Optometry company Specsavers is a household name. Operating across the UK, Ireland, Europe and Australia, Specsavers employs 46,000 people across 2,293 sites and has a vast network of stores and support offices.
The company uses TeamViewer’s Tensor and Assist AR solutions to remotely access and troubleshoot all machines, including PCs and medical equipment, to minimize business interruptions. The company relies on TeamViewer to ensure its stores around the world run smoothly and provide excellent customer service.
Prior to implementing these solutions, store associates faced issues responding to daily technical inquiries, which reduced their ability to complete tasks, left them feeling frustrated, and negatively impacted customer relationships and productivity.
Gurdeep Dosanjh is the owner of Specsavers Dudley and Blackheath and has been a director at Specsavers since 2016. He explains to ITPro how regular technical issues arising from outdated technology and a biased internal strategy have affected his stores.
“Before TeamViewer, our team spent more time dealing with IT challenges than focusing on supporting our customers,” says Dosanjh.
“Previously, when a technical issue arose, everyone relied on the ‘resident’ technical expert. But if that expert was busy, the whole operation would grind to a halt.”
Neal Silverstein, head of technical customer service at Specsavers, explains that their stores suffered from a very siloed approach to technical support. Problematically, in-store teams were forced to rely on phone calls for technical support, as voice-only communication is not an ideal way to explain technical issues to non-technical staff.
Switch to TeamViewer
Achieving large-scale digital transformation across a multinational, customer-facing, brick-and-mortar company where technology is a core function is no easy feat. Ultimately, the pandemic created a compelling test case for TeamViewer, making it easier to achieve a more widespread implementation.
“At the start of the pandemic, we started using TeamViewer at a very basic level as a remote access technology,” Silverstein told ITPro.
“We wanted to make this a priority once pandemic restrictions start to ease.”
Having previously implemented TeamViewer, Specsavers was able to move quickly. “At the time, there was nothing else being offered, so being able to implement it quickly was really beneficial,” Silverstein adds. “We formally deployed TeamViewer technology across Specsavers in February and March 2022, which means we’ve now been there for two years.”
A game changer in stores
Dosanjh tells ITPro that the impact on his stores has been huge, and improved access to tech support is just one example. TeamViewer has helped staff feel more independent and more confident. “Using TeamViewer has allowed our staff to become more technologically independent and overall more efficient at their jobs,” Dosanjh tells ITPro.
Individual confidence has also been significantly affected, he explains, explaining that in the past, “while there would be one or two people on the team who were confident using new technology, the rest of the people would spend a lot of time calling the service desk and reaching out to colleagues to explain what to do.”
Switching to TeamViewer helped our colleagues realize they were more capable than they realized and could use the tool without the need for retraining.
“Our colleagues have embraced this approach and the whole process has been easy to adapt to, simplifying problem-solving and allowing us to tackle IT issues with confidence.”
Deploying TeamViewer on tablets and smartphones has made it easier for staff to access IT support.
“Online, face-to-face conversations are preferred over phone calls,” Silverstein explains. “The shift from a distanced, impersonal approach to a more personal relationship allows us to work effectively with our colleagues to solve challenges.”
This is evident in the numbers since implementing Speccavers: Silverstein told ITPro that average handle times have decreased by about 15%, and inquiry resolution rates have increased by 64%.
“This is important to us because it means we don’t have to take staff off site and it eliminates the negative impact on customers who would have to wait,” he added.
Additional services available
The benefits of TeamViewer go beyond improved access to technical support, adding clinical functionality: using augmented reality (AR) during appointments means optometrists no longer need to be in the same room as their clients.
“This gives us business flexibility, which is crucial for us as a company with over 1,000 stores,” Silverstein said. “If we experience an increase in patient volume in one store and there is capacity in another part of the country, it makes sense to reallocate the load.”
Dosanjh is enthusiastic about the range of new services now available: “Beyond IT support, we now have access to clinical expertise at the touch of our fingertips, without having to wait for a colleague in store to be free. With TeamViewer, just one interaction gives us access to someone who can look over the issue on the spot, so we can take action straight away.”
“This is a breakthrough – it will allow us to take full advantage of our nationwide expertise, provide quality customer service and ultimately get to grips with emergency situations faster.”
He has no doubt about the benefits this will bring to his division at Specsavers: “All of this helps us stay focused on our purpose, which is to improve people’s lives through sight and hearing.”
