Optical Assistant Apprenticeship - Bury St. Edmunds Specsavers

This gives people of all ages a chance to start an exciting career, while earning a full-time wage.

Requirements

• GCSE in Maths (grade 9-4 (A*-C))
• Enthusiastic about providing great customer service
• Ability to travel to the store location on a daily basis

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you know.

Responsibilities

• Booking customers in for eye tests
• Pre-screening patients
• Recommending suitable frames
• Giving customers top-notch advice and a warm welcome
• Pre-screening patients and measuring frames
• Ensuring the smooth running of the store
• Identifying and meeting customer needs
• Communicating with customers and the optical team
• Referring customers needing communication support to appropriate services
• Following health and safety legislation in the optical environment
• Using optical equipment safely
• Following procedures for first aid, accident and incident reporting or evacuations
• Providing the benefits and limitations of different services and extended services to customers
• Offering non-prescribed products such as contact lens solutions, ready readers, magnifiers, and other accessories
• Selecting appointments, recall information, appointment types and exemptions on the employer’s system
• Maintaining accurate records
• Reporting and recording ocular emergencies
• Preparing clinical records for use
• Completing customer pre-appointment procedures
• Validating product accuracy using product tolerances
• Identifying prescriptions and lens measurements using lens measuring equipment
• Identifying lens types using engravings
• Interpreting spectacle prescriptions
• Offering suitable lens and frame products based on customer needs and preferences
• Identifying frame fitting suitability
• Processing spectacle orders, payments and arranging collections
• Identifying and checking visual acuity for near vision spectacle
• Fitting spectacle frames
• Adjusting frames correctly
• Providing advice and guidance on frame fitting, lens care and after-sales service
• Identifying guarantees and warranties of optical products
• Managing customer concerns and/or complaints
• Using problem-solving techniques to identify causes of concerns or complaints
• Communicating with customers to resolve concerns or complaints
• Following remake and repair procedures
• Recognising and resolving customer complaints
• Participating in training and development activities
• Participating in appraisal, obtaining feedback, and using self-reflection for development
• Adapting approach for customers with ocular conditions
• Conducting screening using screening equipment and recording results
• Informing patients about screening equipment, processes and procedures
• Gaining support from colleagues during screening when required
• Informing patients about the medical conditions screening can check for
• Demonstrating contact lens handling, insertion and removal
• Showing patients how to care for their lenses
• Providing advice and guidance on cleaning of lenses and solution types
• Following out-of-hours emergency procedures
• Recognising a customer’s ability to make an informed decision
• Explaining the sight test to the customer
• Working independently to plan and manage workload
• Assessing and mitigating risk in patients’ homes
• Managing own wellbeing and resources
• Maintaining team communications when working remotely