Hearing care comes to Whangarei with new partner Jerico Balsalubre

Jerico Balsalubre has always had a passion for helping people. Working as an audiologist for the past nine years, he has extended that passion for helping older Kiwis – which he says harks back to the wonderful relationship he had with his own grandparents.

“I’ve always loved working with older customers and taking the time to support them in their hearing journey. But working in a private setting for many years, I have seen so many customers who could have benefited from improved technology, but just couldn’t afford it.  I felt I was doing a disservice to them.”

Jerico says his journey to becoming a partner with Specsavers was born at that moment, but actively started when he saw an ad for the brand.

“I was intrigued by how Specsavers was advertising their hearing aid prices online. The transparency of their pricing structure and the affordability of their products was really appealing.”

Though impressed by their prices, he was initially suspicious. “I thought, just because they’re good at optometry doesn’t mean they are going to know anything about audiology,” he says.

But after reaching out to the Specsavers recruitment team, and learning more about Specsavers’ approach and values, Jerico realised his initial suspicions were unfounded.

“From every conversation I’ve had, from my initial enquiry to all the sessions during my induction, through to opening my store, I’ve realised how seriously Specsavers takes their audiology business, and how much time and effort they invest in making sure they deliver the best hearing care service at a very competitive price point.”

Jerico also says finally owning his own business and being empowered to make decisions that are in the best interests of his customers is a dream come true.

“I’ve always wanted to start my own practice but with a family to take care of, I just didn’t have the financial capital to do it. Specsavers has been amazing in that respect. They’ve helped lessen the financial burden, taking care of all the set-up costs and back end logistics, and even providing a regular salary so my income doesn’t take a hit while I build my business. Plus, I know I have a respected brand behind me to back me up whatever happens in the future.”

Jerico says despite all the craziness of 2020, his highlight has been opening his store and welcoming customers.

“It felt good knowing I can really tell my clients that I’m giving them the best option available to help their hearing needs,” he says.

And the process has been smooth sailing.

“My store in Whangarei has been in the same location for more than 30 years and the team there are really engaged and excited about offering audiology. The optical partners have really been helpful and hands-on, and we catch-up regularly to talk about the performance of the audiology business and how we can work together to support the whole team.”

Jerico says his goal now is to grow his business and even extend services in the region to even more customers.

“The biggest challenge was getting used to the business side of the partnership as I’ve always been an employee all my working life. I have overcome this by looking at it as an opportunity for myself to grow and learn new things. If you’re a clinician like me, who wants to feel the direct result of your hard work, then a Specsavers partnership is ideal.”