Dannielle Martin is the first person patients see when they come into our Deal branch. In addition to greeting everyone, as branch manager it’s also her responsibility to make sure everything runs smoothly,

Here she explains what that involves, from making appointments and answering queries to helping the audiologists with their work.

“I have to make sure I open up the branch ready for 9am. From 8.30am the phones start ringing with people wanting to make appointments, cancel appointments and ask questions..

There’s also webchats to look at which come through overnight and need answering each day, along with emails. NHS patients come in for batteries and I have lots of wax removal requests which I make appointments for with the audiologists.

Special training in ear care

We have seen a huge increase in the number of people who need to have wax removed from their ears.

I have now had special training in ear care so I can examine someone’s ears to see if there is a wax problem or an infection. If it is a wax problem it is good to put people’s minds at rest and I can then make an appointment for them to be seen by our audiologist Joana who can remove it. It is good to be an extra help to Joana.

I hope that this will help to streamline the service. There is also a lot of admin work to keep an eye on. I take the hearing aids when they arrive for Joana to fit and I have to carry out stock taking.

It is very busy every day. I also have to contact people when their six-monthly review is due and make appointments – there is always something to do.”

Building relationships with patients

Dannielle has worked for us for five years. Before that she worked in a customer service role for a publishing house which published car magazines . Dannielle was also responsible for developing circulation.

“I really enjoy working in the Deal branch. I’ve built up a relationship with some patients who come in regularly and that’s really nice. I’ve learned a lot about hearing aids and hearing and it is good to be able to help Joana with her work.

Before I worked for Hearbase I knew very little about hearing and how important it is to look after it. I now know quite a lot about hearing aids and the way in which they can help people stay in touch.

Seek hearing help early

Most people leave it too late to get help for hearing problems. As a result of working here it has made we much more aware of the importance of hearing and the difference which hearing aids can make.

If I needed a hearing aid I’d definitely wear one. People don’t seem to have a problem going to an optician but sometimes leave it too long when their hearing starts to go, when, in fact, there are so many different kinds of hearing aids, some so small they can hardly be seen.

I try to make all our patients feel relaxed while they are waiting to see the audiologist and it’s great to see someone come in here with a hearing problem, see Joana and get a hearing aid which makes such a difference to their life.”

Are you experiencing problems with your hearing or excessive wax? If so, ring us on 0800 028 6179 or email admin@hearbase.com to make an appointment with one of our audiologists