Question 1

Will it tell a caller whether they get a free NHS sight test?

Accepted Answer

Only in the words you give it. Write in who you test on the NHS and what they should bring, and it repeats exactly that. If a caller’s situation is not covered, it takes a message for your team rather than deciding eligibility itself.

Question 2

What happens if someone rings about a sudden change in their sight?

Accepted Answer

It never assesses symptoms or tells a caller whether something can wait. Sudden loss of vision, flashes, a new shower of floaters, an eye injury or a painful red eye are treated as urgent and escalated to your team straight away, put through live or sent by text and email with the caller’s number, and if something sounds life-threatening it tells the caller to call 999. It never suggests where else to go for care.

Question 3

Can it tell a customer their glasses are ready?

Accepted Answer

Not by itself, because Ringmere does not see your practice system or your lab orders. It takes the name and the question and passes them to your team, or books a collection slot if you list one as a service.

Question 4

Can it book by optometrist?

Accepted Answer

Yes, within each optometrist’s hours and the tests they do, and it asks whether the visit is for an eye test, contact lenses or glasses so the right length of slot is blocked. Diaries for more than one optometrist are on Growth and Pro.

Question 5

Does it work with our practice management software?

Accepted Answer

Not directly. Ringmere books into Google Calendar, Outlook or its own built-in diary, not into an optical practice system. Practices use it as the booking line for a Google Calendar or Outlook diary, or as a front desk that takes enquiries as messages for the team, and bookings can be sent to your own system by webhook.

Question 6

What does an AI receptionist cost for an optician?

Accepted Answer

Ringmere is £49 a month on Starter, with 150 call minutes and a UK number included, £99 on Growth and £249 on Pro, each with a 7-day free trial. For scale, a practice missing four calls a day, one of which would have booked an eye test that leads to a £150 pair of glasses, has over £3,000 a month at stake. Your own numbers will differ.

Question 7

What should an optician’s AI receptionist never do?

Accepted Answer

Give clinical advice, read or explain a prescription, tell someone a symptom is nothing to worry about, or take payment for glasses or lenses. Ringmere books, answers the questions you have approved, and passes the rest to your optometrists and dispensers with the caller’s details, so the clinical conversation happens with a registered professional.

Question 8

Is Ringmere an answering service for opticians?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and a virtual receptionist too. Like an answering service, it picks up your calls 24/7 under your business name. Like a virtual receptionist, it answers questions, takes messages and books appointments straight into your diary. Because it is an AI receptionist it costs from £49 a month, never puts a caller on hold, and on Growth and Pro replies on WhatsApp and text as well.

The call	What Ringmere does
Someone due an eye test after your recall letter	Books the test into a real slot during the call and asks whether it is for glasses, contact lenses or both, so the right time is blocked.
“Do you do NHS eye tests?” and “how much is a private test?”	Answered from the fees and eligibility wording you approve. Anything outside it is taken as a message rather than guessed.
A contact lens check or a first fitting	Booked as the separate service you set, with its own length and price, so a first fitting never lands in a short aftercare slot.
“Are my glasses ready?” or a snapped arm on a frame	Taken as a message with the name and number, or booked as a collection or repair slot if you list one. Ringmere does not see your lab orders.
A sudden change in vision, flashes, an eye injury or a painful red eye	Never assessed. The call is escalated to your team at once, put through live or sent by text and email, and if it sounds life-threatening the caller is told to call 999.
A child’s first eye test, or a home visit enquiry	Answered from what you have written, such as the age you test children from and whether you visit people at home, with the details passed to your team when it needs a person.
Saturday afternoon and evening calls	Answered the same way, and booked into next week while the shop is shut.

The AI phone receptionist for opticians.

Sound familiar?

Answer, book, and hand you the rest.

Answers your calls, 24/7

Books into your calendar

Escalates what matters

Every call an optician gets.

An example call

It only ever offers what you approve.

Good to know.

Stop losing optician bookings.