THE team at a Ludlow opticians are celebrating after winning an award for their outstanding customer service.

Doug and Dame Mary Perkins, founders of Specsavers, have recognised colleagues at the Ludlow store for their excellent customer care.

The couple received a medal for the achievement, with the store also receiving £1,000 in prize money. 

"We’re all absolutely delighted to have won this award,’ said Samantha Walters, Optical Assistant at Specsavers Ludlow.

"It might sound like a cliché but it really is a team effort, everyone plays their part in making sure we deliver the very best customer service. It’s something we all take great pride in."

The Dame Mary Perkins Award acknowledges an individual or group within a store in each country who have delivered an exceptional act of customer care in the past 12 months. 

It is the second time that the prestigious medals have been handed out in the UK and the Republic of Ireland by the Specsavers founders, having been first launched in Australia and New Zealand.

"Here at Specsavers Ludlow we pride ourselves on being able to provide emergency care to the community," added Ms Walters.

"Our nearest A&E department is 24 miles away, which can be impossible for some people to get to. Our team has had lots of training to give the very best care to patients and we are the front-line service for emergency eye care within the town.  

"We’re passionate about supporting charities too with team members being sponsored to have their hair cut and running marathons, as well as holding raffles in-store and donating high-visibility vests.

"We’re a close-knit team but supporting good causes brings us closer together, which in turn means we’re better able to support our customers and make sure they have a great experience in store. To be recognised with this award is just fantastic and testament to everyone’s hard work."

Specsavers founder Dame Mary Perkins said it is important that the work of teams such as Ludlow is recognised.

"These awards celebrate and recognise colleagues' professionalism, and passion, in the areas of clinical and customer service.

"The winners are outstanding, and all go above and beyond to deliver exceptional care. Huge congratulations to the whole team at Ludlow on their well-deserved win."