AN OPTOMETRIST who was inspired to run her own business at 16, is thriving after becoming one of Specsavers’ youngest-ever store directors.
Natasha Rathour was just 25 when she decided to buy into the business after discovering its Joint Venture Partnership (JVP) business model. In spite of various challenges over the last five years, Natasha has built up a successful business, with a store that continues to go from strength to strength.
Build your own business via the Joint Venture Partnership
As a brand, Specsavers is proud to be able to offer young professionals the opportunity to buy into their Joint Venture Partnership (JVP) business model.
Originally from Manchester, Natasha’s initial interest in wanting to become an optometrist started at the age of 16 when she started a Saturday job working for a local independent opticians practice. This weekend job not only proved to be the inspiration for studying for a BSc Hons in Ophthalmics at Bradford University, but significantly, as Natasha says: `It sparked the idea of running my own business while having a professional qualification.’
With a partnership of almost 2,000 locally-run businesses across the UK, this iconic, family-owned company offers would-be entrepreneurs the opportunity to run their own business, while continuing to benefit from day-to-day support provided by key specialists in Specsavers’ support offices.
Overcoming business challenges
Taking on an existing business was a challenge but Natasha approached it with determination. The store had been owned and managed by a previous store partner for more than 21 years, so Natasha inherited long-serving employees who were used to working in a certain way, along with a business that needed to change the way it worked to meet its customers’ expectations.
Now into her eighth year of running the store, and with 13 years clinical practice behind her, Natasha has been able to implement changes to the business to improve efficiency and profitability.
These changes focussed on the in-store customer journey, building customer loyalty, and transforming the store culture and dynamics by putting a new team in place, who today are focussed and passionate about what they do.
Set clear business objectives and focus on the customer journey
The introduction of a senior management team in 2018, and the appointment of Retail Store Director, Amir Kamel, have provided further structure to the business. With a team of 21, Natasha said it was important that employees have clear responsibilities and are part of a well-run business, with clear objectives where they can thrive and progress.
Today, Natasha is particularly proud of the store refurbishment she project managed in 2014. The updated ‘look and feel’ of the Holloway store provides a welcoming and contemporary store environment for its customers. Natasha is always looking at ways to develop the store, to add value and offer enhanced optical and audiology services to meet the needs of the local community.
Specsavers – the leading high street brand for eye health
Since running the store, Natasha has built up a loyal, professional team who are motivated to perform and succeed in delivering quality-led optical and audiology services to a growing customer base. Natasha says: `Investment in cutting edge diagnostics such as the OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) machine which uses light waves to take a cross-section of pictures of the retina, helps to make Specsavers the leading brand for eye care health on the high street.’
Specsavers Holloway also works closely with Moorfields Eye Hospital and local GPs, who refer their patients for treatment for specialist minor eye conditions carried out under the Enhanced Optical Services (EOS) scheme. These include red eye, dry eye and corrective eye vision.
Staff investment and career progression
Natasha also enjoys the people development and mentoring aspect of her role. Staff receive regular appraisals and feedback and are mentored and encouraged to follow different career pathways.
Natasha has created an environment where her staff want to come into work in the morning and be part of her overall vision. She is keen to open up the different Specsavers career avenues for her staff to further themselves and realise their potential. Natasha says: ‘These career opportunities exist because Specsavers offer a solid business model you can be part of, while leveraging the corporate “big brand” of Specsavers. The different Specsavers career pathways include clinical, management, audiology and working within the on-site laboratory.’
Commenting about careers, the advice that Natasha would give to her staff when choosing a career path is to stick at it. ‘If it is difficult, don’t quit, carry on. People switch, it then takes longer to achieve your career goals. So think long and hard about what you want.’
Success stories within her team include a former optical assistant who is now training to be an audiologist and another former optical assistant who is training to be a store manager – who one day, wants to oversee his own Specsavers store. Specsavers Holloway employ students who are combining work experience with academic study within the field of optics. They also offer graduates pre-registration training which is provided in-store, seven days a week.
As with every business there are challenges to overcome. Natasha has successfully transformed the culture at Specsavers Holloway by introducing best practice in training and development of staff, combined with focussing on the customer journey and building customer loyalty. Natasha is rewarded by the fact that she has built up a customer base who want to return and be seen by her and her team. As she adds: ‘They trust me, I help them and I provide a good service.’
