To Brand or Re Brand, that is the question!!!

If you look at wikipedia for the definition of a branded product it will say…..

“A brand can take many forms, including a name, sign, symbol, colour combination or slogan. For example, Coca Cola is the name of a brand make by a particular company”.

 The term branding was first used for cattle to recognise ownership of their stock.

 So why might the term branded hearing aids apply and for what reason?

As a practising hearing aid dispenser, I am so impressed with the products supplied by ALL of hearing aid manufacturers in terms that words cannot describe as to how great they all are in terms of providing people with a hearing loss, a truly life enhancing performance in what they do.

I remember programming hearing aids 10 years ago and having to as part of my job, make excuses for the problems I knew my customers were having with their new hearing aids and that’s the truth.

To qualify this point so that you can understand better, before open technology came onto the market, I like every other hearing aid dispenser in the world was well versed in having in many cases, to say to my clients,

” I know your voice sounds funny but if you want to hear better, you will have to get used to your own voice sounding strange”.

The phenomenon I am referring to in that case was “occlusion”, which was caused by having to partially block the clients ear off with a hearing aid, in order to prevent it from whistling. Until feedback managers became more than effective, the occurrence of whistling, caused by the amplified sounds escaping the ear and being re amplified at the hearing aid microphone, caused no end of problems.

Apart from that, the digital hearing aids were very basic, compared to today’s superb technology, that is a fact that I can back up with evidence!!! So why would hearing aid manufacturers allow their now brilliantly built products to be hidden away behind re branded hearing aids? If I owned or represented one of the worlds best hearing aid companies that allow their hearing aids to be re branded, I would be fighting tooth and nail against re branding so that I cloud show the world how great my products and solutions are.

Imagine if coca cola re branded their drinks in the same way such as the picture above. Would the product stand up the same way?

Re branding hearing aids only causes a greater confusion for people, in an already confused market and prevents the general public from their God given right, which is to have the opportunity to compare a like for like product in order to help them to make a conscious, informed and best decision.

Admittedly the service and after care cannot be measured accurately, which in in my own opinion is more important than the product itself.  Re branding can only hide what is truly inside the hearing aid and whether or not is the most up to date and best technology, because it might actually contain older less up to date technology that is out of date when you buy it!!!!

For branded state of the art hearing aid prices call me on 0800 0304 542

Buying your private hearing aids on Ebay will now become a thing of the past thanks to Hearing Aids at Trade owner Graham Clarke R.H.A.D. and a campaign that he launched  in in conjunction with his local M.P. Stewart Jackson, in order to prevent UK private hearing aid users being harmed by incorrectly programmed hearing aids.

Ebay have now accepted that hearing aids do in fact contain a medical prescriptionjust like glasses and should therefore be banned under their own regulations relating to medical prescriptions. At the moment they say that H.P.C. registered dispensers can still sell hearing aids but with the backing of Government this is still being questioned as some less ethical registered hearing aid dispensers are actually floutijng HPC regulations by selling without one to one audiometry…You know who you are????

The following flag now comes up to sellers listing hearing aid products. It’s a start Ebay but NOT enough!!!!!

Only last week we received a letter from a lady who may have a neuroma on her hearing nerve, after she was referred to her G.P. because of the abnormal results of a hearing test, abnormal results that would never have been detected if hearing aids continue to be sold by on line hearing companies more interested in making a profit than doing the job in an ethical and proper manner.

Even if one person  that would normally go unnoticed, who has a tumor on the hearing nerve in the brain, it is shamefully one too many!!!!

For more information please call us today on 0800 0304 542

Siemens are about to launch their lower cost alternative to the Siemens iMini 701 early in January for people who are more aware about the cosmetic aspects of wearing hearing aids.  

The iMini is a deep inserted canal hearing aid which when worn is virtually invisible to those around you. Although the iMini 301 does not have the same exceptional clarity as the iMinu 701 it will certainly have a place for people on a tighter budget, or fir apprehensive first time hearing aid users.

For more information please call us on 0800 034 542

As a practising hearing aid dispenser, I wanted to share what happened to me today and what I realised is happening day in and day out to people with a hearing loss and how it affects those close to them. More importantly what was happening in their lives was not the fault of either of the people involved, let’s call them Mr & Mrs Smith.

Mr & Mrs Smith came to one of the hearing centres in the opticians where I work. The appointment was a joint one as both clients had a hearing loss but very quickly I realised that Mr Smith was in a worse state due to the way in which he carried himself and the maner he was seemingly forced into the testing seat to go first by his wife and the way she pointed in a sergeant major type manner towards the chair when they came in to the testing room.

At first I thought that Mr Smith was in the first stages of dementia as his wife seemed to bully or control him as he could not comprehend what was being said..

I had some cursory notes that were made by my partner, who rings all my appointments to see whether the test was a precautionary one or to enquire about a known hearing loss.

Mr Smith had a pair of Oticon Zest NHS hearing aids and it was soon very clear that the hearing aids were NOT doing what was needed for him, which is to provide an adequate performance to allow him to engage in conversation with his wife or anyone around him. Do bear in mind that this product is more than capable of doing a reasonably good job for most people, so are in no way a very poor solution, or indeed a reflection of the superb people who work in the NHS. However after I had asked the usual manditory questions that is required and also looked in his ears to make sure there was nothing else that could be causing the problem, I carried out a short but meaningful speech test when he was wearing his hearing aids. He got 2 words  right and 8 words wrong.

I proceeded to test his hearing more accurately as we are required to do as part of our job. With this information I then carried out a demonstration on the second to best level of technology available and to Mrs Smith delight, Mr Smith could hear what she was saying. I could see her eyes well up, this seemingly bullying woman who at first I took offence to for the way she treated her husband when he came in to the testing room. In fact there were also 2 other occassions where I actually appologised to Mr Smith that it was my fault that he didnt hear me, when Mrs Smith prodded and poked him to respond to my questions.

I said to Mrs Smith, ” This hearing loss has put an obvious strain on both of your lives hasn’t it?” She confirmed my suspicions with a cursory nod, whilst obviously holding back her tears.

I have recently read lots of testiments on blogs relating brain atrophy to a hearing loss and until today had not realised how this could be.

The aids she chose for her husband were the mid ranged ones I had demonstrated and she adde that his hearing loss is more important than mine, so order his and forget about me. I said to Mrs Smith ” that is very noble of you but I could see before you told me to forget about you that loved your husband, let me see what I can do for you, that might make it more affordable for you to have the gift of having your hearing improved”

Our brain is truly a computer but like a computer will make decisions only based on the information it receives. It’s a bit like life where we make a decision on a person based on what we are told or what we know, only to find the rest of the information, that changes our origonal view.

Yes I definately believe that there is a link between brain atrophy and a hearing loss because after all I had prejudged this man as others had prejudged him because he couldn’t hear properly.

Why not buy one of these cute Santa Pups for a stocking filler and feel good this Christmas by donating towards the Hearing Dogs.  

The hearing dog charity provides fully trained dogs to help people who are profoundly deaf and help those people to live a more normal life.

A hearing loss can cause isolation but for those who are profoundly deaf, it is perhaps beyond belief, with a Christmas with no carols.

Having a hearing dog brings a new lease of life and a companion to help to do the simplest things what we all take for granted such as answering the door and being alerted to the daily sounds that allow interaction again.

As a friend and collegue pointed out to me,like all dogs “A hearing dog is like any dog, it is not just for Christmas”, so with that in mind,  hearing aid users can help all through the year buy buying your hearing aid batteries from us and we will promise to donate one pound from every order to the hearing dogs charity. Thank you Mr Minikin for your advice.

So far HAAT have managed to donate around £700 pounds to the hearing dogs charity, which is all down to you for buying your Rayovak batteries through ourselves for £15.99 for 60 cells 

For just £2.50 in P&P you can buy a Santa Pup and donate to a very worthwhile cause. Call us today on 0800 0304 542 

Phonak Hearing Aid manufacturers have launched a new range option to their Niada range of power hearing aids. Historically people with a severe hearing loss have had to have a noticeable thick tubing and ear mould in order to prevent the tremendous amount of amplification needed for severe to profound hearing losses, from leaking the ear and causing whistling or feedback. 

Phonak have now added a new range of open fit products that can be fitted with slimmer tubes and where required, far more discrete custom shells, ensuring maximum power when needed combined with a far more cosmetic solution. The new range of hearing aids is available from November this year and are sure to be popular for customers and dispensers.

One of the biggest fears for people with a hearing loss is a genuine reluctance to wear a hearing system due to the product being bulky or showy to others around them. What our customers are always crying out for are solutions to a hearing loss that don’t allow other people to prejudge an individual by the fact that they need hearing aids in order to overcome the isolation created by a hearing loss.

Phonak like most other manufacturers are constantly looking for solutions that the public are crying out for which are hearing aids that work and areas discrete as possible.

For more information call us today on 0800 0304 542

As a request to the Phonak Hearing Aid team, for their next task Hearing Aids At Trade would ask for smaller power receiver for people with smaller ear canals to ensure better comfort. Unfortunately more power presently means bigger receivers and custom tips are not always the best option.  

Phonak Hearing aid manufacturers have just launched their newest and smallest ever range of CIC (Completely in the Canal) hearing aids, designed to offer more the cosmetically aware clients with a hearing loss, one of the most advanced sound performing products on the market today.

The Nano CIC shell is made from the thinnest ever materials, that have been adapted from the dental industry to allow the tiny hearing aids to sit deeper in the ear canal, so that they are virtually invisible. Apart from being one of the smallest hearing aids in the industry it is designed to fit patients who have greater losses than many other of its competitors.

The Phonak Nano hearing aids are available in the UK from November and is available in their Ambra and Solana range at a premium of only £50 per hearing aid when you book your hearing test through Hearing Aids At Trade. We will also offer an extended warranty to 5 years, free of charge for orders booked before the end of December 2011.  

For more information call us today on 0800 0304 542 to save hundreds of pounds, compared to expensive high street prices

We all know that a hearing loss can cause untold misery, created by the isolation of not hearing properly, especially when listening in back ground noise. A hearing loss can occur in many ways including the ageing process, hereditary, trauma, health, medications, virally or in one of the most common ways, by listening to excessive noise. Even things that people do daily such as cutting the lawn, riding a motor bike, driving in an open top car or listening to music on a personal stereo can unknowingly damage your hearing.

Here is a table of some of the sounds that can potentially damage your hearing for ever. Before the noise at work act came into force in 1973, people were generally unaware of the dangers and the impact and damage excessive noise could do to your hearing. Lorry drivers and farm workers were exposed to extremely loud noise whilst carrying out their work and only a few decades ago was this realised, causing more soundproofed lorry and tractor cabs to be built to stop the damage.

However it is the young people who attend concerts and use ipods who are also at risk and that is why “Action on Hearing Loss” have been attending concerts this year in an attempt to educate young people of the potential damage they could cause and how they can protect themselves from this risk.

For those who use ipods, here is a guide to time that should be spent in relation to the volume that it is played at.

Preventative methods that don’t make us oldies seem like killjoys are actually available such as custom made ear protective plugs that cost around £90 or so. These ear plugs can reduce the damaging sounds, whilst allowing speech and music to be heard by having filters that specifically prevent the harmful loud noises from causing damage. Please also be aware that damage to your hearing via loud noise can vary due to the level of noise, the time you spend in excessive noise and the distance you are away from it.

For more information on preventing a hearing loss or for any of our hearing aid products call us today on 0800 0304 542

Hearing Aids At Trade (H.A.A.T.) have requested that Ebay ban ALL hearing aids currently being sold via their website. The move against one of the most popular buying and selling sites in the world comes as H.A.A.T. steps up its campaign for the private hearing aid industry to clean up its act.

Some hearing aids for sale on Ebay are actually NHS prescribed hearing aids that are the property of the NHS!!!!

Ebay’s policy for products that carry a prescription is as follows;

Policy overview

Any substance or item that requires a prescription from, or the supervision of, a licensed practitioner (such as a doctor, dentist, optometrist, optician, pharmacist or veterinarian) to dispense isn’t allowed on eBay. Some over-the-counter (OTC) products are allowed, as long as their listings neither mention nor compare them to prescription drugs. Worldwide shipping should not be offered on these items as it’s impossible to verify whether it is legal for sale in every country. Similarly, please understand that items authorised for sale in other countries aren’t necessarily authorised for sale in the United Kingdom. Make sure your listing follows our guidelines. If it doesn’t, it may be removed, and your buying and selling privileges could be restricted.

The above policy does not as yet include prescriptive hearing aids or amplifiers that contain a predetermined amplification of sound in order to benefit people with a hearing loss and that is the reason for several letters of complaint that have gone into Ebay, which to date has not been acted by them. To date over 50 products have been reported and will continue to be reported until a resolution is agreed.

If you agree and want to help us then join in by reporting any hearing aid device, including all non prescriptive amplifiers.

The potential dangers that come with buying  hearing aids from any supplier who does not fit hearing aids on a one to one basis is that these products could cause pain and discomfort due to not matching the contour of the ear or ear canal and the biggest danger is that incorrect and excessive amplification could actually worsen an existing hearing loss permanently.

Copies of correspondence have been forwarded to a parliament member in hope for support in favour of this ban.

Hearing Aids At Trade only provide professionally fitted hearing aids that are supplied and fitted by fully qualified and H.P.C. registered hearing aid dispensers working throughout the U.K. on a one to one basis.

For more information on our products and services call us today on 0800 0304 542

Buying your hearing aids over-the-counter or over the internet without consulting a health professional is a risky strategy, advises The Better Hearing Institute (BHI), as the hearing aids you buy might not suit your needs. Not only is it risky but illegal in every state in United States as well, to purchase hearing aids in this way.

          ***So why hasn’t it been made illegal in the UK? ***

Sergei Kochkin, BHI’s Executive Director, explains that it is NOT a path to take lightly just to save money, by saying, “The process [of buying hearing aids] requires a complete in-person hearing assessment in a sound booth, the training and skills of a qualified hearing healthcare professional in order to prescriptively fit the hearing aids using sophisticated computer programs, and appropriate in-person follow-up and counseling. This is not possible when consumers purchase one-size-fits-all hearing aids over the Internet or elsewhere.”

Research undertaken by the BHI has shown that hearing assessments and hearing aids that are tailored to every individual will help you to not only hear better but will also improve the quality of life.

Therefore, the BHI emphasises that individuals should find a state certified healthcare professional and communicate their needs during the evaluation, fitting and trial period and avoid trying to purchasing hearing aids that can be found over the internet and the counter.

Earlier this year Hearing Aids at Trade reported that some on line hearing aid companies who offer cheap hearing aid prices are in fact unable to provide a proper service but because of red tape, can carry on plying their trade.

At Hearing Aids At Trade we only supply hearing aids via qualified hearing aid dispensers, on a one to one basis who are registered with the H.P.C. and also provide a full service of after care.

For more information call us today on 0800 0304 542