E2E Job Creation 100 features family-run optometrists, Specsavers

Specsavers is a great British success story – a family-run retailer that is a familiar name on almost every high street in the UK and Ireland. Its legendary catchphrase – ‘Should’ve gone to Specsavers’ – has become part of our vernacular and its warm and witty marketing has won a place in people’s hearts

Doug and Mary Perkins, Specsavers (Specsavers)

The Specsavers group was founded in 1984 by Doug and Dame Mary Perkins, who saw an opportunity created by the deregulation of professionals under the Thatcher government, which enable opticians to advertise their services for the first time. They pioneered a joint venture partnership model, which has become the cornerstone of their business success.

At a time when high prices for optical care and limited choice were the norm, they revolutionised the industry by offering affordable, fashionable eyecare for everyone, including complete price glasses and two for one offers.

Driven by a purpose to change lives through better sight and hearing, Specsavers has continually disrupted in existing and new the markets, striving to bring the best possible service to customers.

Now with over 2,000 businesses in 11 countries, employing more than 38,000 people, Specsavers is one of the leading names on the UK high street, trusted for providing exceptional service both in its store and through home visits to those unable to visit a store.

‘We never anticipated that, from those humble beginnings on our now legendary table tennis table in our spare room, we would have realised a dream in 11 countries around the world or that we would be market leader in most of them. Nor that we would have such thriving audiology and domiciliary businesses – that wasn’t even on our agenda back then,’ says Dame Mary.

The family-run business, Specsavers has been operating for 40 years, working together with store partners to provide the best value optometry, audiology and other healthcare service for customers. Specsavers is also partnered with Newmedica, providing NHS ophthalmology services in the community, led by ophthalmologists, and supported by optometrists and clinical assistants in Specsavers’ stores.

Aiming to ensure each business retains a family feel, each business is part-owned and managed by its own store partners. As shareholders of their own business, they are supported by key specialists in support offices, who provide a range of services, such as marketing, accounting, IT and wholesaling, among others embodying the business’s ethos of family-run enterprises.

The joint-venture partnership ensures that the opticians and audiologists who run their stores can concentrate on delivering what they do best – providing expert eye and hearing care to their customers.

Now operating globally, there are currently more than 4,700 partners running stores across the UK, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Spain, Australia, New Zealand and Canada making Specsavers a global player in the sector.

A true representative of job creation, Specsavers is ranked 8^th in the E2E Job Creation 100 cementing its presence not just on the UK and global high streets, but also in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

You can view the complete E2E Job Creation 100 track here