SMS has helped Specsavers deepen and strengthen how they engage with customers 

Specsavers has been making eye care accessible to everyone for more than 40 years. Founded in the UK, the brand was the first to offer affordable eye tests and glasses, and today is the world’s largest optical retailer with over 2,000 stores across 11 countries – including Australia and New Zealand. Over the past seven years, the business has also expanded into hearing care, offering customers the same level of accessibility and value. 

As Head of CRM for Australia and New Zealand, Kate Sterling explains that while the business relied on effective, traditional channels like direct mail (DM) and email for many years, it was clear the strategy needed to evolve.

“We wanted real-time touchpoints to better service and support customers. While DM and email continue to play an important role, they could no longer meet all our needs – particularly around having more two-way, timely conversations with our customers.” 

That shift led Specsavers to introduce SMS through its partnership with Sinch, transforming the customer experience. 

For Specsavers, SMS hasn’t replaced existing channels – it’s enhanced them. The team now uses SMS alongside email or direct mail, depending on each customer’s preference. Currently, SMS is used for functional messaging such as appointment reminders, confirmations, order updates, and feedback requests. 

Kate says the multi-channel approach is driving stronger results: 

“Through testing, we know the combination of channels works best for customers. Whether that’s DM and SMS, or email and SMS, we consistently see stronger engagement when a combination of channels is used. Because SMS is instant – and because people almost always have their phones with them – it offers an immediacy that other channels don’t. It can feel more personal and engaging in comparison with an email or direct mail flyer.” 

Specsavers now sends around 3.5 million text messages each month via the Sinch platform, which integrates seamlessly with its CRM system. Despite that scale, the rollout has been measured and intentional. 

“We’re still in the early stages of leveraging SMS,” Kate explains. “Part of our focus is ensuring we use it in the right way – but where we are using it, we’re seeing huge opportunities to expand into even more applications.” 

The addition of SMS has delivered simplicity and time savings for both customers and stores. 

Since launch, Specsavers has seen a 3% increase in appointment attendance and a 2% drop in cancellations. With open rates around 98%, messages are getting through, being read, and prompting action. 

Customers can now confirm or cancel appointments in real time – no calls or store visits required. 

“The benefit to customers is the ability to respond instantly, in a way that’s more accessible and convenient,” says Kate. 

For stores, that means higher attendance rates and the flexibility to rebook cancelled appointments quickly, filling last-minute slots. 

Ultimately, the goal is to give customers the freedom to engage with Specsavers whenever and however they like. By communicating through preferred channels and making interactions effortless, Specsavers continues to deliver a smooth, positive experience that builds trust and loyalty – the foundation of its brand. 

With SMS performing strongly, Kate and her team are already planning the next evolution in customer communications – with continued support from Sinch. 

The next step: Rich Communication Services (RCS) – an emerging channel that enables branded, rich media and two-way conversations directly in the phone’s native messaging app. 

All these initiatives share a single goal: creating personalised, engaging experiences that mirror the warmth and connection customers feel in-store. 

“We know our in-store experience fosters incredibly strong two-way engagement between our optometrists and customers,” says Kate. “The challenge is replicating that same level of engagement outside the store to maintain high customer satisfaction.”