needs through high-quality eye care and great value eyewear.”

Dominic Savill, Retail Director of Specsavers Australia & New Zealand, added, “We are continually improving our in-store customer service training, and earlier this year, we launched CREATE, our most impactful talent development program yet. There has been great engagement with this program so far, and I believe that the excellent customer service our store team members deliver is also a reflection of their genuine enjoyment of the work they do.”

Since launching in the local market in 2007, Specsavers has won a variety of awards in both Australia and New Zealand, with recent accolades including the 2017 AITD Excellence Award for Best Talent Development Program, 2017 Platinum LearnX Impact Award for Best Training and Capability Development Program, 2016 Millward Brown Research No. 1 For Eye Tests, and 2016 Franchise Council of Australia Excellence in Marketing Award.