"Purchasing a hearing aid, is not like purchasing a flat screen TV! It needs to be professionally fitted to match our client's specific hearing loss profile. There is a medical interface which requires completion of a rehabilitative process to ensure a successful outcome."
How do we differ from other hearing service providers, and why choose Hearing Professionals? We have seven reasons: -
- Excellent Customer Service
- University qualified audiologists
- Freedom of choice
- Advanced equipment and testing facilities
- Reduced Cost
- Our referral sources do not have a financial interest in our business
- No Sales Commissions
We are a family owned business and we believe in providing 'good old fashioned' service. Our team is trained to provide the best customer service possible, and we are continually striving to improve our customer service. Hearing Professionals does not believe that optimal customer service can be attained by having 'visiting' sites (sites where an audiologist is only present on site minimum 1 half day per month). In general, Hearing Professionals have NO visiting sites and our sites are permanent. This means that we open for business everyday for on the spot aid repairs, maintenance and battery dispensing and with greater access to Audiologists. Before you book elsewhere ask the provider if their site is 'visiting' and how often are they present on the site to meet your needs.
University Qualified Audiologists
We employ both Audiometrists and Audiologists – there is a significant difference between the two. An Audiometrist requires a Certificate of Audiometry (less than 1 year of part time study), whilst an Audiologist have a Masters degree in Audiology (or equivalent) which translates to 5 years full time study. By employing both, we offer a broader evaluation and rehabilitation offering which is not just focused on an aided solution. Where an aided solution is appropriate our enhanced fitting expertise is more beneficial to our clients.
Increasingly our competitors are vertically integrated. That is, the retail dispenser is owned by a large international hearing aid manufacturer (such as Connect hearing being owned by the Phonak Group) who predominantly sell only their own brand of aids (ie Bloom Hearing, Hearing, Audioclinic, HearingLife). Hearing Professionals is independently owned from any of the hearing aid manufacturers. This means that we offer all leading brands of hearing aids for the best client outcome.
Advanced equipment and testing facilities
All of our sites have sound proof booths. Competitor visting sites, in general, do not use sound proof booths. We know that best results can only be achieved by using the best equipment and we will not take short cuts and compromise on quality.
Our hearing aids are approximately 20% less expensive than the equivalent model hearing aid of our vertically integrated competitors. This is most likely due, to our reduced marketing costs, we do not pay our staff sales commissions and we pass these savings onto our clients.
Our referral sources do not have a financial interest in our business
A significant number of Audiology hearing aid clinics are actually owned by Ear Nose and Throat Specialists (ENT's), so that the ENT's refer patients to these clinics where they have a financial interest. Our referral sources assess us entirely on our expertise and experience. Would you go to a financial advisor referred by your bank, if you knew they were owned by the referring bank?
Hearing Professionals do not pay sales commissions to any of its professional or administrative staff. We do not 'sell' hearing aids; we provide solutions to rehabilitate our clients hearing. Before you purchase elsewhere, ask if they are receiving a sales commission.
In summary, Hearing Professionals are an ethical service provider which place the interests of our clients first, with reduced costs whilst providing quality expertise and service.
