Job loss fears for 38 at Specsavers

Of that total, 28 warehouse office and administrator roles are under threat.

The optical giant says it plans to change the way it manages frame stock to ensure that customers have access to its complete range of more than 1,000 glasses in-store at any given time.

This would mean gradually changing the current process to supply individual frame orders to all of its 800-plus stores in the UK and Ireland by the end of January 2021.

Specsavers will undergo a consultation period with all staff involved before a final decision whether to adopt the new frame supply process is made.

If plans are implemented following a pilot scheme, redundancies would not take effect before June 2019.

Joint CEO John Perkins said the proposals would not mean the end of warehouse operations in Guernsey and reaffirmed the group’s long-term commitment to the island and the continued growth of its business.

‘At Specsavers, we believe in providing value for money and professional eye care and audiology for everyone.

‘To deliver this we, just like any other business, must constantly review our operations to ensure that we are offering our customers the best level of service.

‘Following a sustained period of research and innovation to improve stores’ ability to showcase our extensive range of more than 1,000 frame styles, the resulting proposed operational change has led us to review our warehouse operations in Guernsey to enable a simpler approach to the process. This, regrettably, means that we have had to inform 38 people this morning that their current roles are at risk of being made redundant over a period of two and a half years.

‘If the plans are implemented and redundancies cannot be avoided, we will offer loyalty bonuses for those who stay on until the completion of the proposed roll-out, alongside providing comprehensive support and generous redundancy packages. We will also make every effort to offer alternative employment within the wider Specsavers business, and in addition, plan to engage with a local recruitment company to seek out similar roles elsewhere in the island.

‘We recognise that this is a very difficult time for those affected and are working closely with everyone involved as we consult over the proposed changes.’

At present, when a customer chooses a frame in a Specsavers store, it is removed from the shelf to be fitted with their prescribed lenses, leaving a temporary gap in the Specsavers’ range on display, before a replacement frame is ordered and supplied from the La Villiaze warehouse to take its place.

Under the proposed new model, customers would have access to all of the frames whenever they visited Specsavers. This would mean that eventually, no individual frames would need to be sent from Guernsey because the new supply model would require frames to be sent to stores along with their lenses, which it is proposed would be done from Specsavers’ UK glazing labs.

‘However, as Specsavers’ Buying function is based in Guernsey, it makes complete sense that the goods in trading side of our supply chain, ie new frame ranges and collections, would continue to be sent by the warehouse at La Villiaze and its sister operations at Ferryspeed and Harbour House,’ says Mr Perkins. ‘That explains our proposal to retain a core staff of 18.’

‘Guernsey has been integral to Specsavers’ success for the past 34 years and our warehouse staff are very much a part of that success. The proposed rationalisation follows a multi-million pound upgrade at La Villiaze, signalling our ongoing commitment to the island and the continued growth of the business.’