Hi. I am the MD of Hearsavers and just wanted to say thanks for letting the community know about us. We have 49 stores now with another 60 planned for 2009 and are really busy so I guess the convienience factor is good which was a big part of the idea. We're having a lot of fun and meeting some great people and facing some challenging losses too. If anyone has any comments for us please drop me a line directly. Thanks

I noticed hat you have opened one in Staines Middx. I for one would not want to have my hearing tested here. There seems to be no privacy when you use the in store phone for an appointment. The people that shop at Matalan are not the kind of age group that would buy a hearing aid. Also i phoned up three times and requested a booklet about hearing aids. After the 4th call you actually sent me one. Also there seems to be no one at this particular place. Every time i go in Matalan the place is empty. What if i buy hearing aids from you and want a follow up appointment will anyone be availalble. Alsi i noticed the staff in Matalan were using the space to put their rails of clothes.

I went to the Truro branch in Cornwall to buy hearing aid batteries after seeing a large advert in the local press.
I was told by the staff that they knew nothing about this!!!!!!
What is happening ?

can you tell me when the audiologist is at the staines store. Every time i go in there is nobody there

I bought my hearing aid from Hearsavers in Staines and while i understand there is not someone there every day, if you pick the phone up at the store you will get through to the customer service department who are extremly helpful and will book you an appointment to come back in usually that week. the best thing to do is ring the number 08000850688 and make an appointment first.

its a con, quoted £3500 for a pair of aids? thats not low cost, like they advertise. And I enquired about 99p batteries - it seems thats just a ploy to get your details- now I'm being harassed ! Never anyone there either, aftercare would be an issue. Should've gone to specsavers- I did, great service, great value.

perhaps mark harwood would care to comments on some of these issues that have been raised. I aalso went to specsavers where i received excellent service.

Hi all,

I'm unable to find a contact email for customer services, but if you call this number, you should be able to relay your concerns to a customer service rep, 0845 6025083

Hearsavers' Director of Customer Services is Dan Bernstein at dan.bernstein@hearsavers.co.uk. He should be able to help anyone who has specific queries or has any feedback to pass on.

why cant the director of customer service reply on this forum Why should we waste our phone call. Mark Harwood has posted his comments at the beginning of this page..

After several attempts to contact your Wavertree Matalan base I have been unsuccessful. I have now had my hearing aids for over 12 months and I need to replace the hearing aid domes. Please can you re-direct me to somebody who can help.

Hi I’m Dan Bernstein Director of Customer Services. I really appreciate all the feedback on this forum. First of all I would like to apologise to anyone that feels they have had bad service from Hearsavers and would like to assure everyone that excellent customer service is our number one priority and something we are continually striving for to ensure everyone has a fantastic experience with Hearsavers. To help clear up a few issues people have had, we have a Hearing Aid Dispenser at each of our 49 stores at least one day a week so anyone with any aftercare concerns needn't worry. Simply call the 0845 number and we will book you in for an appointment that week or the beginning of the following at the very latest, we can also arrange free home visits. As for the 99p batteries, I can assure you that this is not a ploy. We sell our Duracell batteries for 99p per pack of 6 with a postage cost of 99p for 1 - 5 packs and £1.99 for 6 - 10 packs. We are also offering our care plan completely free of charge, so regardless of where you bought your hearing aid we will check and clean it for you at no cost. All our accessories are only available via mail order and not in the store. Please feel free to email me on dan.bernstein@hearsavers.co.uk if you have any specific queries.

As a Registered Hearing Aid Dispenser (RHAD) in the private hearing aid industry I do appreciate that the general public often perceive that private hearing aids seem very expensive. With a good hearing aid company, much of the cost of the instruments will be set aside for future aftercare (re-testing, re-programming etc). A set of digital aids should last 5+ years, maybe as much as ten years, if well maintained by the client and audiologist together; much longer than say a set of glasses. So you can see how important it is to choose a well established company , with an expanding network of professional branches + a domicillary service for people unable to travel. Certainly the branches need to be quiet, private and permanently staffed; not in the middle of a clothing store. You need to be sure that your hearing aid company will be there to support you in future years, not joining the unfortunate likes of Woolworths. So please do research, get recommendations and choose your provider carefully. But please rememember that cheapest is not always best.

Your cheap batteries are just a ploy to get names and addresses of hearing aid users. Is this the same steve wilkinson who used to run hearing health? Offers of cheap hearing aids resulting in visits from high pressure sales people selling expensive hearing aids? Matalan have made a really stupid decision getting involved with these people

who is steve wilkinson

Hi,

Just to set the record straight here. I used to be a hearing aid dispenser and have worked for 2 of the major hearing aid suppliers.

I now currently work as a sales manager for a large blue chip company away from the industry so I think I can offer people an objective opinion and steer away from some heavy subjective opinions posted here.

It appears that there is some subterfuge being posted here.

The facts are all hearing aid companies operate in the same manner I.e. Special offers etc.

These offers are all available if you really want them. But a hearing aid dispenser has a duty to select the best system for you and although its not always the case it does mean a more expensive option.

Trust me! In the hearing aid world you get what you pay for.

I know Mark Harwood having worked with him before. I can only say that Mark was always a hard working and caring hearing aid dispenser who then moved into a training role due to his keen skills as a dispenser.

I went on to work for Boots hearing who were a fantastic company to deal with. Boots have an extremly honest approach to the supply of hearing aids.

I have noticed that when you check some blogs Boots are getting the same treatment as hearsavers.

Also the mention of Specsavers on the Boots blogs is present.

Yet again Specsavers are mentioned as a whiter than white company.

All I can say is people be very wary of blogs which are very negative to all but Specsavers. Specsavers are very well known for there aggresive and unfair marketing campaigns.

It is alleged they were fined for dirty tricks.

They are no different from the rest, they entice you with 2 for 199 offers then switch sell you.

I met many people who were unhappy with the Specsavers service while working with both companies. To be honest it is impossible to keep everyone happy. There is good and bad in all.

So to conclude-

All the companies operate in a similar fashion.

You get what you pay for.

Having worked before with some of the Hearsavers guys I can only say that I found them to be a bunch of hard working and honest guys.

So good luck and contact me if you have any questions you would like to ask.

Steven Ross

all companies don't work in a similar fashion, I too am a hearing aid dispenser (I have my own company ), with experience of the different national companies. Its fairly apparent here that the positive posts about hearsavers are from people with a vested interest. I have had MANY customers coming to my store complaining about the lack of aftercare from hearsavers (there is no-one in the store for 6 days out of seven!!!!! )
The hearsavers directors all worked for the previous company I worked for , and had a reputation as callous, pushy salesman.
I also sense a lot of animosity from other hearing aid companies about specsavers, the real reason they've got your back up is that they have taken a large slice of the market away because they offer BETTER features for MUCH BETTER PRICES.... whilst I have no allegiance to specsavers they share the same values as myself, offering professional service, great products and value for money...... Too many sharks have given the hearing aid industry a bad press to date, and what I see with matalan is NO BACK UP, just a telephone line in a store...... If people are spending good money on a hearing system they need ongoing aftercare. I would advise people to purchase from a proper hearing centre with QUALIFIED STAFF at least 5 days a week.

i am not a hearing dispenser just an ordinary person who wanted hearing aids at a fair price by someone honest. I first went to Boots who fitted me with hearing aids. The sound i heard was no different wearing them to not wearing them. I would have been better to have put a straw in each ear for what good they did. I kept going back twice a week sometimes, and they were not interested at all. This went on for weeks until eventually i asked for my money back. I then went to Specsavers The guy there has been marvellous. Nothing has been too much trouble. I can phone him at their store and he will always see you the same day. I for one dont want to spend good money at Matalan and stand in the middle of the shop and have to phone for an appointment. The aftercare was marvellous too. He will spend time talking to you.

All ears,

I have nothing to gain by giving my opinion.

But answer me this. Do they or don't they (specsavers) advertise hearing aids @ 2 for £495.

And if they do is there practice not to up sell once the customer responds to said advert?

And if you answer no then why do they have sales training to maximize opportunity.

I think you will find that there practice is to up sell.

Any way your argument has zero credibility as you hide behind the title all ears.

Any person with a valid point would share there name, or else we have no idea who you work for.
Its a shame you have to attack a company on what seems like a personal level as you seem to carry a grudge with its staff and not the company itself.

Like i said before in honesty there is no company with a 100% satisfaction rate. I have heard people complain about all companies.

All ears surely your not telling me Specsavers receive zero complaints?

For the record, if your unhappy with either Boots or Specsavers they offer you a full refund within a 2 month period which is fantastic.

Boots also offer a 5 year warranty against Specsavers 2.

Regards

Steven

As a former Hearing Aid Dispenser, Registered for over 35 years but now over 3 years retired, I think Steven Ross and I share much the same views. During my time in the industry I worked for 4 of the major Hearing Aid companies. I have worked with Mark Harwood, Dan Bernstein and Steve Wilkinson, as well as Steven himself. We all tried to provide patients with the best possible service but when you go into the world of 'Private' Hearing Aids then remember...these are commercial enterprises as well. They are not philanthropic organizations.
If you prefer 'Private to NHS' then it is very much a case of 'Caveat Emptor. I had many patients who thought I was a 'Saint' but equally encountered others who were happier dealing with one of my colleagues. It is impossible to please all the people all the time.
All companies are under strict regulation now and are well aware that it is in their very best interests to dispense correctly, professionally, and to the complete satisfaction of the patient.

so do Boots entice you in with cheap offers. When youve had a hearing test they say you need dear hearing aids for your hearing loss. You dont hear about the cheap ones again. I have nothing to gain either. I am not a hearing aid dispenser, dont have shares in any of the companies. I am just a housewife. I want privacy when i have a hearing test. I dont want to wait in the middle of a clothing store and be seen by people i know. I have been to specsavers and they did not try to sell me anything. I found them to be extremely helpful. The aftercare was brilliant. They also gave me longer than the 2 months period if i wanted a full refund.

My only comment to everyone is SHOP AROUND! Then you can see who offers the product, service, aftercare and price you want! You should never be pressured into a purchase on the day - make sure you have someone with you and get a price list. If retalers aren't transparent with price then walk away!

Reading this just amazes me..... People who moan about aids and service are just unbelievable, a hearing aid works, PEOPLE dont..... normally you moaners just try for a day and give up because lets be honest you dont want to admit you have a problem, then you blame the aid/company/clothes rack/ everyone else in the world... ITS YOU that has the problem.. and when you do actially admit it works you still moan about the cost.. GO TO the NHS... FREE there..... stop moaning then wont you.. I dont think so... a little to big are they ? will all your friends notice... ooooooooooh your a deafy now are you......so read my words stop moaning ... get a hearing aid as most of you old buggas need them and stop trying to kid yourself that its everyone elses fault and its not you hearing but everyone mumbles!!!!!!

Does anyone else here smell the faint whiff of specsavers marketing department.THEY SUCK.Go and ask for Widex products at specsavers or crapalan.THESE COMPANIES CANNOT OFFER ALL MAKES OF AID.Go to an independent dispenser.I use one that is far better value,gives impartial advice and can supply makes and models that are unavailable at the above firms.

It looks like this thread has been hijacked by a grumpy independent? Who are NOT impartial, they're often bankrolled by companies like. erm.. widex, suprisingly, and thats why they dispense their aids.... Go to an independant if you like, if you can find them at work.... they only need one £5000 sale in order to take the rest of the week off.... oh and aftercare.... will your 'independant' be there in 3 years time? If not, who will service your aids???? Like it says above, shop around....

As the above have stated. The best thing to do when it come to purchasing a hearing aid is to shop around. Take time to think about what has been offered and don't make your mind up there and then.

Buying a hearing aid is confusing, however there are some valid points to consider.
1 Is the audiologist local
2 Are they easy to get hold of
3 Can you be seen quickly
4 Are you being offered the best advice
5 Value for money

When you make the decision to purchase we hope that you have been supplied an aid based on prescription need and not the size of your wallet. Remember you may have had a problem hearing for many years so rushing into the decision to commit is pointless. Take your time, shop around.

Lee A Dean
Specsavers

Supplier of Siemens,Phonak,Stakey,Widex,GNResound,Puretone and many more

Unfortunately, this profession is held back by powerful sales driven individuals who made lots of money in the 90s and before. They have sold various companies and started others utilising their acquired wealth, perfecting their sales methods each time. As it's such an easy way to make vast sums of money, these people won't go away! Alongside this we have certain large multiples entering the market but often with a corporate mentality based on the thought 'lower prices justifies low service'. The profession has been tainted by greed from the beginning. Personal accountability towards ongoing aftercare has always been the problem in this 'profession' - and so you can only get this from a nice local friendly uncommercial independent...?! Companies using 'saver' in their name should either be competitive or completely open about the models they provide, and not overcharging or disguising the source of products! Forums and blogs on hearing aids set up to help consumers, like this one and the RNID are now being systematically hijacked by commercial self-serving persons seeking free advertising. NEVER BUY PRIVATE UNLESS YOU HAVE COMPLETELY EXHAUSTED THE NHS ROUTE. ONLY EVER CONSIDER PRIVATE IF YOU 1. HAVE AN ABSOLUTE FULL MONEY BACK PERIOD OF 60 DAYS PLUS 2. NEVER DEAL WITH ANY BODY THAT DOES NOT DISPLAY PRICES UP FRONT or THAT DISGUISES PRODUCTS WITH MADE-UP NAMES. 3. THE VALUE OF YOUR NAME ADDRESS AND TELEPHONE NUMBER IS APPROXIMATELY£250!!! TO PRIVATE HEARING AID COMPANIES... SO DONT SURRENDER THIS INFO LIGHTLY!!!

Oh dear. Customer sevices numbers beginning 0845 are expensive and actually generate profit for the company using them. Avoid.

THE NHS!!!!!!!!!! your having a laugh Mr Donnan
Do you not realise that MOST people are totally vain so wont go to the NHS and also no service at NHS. How many visits do they make once and if they ever get an NHS aid.... Oh I never go back, my aid never needs a service , it will last forever !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! why cant I hear now?.. honestly .. wake up smell the coffee

Shop wise and be smart. Chat with your local GP, seek advice from the RNID. Have a test both private and National Health. It's wrong to assume the NHS are useless, many are very happy with their NHS aids however if you want to hear better than with a National Health aid the only option is the Private sector. Not all private companies are high pressure sales and money driven so increating this impression we feel it a little unfair. Here at Specsaver we beleive affordable hearing should be available to everyone. So once again the advice is simple.

Shop around, a pressure salesman will then show his true colours when they wont let you go.

Fair enough. but there's got to be a happy middle ground somewhere! maybe not right now though.

You could also make such points about the majority of private provision?? .. no service... no follow ups... selling new aids when only a good clean up is needed.... etc..

Ok, but why do the nhs only give out the same aid to most people, irrespective of loss, cause or age?
Its like going to a shoe shop with size 6 feet and getting size 10 shoes.. oh yes these will sort of do!!
A proper audiologist will base the choice of aid on what the CUSTOMER wants it to do and make the price secondary in issue... how many of these moaning deffies want the magical hearing aid that "eliminates" back ground noise, makes you hear bionically, and allow them to hear bugs on Mars move pebbles from their bungalow in the Yorkshire Dales , but winge when its more than £30.... its got to be so invisible please so my friends wont see it, but I want it for the same price as the ear trumpet of 1903!...Try the free NHS, but you dont get something for nothing... oh actually you do... NO SERVICE!

Local GP!!!.. why bother, they dont care... their equivalent of a hearing test is to stand behind a deffie and whisper in a loud voice ... can you hear me?... Of course they will/.doh.. deafness is not the same as having a loss of hearing.... or old boy Doctors saying... its just your age.....youll live... rubbish... hearing is all about the brain, not that fact you cant hear!!!

to fed up with moaners. We are fed up with you, why dont you go and do one.

Truth hurts dont it Babs, and is that a royal we? or are you authorised to talk on behalf of all?.. also the term blog means freedom of speech.. thats the idea.. jeeez

Yes a lot of these people made a killing through the 80's and 90's some did screenings for miners and claimed compensation others drove private hearing aid sales. And yes i have worked with the guys at Hearsavers, most of whom came from Hearing Health and Amplivox / Ultratone group. But the upshot is that there was very view trainers of Private Hearing Aid Dispensers in the UK as the cost of training someone from initial assessment of do wwe think they will pass, through to are they in the right regions for us is in excess of £25k per dispenser. Add to that in some years less than 20% of trainees actually pass the professional examinations and progress on to a "pre registered" dispenser, who is under supervision and need a log of everything they have done for around the next 6 - 9 months.

Previously i worked at Scrivens / The Hearing Company and currently work for Boots Hearcare / David Ormerod at Home, and apart from the aftercare which differs somewhat, most of the products are from the same manufacturers. Some companies give you more choice than others but all will have "preferred Suppliers", based on cost, margin, technology etc.

Good to see Steve Ross still with us and hi to Mel Rawnsley, how is retirement, also Dan Bernstein I can say is a damned hard worker and a good guy, I knew him when he was in charge of booking exhibitions and glad to see him progress.

All you need to know about hearsavers is here! at Companies House:

http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/1bc2c2df1cf86d5daa06f317237f3e90/insolvency