When it comes to getting the right advice about your hearing, people often wonder ‘who do you trust’?
Having worked in hearing care for more than 30 years, I’d like to offer my advice about how to get the best result for your hearing health.
In my experience, these are the most common things people consider when they’re thinking about buying a new hearing aid or seeking help:
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Ask your friends for recommendations
It’s all about trust. We ask friends and family for their recommendation for all sorts of services.
Whether it’s for a plumber or a good local doctor, I find most people would rather trust a recommendation from someone they know than just look up a name in the phone directory. It makes total sense. Your hearing is valuable and you want the best care possible.
Of course, you might also ask your doctor or another trusted health adviser.
So, if you’re just starting your journey towards better hearing, I would definitely ‘ask a friend’.
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Check their website for client recommendations
If you’re having trouble getting a recommendation from someone you know, the next best thing is to hear from other hearing clinic clients.
And though it’s true that people are unlikely to publish ‘bad’ reviews on their website or on brochures, you can certainly get a feel for the type of person they are and what level of service they provide.
What you’re looking for is evidence of their client’s satisfaction with both the service and the hearing aids they were fitted with.
Here’s a comment from one of our own satisfied customers, Mr Bradley M (he asked that we didn’t use his surname:
Since your assistance for me in the selection and fitting of my hearing aids after my hearing tests and diagnoses, the difference is amazing.
I am now able to hear conversations even in noisy background environments. The conversations and sounds are now crystal clear and my hearing problem is gone with these hearing aids.
I have found the whole experience with you and my hearing centre fantastic and the result beyond my best hopes. I do not know why I put up with my hearing difficulties for so long. Thank you again and I would definitely recommend you to anyone with hearing difficulties.
I think you can tell if it’s a genuine recommendation.
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Do you choose someone local or travel for the ‘best’ hearing care service?
Most people prefer to choose a local hearing specialist simply for convenience. Others are prepared to travel if they’ve had a good recommendation.
Even if you’re mobile and can easily travel, it’s often easier to choose a local hearing care provider. That way, if you’re fitted with hearing devices and they need adjusting, you can easily pop into the clinic. Most hearing care centres encourage people to come in if they need to – to pick up batteries or to fine-tune their hearing aids.
We offer this to all of our customers. It’s just part of the service!
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Is an independent hearing clinic better than one that’s part of a big chain?
There are many good hearing care professionals in Australia. Some work in small, independent clinics and many work in large, internationally-owned hearing care chains.
I may be a bit biased, but I think choosing an independent hearing care clinic is better.
Why? I think being locally-owned means they can choose the best hearing aids possible for their clients. They’re also not tied into one or two of the big hearing aid manufacturers.
Many of the manufacturers own their own chain of clinics and specify a limited range of hearing devices. By being independent, I can choose from a range of options.
And I believe that many people like to support an Australian-owned company – even if we’re small.
Get in touch!
If you have any questions, or you’d like to have a hearing test, please give us a call on 1300 970 558 to make an appointment online.