March 2018

Shamir opens new Kiwi lab
Shamir has opened a new fitting lab and
service centre near Sylvia Park shopping
precinct in the Mt Wellington area in
Auckland.
Shamir’s business in New Zealand is steadily
growing and having a local presence is a priority
for Shamir, on a global scale, says Tony Egerton,
Shamir’s national sales manager. “To do this
efficiently, with recommendations from our
existing client base, our next step was to open
a local lab and customer service outlet. With
this we can now provide even better service and
quicker turnaround times than those already
currently enjoyed by our clients all over New
Zealand.”
The new lab’s location is ideal for Shamir and
our New Zealand customers, adds Egerton. “It
offers easy access to motorways and the airport,
as well as being only 10km from Auckland’s CBD,
all of which is important to be able to provide
first rate service and fast delivery times to
our New Zealand customers. By having a local
Shamir’s NZ team Veronica Petersen and Francois Cronje
office, we can centralise all ordering and logistic
services; including phone, email, fax and online
ordering systems. Same day fitting will also be
available.”
Shamir’s goal is to become the number one
local lens supplier in the New Zealand market,
says Egerton, and it’s hoping to achieve this by
providing great service, professional advice and
unique products offering a point of difference for
independent practitioners.
Joining Shamir’s New Zealand account and sales
manager, Francois Cronje, at the new Aucklandbased
lab, is Veronica Petersen, who previously
worked with Cronje at Gary Filer Optometrist’s.
Petersen will be managing the office and
supporting customers, says Cronje, adding he’s
proud of their combined 34 years in the optical
industry. “I believe Veronica and I are uniquely
qualified to handle the specific demands of
the optometric industry in New Zealand. Both
of us are registered dispensing opticians and
skilled spectacle technicians with many years
of fitting experience. We are confident we bring
a skillset to Shamir New Zealand ensuring very
high standards of expertise, product knowledge
and excellent customer service to every Shamir
client.” ▀
Visique tops for customer satisfaction
Jose George, Canstar general manager, presenting IOG’s Neil Human with the group’s Canstar Award for
customer satisfaction
Visique has won this year’s Canstar Blue Award for customer
satisfaction in the New Zealand optometrists’ category.
As Visique practices are part a cooperative of independent
optometrists, now called The Independent Optometry Group (see
February’s NZ Optics), not a chain, they are extremely proud of this result,
said Neil Human, chief executive of The Independent Optometry Group.
“This is a fantastic result and a strong endorsement of our practice
owners and their staff and the attention that they pay to servicing
their customers’ needs – the very reason we are now this year’s award
winners.” It also shows how Visique’s practice owners are succeeding in
what is a very competitive market, he added.
Launched in June 2011, Canstar Blue is a customer satisfaction
research and ratings business set up to help consumers make better
purchasing decisions. In New Zealand it surveyed 2,500 New Zealand
consumers across a range of categories to measure and track customer
satisfaction. The outcomes reported are the results from customers who
have used a national chain of optometrists within the last three years –
in this case, 1,262 New Zealanders. Visique scored a maximum five stars
in every category, beating Specsavers and OPSM which were second and
third respectively. ▀
ESA expands
Drs Monika Pradhan and Hussain Patel in the new Manukau clinic
Eye Surgery Associates (ESA) has expanded its
operations in Auckland with a new location in
Manukau joining its two existing clinics on the
North Shore and in central Auckland.
“Our new Manukau location will provide greater
convenience for our South Auckland patients
and referrers,” said Eye Surgery Associates
ophthalmologist Dr Hussain Patel. Another driver
was more space and more clinic time for Dr Monika
Pradhan, who recently joined the practice, said Dr
Patel, adding that both himself and Dr Pradhan will
be working across all three clinics.
“Our overall goal is to provide improved coverage and
access to our ophthalmic services for a wider range
of patients and referrers within the Auckland region.”
Eye Surgery Associates is also looking to add one
more ophthalmologist to the team to complement Dr
Patel’s and Dr Pradhan’s specialist knowledge in retina,
glaucoma and cataract surgery.
The new Manukau operation opened in December
last year and is fully equipped with the latest
technologies including OCT imaging, visual field
analysers, corneal topography, optic disc and retinal
photography and lasers including YAG, SLT and retinal
and intravitreal injections, said Dr Patel. ▀
Education Series 2018
Theme - Diagnostics and Therapeutics in Everyday Practice
Seminars
are FREE!
Upcoming Seminar
Tuesday
22nd May
6.30pm - 8.45pm
Ellerslie Event Centre
Racecourse, 80 Ascot Ave
Ellerslie, Auckland
5.45pm - 6.30pm
Light Meal & Beverages
provided
Eye Institute’s Education Series continues to
offer an opportunity for the Optometry Profession
to gain exposure to the latest advances in
therapeutics, shared-care management and
surgical advances in New Zealand. You are invited
to join us at our May and August Seminars and
November Conferences for the 2018 year.
BOOK ONLINE NOW!
https://www.eyeinstitute.co.nz/optometry/
August Seminar
Tuesday
16 Aug 2018
6.30pm-8.45pm
Ellerslie Event Centre
Racecourse, 80 Ascot Ave
Ellerslie, Auckland
Optometry
Conference
Sunday
4 Nov 2018
8am-5pm
Waipuna Conference Centre
Mt Wellington, Auckland
Dispensing Optician
Conference
Sunday
4 Nov 2018
8am-5pm
Waipuna Conference Centre
Mt Wellington, Auckland
PLUS 1/2 Day
Workshops
Saturday
3 Nov 2018
1-5pm
Waipuna Conference Centre
Mt Wellington, Auckland
Qualifies for 2018
CPD Credits (including
Therapeutics)
BOOK ONLINE
NOW
Or register by
Phone 09 522 2125
Fax 09 522 5770
conference@eyeinstitute.co.nz
6 NEW ZEALAND OPTICS March 2018