05 June 2025
What is your role?
I am the practice manager of Respectacle Company in Market Harborough, Leicestershire. I’ve been working at the practice since August 2021.
What do you recall from your first week in practice?
It was informative, yet calm and welcoming. I had known Alison, the business owner, before joining the team, and we had previously worked together in another practice. After catching up on what had changed since we last met up, the week was spent getting to know the regular faces who pop in to say hello, and settling into the welcoming, open-door environment the practice operates on. At the same time, I focused on the essentials including getting to know how the practice management system worked and learning the lens catalogue.
August 2021
Chris joined the practice
How do you see your role in the patient’s journey?
My role isn't defined by a set of requirements, but to just be myself. People want to be able to hear an opinion as to why you feel something suits them, and they like to be encouraged to try something different. It is fantastic when you just connect with a patient, and they open up to exploring new options. It’s about being able to go with the flow of the conversation and discover the wants and needs of the individual, rather than following a script, policy or guide. The role balances both professionalism and openness.
What is one thing you love most about the practice?
Patients care what we say and respect our opinions. The patients express that they value our time and professional care just as much as they value that we try to remember details from past conversations about their hobbies and personal lives. It’s fantastic because they try to do the same and follow up about personal things we may have shared with them, such as our pets or holidays.
The role balances both professionalism and openness
What is your favourite moment of the day?
The time in-between appointments and clinic presentations, when we just get to catch up and talk about things outside of work.
What is one thing you have learnt from someone in your team?
The benefits of being succinct.
If you could help your community understand one thing about eye care, what would you say?
One pair of glasses does not fix everything. Whether it is the benefit of task-specific lenses, or the aesthetic bonus of having two different looks, people seem to be coming around to the fact that they should have more than one pair.
I’m excited about being able to offer a diverse selection of eyewear styles on the market. There’s a lot of crossover in design styles these days and it’s great to offer brands which we feel offer both unique designs and quality production. When the ethos of the brand comes through in the product, that’s what makes it a brand that I like to work with.
If you could have one wish for the practice, what would it be?
That we get to see even more puppies. Our practice is dog-friendly, so we get to meet a variety of furry companions on a weekly basis, which is always a treat.
If you had an unofficial title in the practice, what would it be?
‘Technical support’ – the one they call when things go wrong with the computer (or user).
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