Mr. Hassan Alibhai, the Chairman and Managing Director of Eye Care Centre shares The Eye Care Centre Story with TrueGolfer, Eric Mukhwana …

Mr. Hassan Alibhai, you own the largest chain of optical centres in Uganda. How did it all start?
I opened a simple optical shop on Plot3, Johnstone Street in Kampala Business District for my wife, Shahida Alibhai – since she is an optician to keep her busy and earn some income. In just three months, we were already busy with customers lining up for different optical solutions. Our vision grew bigger and this is how Eye Care Centre Ltd was born.

What is the core business of Eye Care Centre Ltd?
Our business focus is on offering visual impairment control ability and maintaining the high standards of optometry facilities in Uganda. This is facilitated by providing free eye checks to all visiting clients across all our branches.  Over the past 25 years, we have mastered the optical business and we have now carved a niche as Uganda’s leading dispensing opticians.

Who are your customers and where do they come from?
Optical cases are everywhere. We serve a wide range of   clientele ranging from families, schools, companies, embassies, government and Non-Government Organizations. We serve all age-groups – children, youths, adults and the elderly.

Eye Care Centre continues to attract customers from near and far. Some of our customers come from as far as South Sudan, DRC, Rwanda and Kenya. We also serve tourists from foreign countries abroad. We continuously get referral clients because of our quality service.

What capabilities have you developed over the years?
Eye Care Centre’s vast experience and extensive research has enabled us to develop the state-of-the-art process for eye-testing available at all their branches across the country for Free. This eye test involves the utilization of modern computerized eye-testing equipment together with the expertise of qualified Optometrists. 

At all our showrooms, customers can have a wide range of products which includes the renowned international brands and regional strong brands. Not only the best products, all our branches are equipped with the latest and well equipped tech instruments.

The company has a lens processing lab that makes clients get their prescribed lenses in a matter of hours. Progressive, bifocal and other high prescription lenses in both glass and plastic can now be produced at the lab. In the past, we used to order lenses from Nairobi and this took days and inconvenienced our customers. With this new innovation, our clients can now have their lenses within a few hours.

How are you handling customer service especially in the area of product accessibility?
Eye Care Centre has grown, spreading our branches outside the central business district of Kampala, and adding to those already in existence. From out first outlet at Plot3, Johnstone Street, we have since opened branches at Garden City along Kitante Road, Lugogo Mall along Jinja Road, Village Mall in Bugolobi, Acacia Mall at Kisementi and Victoria Mall in Entebbe.

To enhance services to our customers, Eye Care Centre has an in-house ophthalmologist at our Johnstone Street branch. All our branches are equipped with Tonometry instruments to measure the eye intra ocular pressure. 

We understand the value, importance and indispensability of quality, dedicated service and the role it plays in enhancing the customer experience.

Customer Experience: What are you doing to ensure customer satisfaction?
We believe that our services should not begin and end at the showroom but continue to assist customers through after sales services. Our vision is to be a leading brand and distributor in East Africa.

We deliver outstanding satisfaction with continued professionalism by successfully combining medical and business attributes as well as the skills of highly qualified and experienced optometrists. Every staff at Eye Care Centre is dedicated towards guiding and assisting customers through the process of determining which product effectively satisfy their needs. Their dedicated approach towards customer service has remained consistent to ensure customers obtain the best value in their eye-care experience.  Commitment, hardwork and dedicated personal customer service are the factors underpinning our success.

How has Covid-19 pandemic affected Eye Care Centre business?
Covid-19 has affected every sector of the economy, not only in Uganda but globally. We have had months of lockdown where Eye Care Centre was locked to customers, meaning no business. Despite the lockdowns, we continue to pay rent. Many people have lost jobs hence no salary earnings – with the little money in hand, they have to decide between buying food and attending to their optical needs. Schools that constitute a significant segment of our business have been closed for almost two years. Import costs are very high. Generally, the pandemic Covid-19 has cast gloom on our businesses. I pray that we get out of this economic downturn. 

Are you worried about your competitors?
We are not worried at all. We have kept ahead of competition by giving customers innovative and high-value products. Even in my absence or the absence of my wife, Eye Care Centre will continue to effectively exist and grow under the leadership of our son, Jamil Alibhai, who is a qualified optician and is already inducted in the business.

How has Eye Care Centre contributed to the country?
Obviously, we pay those unfriendly taxes. Besides, Eye Care Centre has created jobs for thirty five full time staff, most of them Ugandans.