Specsavers takes off the Oracle glasses, sees better ERP options

International optometry company Specsavers has paused the global standardization of its Oracle ERP system and moved to third-party support, saving £5 million ($6.5 million) that can be reallocated to the business. The company, which also provides hearing tests from thousands of retail outlets, plans to migrate to the cloud and …

[Guy de Loimbard]

If these internationally operating businesses are looking for solutions, please please please don't listen to the sales team from any of these large vendors, they really don't care about your business, only what they can get from you.

I'm also intrigued, if Specsavers are using an associate/partner/franchise type model, seems there's not going to be a universal one vendor solution to these myriad options.

If you want a laugh, why don't you also invite Fujitsu into the mix?

[Anonymous Coward]

I'll second that. I was struck by the comment "nobody in 2030 should be rolling out on-prem ERPs". Implies he's come to the conclusion that cloud is a nice, cheap, reliable solution from dependable companies that won't rip him off - in which case I'm not sure why he's so anti-Oracle. He's swallowed half the medicine, needs to hawk it up or swallow the rest.

[Doctor Syntax]

"nobody in 2030 should be rolling out on-prem ERPs,"

Providing they have a paper record of the day's appointments to hand in case Back-hoe Billy happens along.

[AMBxx]

Specsavers patient records are all electronic (still unusual in Optics). Vile system to work on.

When Mrs AMBxx, the Optician, did a day at Specsavers, she was told that many of their locums just walk out at lunch to never return. She managed the whole day but would rather earn nothing than return.

Although it is a partnership model, it is very centrally controlled. Much more like a franchise with all those lovely fees heading tax-free to the channel islands.

[Colin Bull 1]

Not fit for purpose..

I purchased hearing aids from Specsavers just over 4 years ago. Their franchise / parnership model is for their benefit. It hinders customer service. You cannot order consummables - if if you want pay with out a new hearing test . NO ONLINE ORDERING. Even in the pandemic. Got to go a branch. 6 weeks to get an appointment.

Their hearing aids or locked in to them. No one else can adjust them.

[myhandler]

I went to a branch in a Surrey town and said "Why don't you look up my prescription from last year, it was done at the Chiswick branch?"

"Oh no we can't access anything else"

So the sytem isn't very integrated.

The franchise owner's daughter thought she was the boss even if she was only in a sales role and went round supervising everyone.

Watching it got very annoying.

[An_Old_Dog]

"Paper?! Who uses paper these days? Everything is web apps in The Cloud!" (modern attitude of most people)

[wolfetone]

"I'm also intrigued, if Specsavers are using an associate/partner/franchise type model, seems there's not going to be a universal one vendor solution to these myriad options."

I know a few people who work for them. I think it's on an associate/partner basis. In the UK at least.

[ChoHag]

> please don't listen to the sales team from any of these large vendors

One would hope that Specsavers of all people can see through the sales talk to read the smallest letters at the bottom of the contract.

[David 132]

You can imagine the contract discussions.

"Is it better with or without this sub-clause? With or without? A or B?"

(slides different version of contract into place, which might actually be the same contract but with things in a different order)

"Now, once again, is it better with or without this sub-clause? With or without? A or B?"

[BartyFartsLast]

winner

Best comment of the day!

[David 132]

Re: winner

I’m glad you appreciate my vitreous humour.

[AMBxx]

>> I'm also intrigued, if Specsavers are using an associate/partner/franchise type model, seems there's not going to be a universal one vendor solution to these myriad options.

Everything is centrally mandated.

[s. pam]

Specsavers must be -- red faced!

Oracle red that is!!

i'll get me coat...

[Kevin Johnston]

OK, I'll bite

So, since there is no single platform which is acceptable globally for them the next question must surely be is there a simple back end structure which can have locally tailored front-ends?

I may have retired from IT these days but I am sure that this is something which is done already after all you have systems where customers can get to their data from a web front-end while the in-house staff have a green-screen mainframe system for them to move/add/change records. Much like measurement systems, you use the one most appropriate for the task so the back-end data goes into an open-source database system and the client system has a defined lookup table to pick out the required fields and present them in the locally preferred manner.

[hoola]

Re: OK, I'll bite

You may be correct but increasingly all I see is appalling "App-fronted" Web sites that use a mush of code and features scraped off Google. Decent developers who understand what they ate doing are retiring.

What is the norm now is usless script kids playing with React so it looks great but is utterly unusable.

[FirstTangoInParis]

Re: OK, I'll bite

Indeed this is the sort of thing I’d think the average El Reg reader could knock up. I’m no software engineer but maybe: One database for customers and their prescriptions, another for whatever frames and lenses they can be flogged, and a third for the local charges structures. Then a web front end that looks like what the locals are used to seeing.

I don’t think you’d need to go to Oracle for that, but Specsavers should expect to pay the team that does this well and look after them because their software will literally be running their business.

[Anonymous Coward]

Not sure, not paying Oracle maintenance is the wisest move if you run their software...

If they do not pay Oracle Support/Maintenance then they will not be eligible for any related security/bugfix patching. The third party they are paying for support will not be licensed (legally) to apply any patches on Specsavers behalf. The complexity of Oracle software and the spaghetti dependencies on their Middleware is always impressive, I wouldn't want to run an important system without access to Oracle quarterly Critical Patch Updates. :~

[Orberi]

Re: Not sure, not paying Oracle maintenance is the wisest move if you run their software...

Larry? Is that you?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Not sure, not paying Oracle maintenance is the wisest move if you run their software...

Haha, No but have you seen the number of Security fixes that are released by Oracle every quarter? Plus the fact that these system are often business critical environments. The deployments I have been involved in require tons of exceptions. Just for a simple Weblogic Server, OHS and various Fusion Middleware components you are talking 150000+ files and 50000 folders its mind boggling.

Take a simple example.

Apache with SSL support is what 100Mb install?

Oracle HTTP Server which is basically an old Apache with a whole load of crap added is 3GB if not more.

[Martin Biggs]

Re: Not sure, not paying Oracle maintenance is the wisest move if you run their software...

It's a fair concern to raise - but Spinnaker's service (where I work) has a high focus on exactly this. Clients like Specsavers require (not just need) us to address the security flaws that exist in both current and legacy Oracle, VMware and SAP software. We have been doing this for more than 15 years, increasingly with highly regulated clients across Government, Banking, Critical National Infrastructure and Telco. This is born out by our announcements in March of working with both Telefónica in Germany and BT here in the UK across their entire Oracle estates...

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Not sure, not paying Oracle maintenance is the wisest move if you run their software...

Thanks for posting, we're curious about Spinnaker for VMWare support since Broadcom started reaming us but I haven't found much on how it actually maintains compliance.

I'm NOT asking for more information from you in comments here since this isn't a sales forum. :)

[Dan 55]

Re: Not sure, not paying Oracle maintenance is the wisest move if you run their software...

I wouldn't want to run an important system without access to Oracle quarterly Critical Patch Updates

So they'd be paying maintenance for things like that SSO login CVE from 2021 which was a bug in their own software that they somehow managed not to deploy the fix for on their own cloud instances for four years?

[Anonymous Coward]

Here in the US...

you go to the optometrist office to get your prescription, then get fitted for glasses (optician?) in the front of the same building. There are lots of frames to choose from, as well as quite a variety of lens types, coatings, etc. But they're expensive - it's easy to spend $500 on a pair of glasses, even AFTER insurance.

Why?

Because the optometrist, the frame-manufacturer (lots of options and brands, but they're all made by the same folks), the lens manufacturer, and even the vision insurance all have the same parent company, Luxottica. LensCrafters, Sunglass Hut, Pearle Vision, Target Optical, EyeMed (rebranded as several vision insurance companies), all are Luxottica companies, which also make the frame brands Chanel, Prada, Giorgio Armani, Burberry, Versace, Dolce, Gabbana, Michael Kors, Coach, Miu Miu, Tory Burch, Ray-Ban, Persol, Oliver Peoples, and Oakley.

If you're in the US, take a look at companies like Zenni. My "$600 after insurance" glasses cost $60 before insurance (then the insurance cheaps out and only covers $45).

[Fruit and Nutcase]

Re: Here in the US...

Not just in the US. More or less the same in the UK. "Designer" Frames - £££ ripoff

[David 132]

Re: Here in the US...

I had the standard-issue NHS tortoiseshell frames until I was well into the stage of my adolescence where I realized how desperately uncool they made me look. Think less Harry Palmer, more Siadwel the Welsh poet on Naked Video... aaaaand I just realized those are cultural references that no-one under the age of about 50 will understand.

[Is there anybody out there?]

Re: Here in the US...

Here in the UK I have a contact lenses subscription with them that costs £120/yr (not incl solutions as I don't get through much of that). Because of this contract I get free eye test every 2 years and half price glasses. So my 'designer frames' plus their most expensive varifocals (because I need them) cost me £150 after discount. The £150 saving more than covered the cost of the contact lenses. The staff are lovely and its easy to get an appointment.

The only 'problem' I've had was when I moved house and had an issue with my glasses which were still under warranty. As each branch is a separate business, the original one wanted me to take them back there (400ml round trip). Luckily my local branch was happy to replace and cross charge.

If they are good enough for Uncle Bryn they're good enough for me.

Hate Oracle though m'lud

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Here in the US...

Here in Scotland, I get a free eye-test every two years (or one year if the latest examination noticed something needing an earlier re-test). Glasses aren't cheap but, unless you treat the frames as a fashion statement, a good pair can be reglazed several times (I've been using my current main-frames* over 10 years). I've also made use of 30% discount vouchers offered by Vodafone every so often. My wife and I treat our glasses as not something to skimp over - we wear them all day, so they need to be comfortable, be as good as they can be sight-wise, and not make us look any worse that we need (well, for me, as my wife would look gorgeous with anything).

*IT forum justification.

[DJV]

Let's hope...

...they can see their way out of the Orrible/Oracle mess!

[Lee D]

I have no sympathy.

They bought Oracle.

What did they expect.

Enjoy the licensing and support fights with them for decades to come.

[Anonymous Coward]

Franchise partnership model....

So SpecSavers operate a franchise-partnership system with entrepreneurial spirit? Genuinely: well done. Congratulations on a successful business model.

Oracle ERP: not so well done. Can't support a franchise model. Can't support Birmingham City Council. It's about time Gartner create a special below-left quadrant just for Oracle.

[David 132]

Re: Franchise partnership model....

> It's about time Gartner create a special below-left quadrant just for Oracle.

They already have. It's printed about 10' below the bottom left corner of the page on every instance of the Magic Quadrant and hence is never actually seen.

[BartyFartsLast]

Physician heal thyself

They must need their eyes tested if they think Oracle in the cloud is a good idea.

[Anonymous Coward]

Another bunch of jokers

Another bunch of jokers I worked with Specsavers just after they made the Oracle decision which must be like 10 years ago and they've been deploying since

Pavitt took the money from ERP - threw it all on red for Exadata boxes that the tech team couldn't plug in - In the meantime Pavit's retirement plan was rustled by the owners

Then Morgan the Organ came in with no money, no hope, a strategy that has meant nobody has been doing much work to use what they own for almost 8 years - Frank always preferred SAP, so he never really was ever going to make it work.

I guess after almost a decade of debacle Adrian feels like he can now go back to Doug and the family and say it's now off our books and here's another opportunity to fleece our partners and customer tax free

I feel for the poor franchise owners, who have paid high and dry for all of these hundreds of millions of pounds wasted - Good high street folk, just wanting to help people see better.

These clowns would be better off in government!!