A remarkable company bringing revolutionary ideas to a fantastic industry.
Pros
Not only does AmBest make eyecare accessable to a customer base sometimes otherwise unable to afford it, this company also brings good quality products and caring doctors to the mix! Customers who could pay twice as much at a different shop can get the same quality products and services from us and save a lot of money! If you are in the optical industry or interested in making a switch to the field, I hope you take a moment to listen to this stranger's opinion. I've worked for a handful of private practices as well as the two other biggest national chains. I have never felt so proud to be a part of any organization as I do here. In many ways this company provides more legitimate possibilities of upward mobility than any other (in my experience), upper management that has done your job before being promoted, and a setting which makes me feel fulfilled at the end of each day in my current position. Contrary to other posts (perhaps I just have a much better DM) I find this company is excellent about NOT micro managing. Although there are policies, they all make good business sense and I feel 100% empowered to run my store the way needed to maximize success. I also want to address concerns mentioned about training received. This company provides much more training than the vast majority of optical companies, chains and independents alike. There is also an unquestionable quality of team support. Every single person I've ever met in National Vision and America's Best up to the VP has expressed an earnest desire to be of help when needed. If there was a lack of follow - through in training on a store level, I would challenge that the associate and his/her manager had a break down. The single most important (and enjoyable) aspect of my job as a GM is to teach and train my team. Plus, I get the same support from my boss and her boss. This company has a culture of building each other up. Even upper management understands that they must grow their future replacements to succeed as a company. This is a stark contrast to the 'afraid if I teach you too much, you'll have my job' mentality I've encountered time and time before. PS when I met the VP, Sharon Petit, her only (and honest) question was something like, "what do we do that's the most stupid?" How often do you get to meet a VP who honestly wants to know where the model is failing on a ground level?
Cons
As some have mentioned, goals set can be difficult to achieve at times. However, my personality responds by rising to the challenge and feeling inspired to find new and interesting ways to grow our business. A company is nothing without growth, so I frankly don't understand why some managers are surprised or offended by this reality. Also, if you're a hard core optician, you may notice that there are some downsides to the fully automated lab concept. However, these are relatively rare and you're empowered to take care of any customer service issues. So while you can't order a custom gray to magenta fade tint, you CAN deliver quality merchandise at an amazing price to the masses!