News
The Hearing Care Centre was seen mingling with the stars at the launch of a UK wide hearing awareness campaign this summer.
Hear the World, a global initiative to raise awareness of the importance of hearing and the impact of hearing loss, run by hearing system manufacturer Phonak, was unveiled in London at the prestigious Saatchi Gallery on July 21. The event featured an exhibition of iconic photography by Bryan Adams, musician and official photographer for the initiative.
Vicki Skeels meets Bryan Adams
As co-sponser of the event under the umbrella of AIHHP (Association of Independent Hearing Healthcare Professionals), the Centre was invited to bring along several guests to the glittering occasion. And glittering it certainly was, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Martine McCutcheon, Rick Stein OBE, Gareth Gates, Stephanie Beacham and, of course, Bryan Adams himself.
Vicki Skeels, md of The Hearing Care Centre, was lucky enough to meet the star. ‘It was fantastic meeting Bryan Adams,’ she said. ‘It was only brief, but he was very friendly and interested in hearing about our work. He does a great deal to raise awareness about hearing loss because, as a musician, he knows that it happens to many people in that industry.’
Mr Adams also met one of our clients, Mrs Patricia Toulson, who came along as one of our guests. ‘He was interested to meet her,’ said Vicki, ‘because she lost her hearing when she contracted mumps in her mid-30s – proving that hearing loss does not just happen in older people.’
Guests of The Hearing Care Centre at the launch of Hear the World
included Colchester press and media, local councillor Kevin Bentley
(back row, second left) and our client, Mrs Patricia Toulson (front row,
far right) with her husband, Christopher (front row, far left)
Receiving our Excellent Customer Service Award are (L-R): Valerie Holder, Vicki Skeels and Janine Gardner, flanked by judges Ian Beddis and Scott Stephenson of Clarice House
The Hearing Care Centre scooped a pair of much-coveted customer service awards in two separate events held in the latter half of 2008.
First was the Essex Business Award for Customer Care and Service, presented by the Essex Chronicle Media Group. Up against 24 other countywide entries in this category, we took top honours in the small/medium business division at a glittering awards ceremony held in September. Judge Jenny Cook, director at Bird Luckin accountants, had this to say about us:
‘At The Hearing Care Centre, customer service is very much the culture of the company. It is clearly a team effort - they exceed expectations and differentiate by exemplary customer care. They strive to make all their customers feel important. A worthy winner, the company is not only credible, but is one that others would aspire to.’
More recently, in November, we were again delighted to win an Excellent Customer Service Award at the Colchester District Business Awards event organised by the Colchester Gazette. Amongst other comments, the judges praised our ‘exceptional’ aftercare programme and constructive use of customer feedback.
Vicki Skeels (pictured left), managing director of The Hearing Care Centre, has been recognised as one of the country’s leading hearing aid professionals in the UK’s first-ever Audiologist of the Year contest. Vicki received a certificate of special commendation as one of the competition’s runners-up.
Organised by hearing aid battery maker Rayovac and trade magazine Audio Infos, the contest attracted hundreds of entries, nominated by clients who believe their audiologist goes beyond the call of duty.
Judges were impressed with the testaments from clients received on Vicki’s behalf. One, in particular, said she had played a key role in helping him get back to work, along with improving his quality of life after major surgery and severe hearing loss.
Paula Brinson-Pyke, marketing manager at Rayovac said: “Vicki is clearly an outstanding audiologist who is respected and loved by her clients for the great work that she does. We’d like to congratulate her on her achievements.”
The sounds of nature
Retired Army medic, Mr Antony Windsor (pictured right) of Stanway, was selected from the many visitors to this summer’s Hampton Court Flower Show, as winner of a pair of top-end digital hearing aids from Widex, worth over £4,000.
Mr Windsor placed his entry when visiting the new Widex Hearing Garden. The garden, first of its kind at the show, was designed exclusively around enjoying typical garden sounds. It also scooped a Gold Medal and Best Small Garden Award.
‘Of course, I never imagined I would win,’ says a delighted Mr Windsor, ‘so was overjoyed when Vicki Skeels, Widex’s local service partner, called to give me the good news. Over the last few years, it had become abundantly clear to me (and my family) that I have a hearing problem.’
We have now fitted Mr Windsor with latest, top-of-the-range Widex Passion hearing aids. A keen gardener, he says, ‘I can’t wait to finally hear my bamboo moving in the breeze, and also my waterfall.’ These simple sounds of nature are often those which people with even moderate hearing loss report missing the most, but also enjoy rediscovering when using one of today’s modern hearing aids.
A star is born
We are particularly proud of one of our clients, Graham Walker, who has a starring role in the new Widex Passion marketing campaign launched mid-2008.
Graham wears Widex hearing aids and, as a runner, had previously participated in marathon events sponsored by the company.
In designing the new Passion campaign, which features individual hearing aid users from around the world, Widex thought Graham would make an ideal representative of the UK. Shooting ran for a week back in May 2007, when Graham and his fellow ‘models’ (some of whom he knew from the marathons) were flown to Widex headquarters in Denmark.
‘It was a fantastic experience,’ says Graham, ‘and Widex couldn’t do enough for us. The production crew were topnotch and the make-up artist took 20 years off my life! As for the new Passion hearing aids, they offer an incredible fit. You couldn’t see them on my ear, even though I have very little hair.’
Graham was cast as a ‘wine connoisseur’ in the campaign, based on his enjoyment of unwinding at the end of a busy day with a glass of wine and music. He also features as a model in several photos on this website.