A Time for Reflection: Looking Back on 2023

As another year draws to a close, here at Respectacle Company, we always like to reflect and look back over the last twelve months and see what we’ve achieved. We’ve had a pretty good year, all things considered, despite 2023 being a challenging year because of the cost of living crisis.

We’ve managed to help a lot of our customers save money on their new eyewear by putting together some great offers, including our popular 30 per cent off a second and third pair of specs. We want our customers to be able to purchase stunning eyewear with high-quality Seiko lenses. So, we would like to thank our suppliers and partners who helped us put together these fabulous offers. We couldn’t have done so without them, and we are delighted our offers have been so well received. The good news is we will continue to provide these offers as we head into 2024. So, if you hope to purchase new eyewear next year, pop into the store, and we’ll happily chat through our eyewear offers.

 

Our store had a mini-makeover

In other news, we had a little mini makeover in store earlier this year. After the last few years of restrictions and shielding behind masks and screens, it was time to embrace a more open interior to offer a warm and welcoming environment for all our customers. We removed the reception desk, which had become quite imposing and a barrier between ourselves and our customers. From customer feedback, it seems it was a long-overdue move.

The icing on the cake of the mini-makeover was the installation of a new bespoke display cabinet. We wanted to brighten up one corner of our store and find a more effective and accessible way to display our fabulous frames. Our coffee machine also made a welcome return, so customers could enjoy sipping on a delicious cup of coffee as they made their eyewear choices. We spend a lot of time with our customers, so they get the perfect eyewear for their lifestyle and needs. And that means having a lovely relaxing atmosphere to make those decisions. After all, even though it is an investment in your eyes, buying high-quality eyewear is not a cheap purchase. Customer happiness and satisfaction are something we strive to achieve with every single purchase.

 

 

We added new eyewear collections to give you even more choice

Speaking of eyewear, this year we have taken delivery of many new and exciting collections, models, and colours. We’ve expanded our collection of L.G.R frames. Their eyewear has appeared in several successful Netflix shows, including Emily in Paris and The Sandman. 2023 saw L.G.R expand their colour range, which has added another dimension to its beautiful classic collection.

 

To celebrate 25 years of Caroline Abram, the brand has released a new collection of frames called Lady L. The collection pays homage to some of her first collections and features a six-piece release. We have a selection of Lady L frames, including models Lilou, Loretta, and Laura. And, of course, we can’t forget Theo, who has, as always, produced some amazingly fun and quirky new eyewear in the most fabulous colour combos.

During our travels this year, we came across some delightful new products, which we had to add to our collections. We fell in love with the Eyepetizer range of ready readers, called Eyes-cream, which we found in Greece. We expanded our eyewear accessory range when we took delivery of some funky glasses chains from a British company called Coti Vision, which appeared on Dragons’ Den. And we now have an exciting eyewear range for children called NanoVista, which originates from Spain.

We got shortlisted for a customer service excellence award

We’ve had a lot of fun and laughter this year – and drank copious amounts of coffee. We’ve welcomed fresh new faces to our Respectacle family, both customers and a new team member, Optometrist Andrew. We’ve remained as committed as ever to offering our community fabulous eyewear and the best possible customer experience. So, we were absolutely over the moon to discover that the Respectacle team has been shortlisted for a customer service excellence award from SightCare. We’re up against some of the best independent opticians in the country, so the competition is fierce. We’d love to win; that would be the icing on the cake. But it’s a privilege to feature on the shortlist alongside them.

So, with that exciting news, we’d like to take this opportunity to express our sincere thanks to all our customers, partners, and suppliers. Your support is the cornerstone of our success, and we could not do what we do without you. The entire Respectacle team would like to wish you and your family health, happiness, peace, and prosperity this Christmas and in the coming New Year.

On that note, our opening hours over the festive period will look a little different. The practice will close at 1pm on Friday the 22^nd of December until Tuesday the 2^nd of January. However, if you need us, we will be open for a couple of hours on Thursday the 28^th of December, between 11am and 2pm.

Further reading:

A Time for Reflection: Looking Back on 2022