I lost it at the eye doctor

[Italiahaircolor]

Okay...so here it goes...(and I will not be trashing the name of this chain eye-care store...)

I'm 25, and I need bifocals. I guess all those hours on Pricescope have finally caught up to me. Oh well. So, begrudingly I selected a nice pair of glasses. They weren't cheap...and I figured since I have to wear them every day, I might as well splurg and get designer glasses.

First of all, the waiting was horrible. My appointment was at 6:20...I arrived early. I filled out the forms, and was promptly seen by the Doctor. She was so nice...and once the bifocal bomb was dropped, she answered all of my questions. She lead me out to the "shopping" area, handed me a tray and set me loose.

I picked a pair and went to sit down, and oh--about 20 minutes later a sales lady finally approached me and brought me over to her "desk" area--where she proceeded to leave me for another 23 minutes (I was paying attention, can you tell?). She helped other person, chatted with co-workers...and, when my husband asked another SA if she could help me, she told my husband she was "trying to get out of there". Nice customer service, huh?

So...once all the sitting an waiting was done, I paid for my glasses and was told to come back in exactly 55 minutes.

I went and got a smoothie, window shopped, killed time...and got back to the store in exactly 55 minutes...only to be told that, get this ladies, the tech broke the frames and they were ordering me another pair that would arrive in 10-14 business days!!!!!

I was FURIOUS .... first of all, why is it that they only have ONE set of those frames in the store? Secondly, why wasn't I called? Instead of letting me roam about, why not call me when it happened so I could just go home and not drag this stupid process on?

Maybe I didn't keep my cool because I'm exhusted, and the whole thing was so stupid...but I just felt ... annoyed.

Sorry, I know I'm venting, accidents happen...but, it was just bad bad bad.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

HUGS Italia!

Sorry to hear about all of that - I hate it when customer service is inefficient and rude (not when they''re busy or anything, but obviously they weren''t in your case, which is what makes me peeved).

 

[WishfulThinking]

I am so sorry. I HATE, loathe, despise being kept waiting. By ANYONE but it''s worse when the people who make you wait are being paid to provide a service.

Accidents happen, sure, but it''s the level of customer service leading up to, during, and after accidents that make or break the situation, ya know?

Bottom line: you shouldn''t have been waiting while the employee chatted with coworkers, and you should have been called as you were clearly waiting the 55 minutes to return to pick them up. Grrr. I share your frustration, if you can''t tell!

 

[Elmorton]

Italia - bummer about your crappy experience.

I had to get reading glasses (which I''m not wearing right now, so I''m sure I''ll be joining you with the bifocals soon!) for the first time a couple of years ago, and my eye place ordered all frames..so it was a week I think before my glasses were done. I guess I''m just a silver-lining person, but if I were you, I''d much rather have the new frames than ones that have loosened up because they''ve been sitting in the store and been tried on, etc.

In regard to the service you received - yes, it was inexcusable for you to wait like that, but I''m really not miffed by the salesperson''s flip response about wanting to get out of there. DH and I are the same age as you, polite, friendly people - and I think that has something to do with getting awful service. When people feel comfortable in your presence, they seem to forget all appropriate filters for the situation.

Do you like the frames you picked out?! What do they look like?

 

[strmrdr]

hmmmm that sounds just like a store near here...
Did the name start with a L and have crafters in it?

 

[Diamond*Dana]

I am sorry that you had such a horrible experience, they really should have called you to let you know what happened. I would have been a bit ticked off too!

 

[AmberGretchen]

Italia - so sorry to hear about your experience - I would have been steamed too

 

[joflier]

What a bummer! I feel for ya on the bifocals......25 is much too young for that!

 

[mrscushion]

I''m sorry -- I HATE crappy customer service!

 

[jcarlylew82]

ugh - as someone who has worked in customer service her whole career, that totally T''s me off. I mean, i couldnt count how many times people have come up to me when i am leaving, but it does not take that much effort to say "I am so sorry, i cannot help you, but let me grab someone who can." seriously. 2 seconds. maybe 5 if they are in the back of the store.

At least you are getting the newer pair. The last time i had glasses (which i should be wearing..whoopes!) i had to wait two weeks till my frames came back too. it sucked, but the frames did fit better than the ones i tried on in the store.

 

[Allisonfaye]

I would have made me hand over that prescription and bought them somewhere else. Sorry you had to deal with that.

 

[BeachRunner]

Date: 1/21/2009 8:05:07 AM
Author: Allisonfaye
I would have made me hand over that prescription and bought them somewhere else. Sorry you had to deal with that.

I second this one! There are good eye centers out there! If you go to a privately owned Optometrist, I find they are more friendly. My last experience was great, super friendly, and helped me pick my glasses (I was the late appt. and they did not rush me out of the place).

I hope you find an eye doctor who will treat you well!

 

[Italiahaircolor]

Thanks everyone for being so understanding and supportive...

I ended up demanding a refund because frankly I don''t want to even *deal* with that store anymore. Elmorton, you make a very valid point about wanting "new" glasses--and I''m totally with you under perfectly normal circumstances. But, the reason I chose this store is because I could get my glasses in one hour. See, I''ve been getting serious migrains (which is how I knew something was wrong) and frankly I just wanted to feel better--new or old glasses, I couldn''t have cared less. So, when they broke my orginial pair and went forward to tell me I''d be waiting almost 2 weeks for replacements, I felt like then why shop here and limit myself to these frames? Truth be told, I wasn''t wild about them anyway. Glasses certianly aren''t my thing. So now I figure I might as well shop around if I''m going to be waiting anyway, right? I am now planning on taking my perscription somewhere else to have it filled...hopefully today.

Okay, lets face it, I didn''t go to the most *exclusive* eye boutique, it was a ''maul'' store (strm, you are correct). But, customer service is customer service no matter where you''re shopping and what you''re buying...be it a can of soup, or a Range Rover. I don''t mind waiting for a period of time if the reason is valid...but please don''t make me wait for nearly a half an hour because you and your coworker are chatty-Kathy''s and you "forgot" about me (my SA''s words, not mine BTW).

I think I was also a little overly sensitive because lets face it....bifocals at 25 is a big deal.

 

[tlh]

Well, that BLOWS.

Here''s a hug and a dirty martini!

 

[soocool]

I have been wearing glasses since my 20s and bifocals for the past 5 years. The chain eye glass stores are horrendous. Their prices and workmanship is absolutely the worst in my experience. I have been using a local eyeglass store in my area for the past 10 years and they are great! I have "progressive bifocals" which helps me see at various distances. (Middle of the lense I can see at armslength) and it didn''t take me more than a few minites to adjust to wearing them. But these lenses normally are not on-hand and have to be ordered (my store will get them in less than a week).

I know some people who are nearsighted in one eye and farsighted in the other and the optometrist told them they needed bi-focals when in reality they didn''t. Make sure the store you use has a policy that lets you get the glasses remade if the prescription was incorrect and has a plan that will replace your glassesin caseyou break them up to a year after purchase. My store does that and belive me I have used it when the optometrist wrote down the incorrect prescription, I sat on my glasses, and once when my glasses were all scratched up after about 6 months even though I received a scratch resistant coating.I also stop in there often to get them readjusted and tightened, plus I get free refills on the cleaning solution. And best of all the prices are extremely reasonable.

 

[somethingshiny]

First, a note about your "need" of bifocals. I "needed" bifocals too. I was told that when I was around 19. I''m 29 and still haven''t worn them and I can see fine. Sure, I may have to push reading materials a bit further away, but no big deal. My friend (2 was just told that she needs bifocals. She just takes off her glasses if she''s going to be reading a while. So, while I don''t know your situation entirely, my bet is that you don''t "need" to wear bifocals.

I''ve worked in the industry for a while. So, I''ll give you some info on the stores. The wait and service is inexcusable. But, often, the opticians in the "mall" type stores are simply not trained very well. Nor do they require experience. Many optical shops carry only 1 of designer frames, and many of the generic frames. This is simply due to cost. Designer frames just don''t sell as quickly so you don''t want all your money tied up on the board.

The breakage of frames happens infrequently in a well-informed store. Yes, there are always accidents. But, especially with a designer frame, breakage is *usually* a fault of the tech. Again, I''d say it is because of lack of training or because they''re understaffed and trying to get orders out quickly.

You are legally within your rights to ask for a copy of your prescription. You can take that prescription into ANY optical shop and retain services. You may want to do that just to see if another place deems it "necessary" to wear the bifocals.

 

[Steel]

I am sorry you have to have bifocals. I understand why you would feel sensitive about that anyhow, never mind dealing with a bunch of uncertified idiots on top.

I would write to the corporate head office to complain. 1) To ask for assurances that your new specs will not break in the same manner as the pair the tec broke and 2) Compensation please

.

You certainly would get a gesture of goodwill from me if I were in the position to respond to your complaint.

ETA: I am sure you will look great in your new specs - whenever they arrive. Just try to give your eyes a break from the p.c./t.v./reading so as not to cause yourself additional strain while you are waiting.

 

[EricaR]

Check out Costco. Last time it was cheaper out of pocket for me to get my glasses made at Costco (paying cash) than it was for me to pay just the co-pay after my insurance at one of those maul stores.

 

[Sabine]

I''ve had better customer service at America''s Best!

 

[Italiahaircolor]

It just keeps getting worse and worse...

So, because I am going through insurance, I have a slightly limited store selection I can visit to get new glasses. I finally settled on a nice local place, where they were very friendly and helpful...(and I selected cute glasses, btw)...so, as we are closing the deal we find out that the original store in the maul never "released" my insurance, so basically it looks like I just got my glasses last night

when in reality, that never happened.

The new store was apologetic, I was humilated and enraged...I called the maul store and asked to speak with a manager...and guess who answers the phone...yep, the A-HOLE from last night. I briskly explained that I needed him to call and release my insurance...he, very flipantly, told me to "have the other store do it" and proceded to laugh at me saying that he has to do similar things all day long, and he doesn't have the time. If I could have gone through the phone line and strangled him, I would have---I promise!!!! He didn't have time? Are you fing kidding me....like I had the time to f' around last night at mall waiting for his flunky assistant to break my $400.00 glasses. I guess when you're making minimum wage you get to do minimum work. UGH

Anyway, I thanked him---for nothing, and hung up...I plan to write a strongly worded letter to corporate.

The new store called and had my insurance released. I will be the not-so-proud owner of bifocals on Friday (crossing my fingers).

Oy Vey.

 

[DiamanteBlu]

Get your prescription from them and have it filled somewhere else - preferably a nice privately owned shop with cool frames that appreciates your business. And - make sure you ask for progressive lenses instead of bifocals.

 

[AmberWaves]

I can honestly tell you that I HATE LC! I had to get bifocals (at 25) due to cataract surgery when I was 19. I went there because I was like, hey, no problem- get ''em in an hour! Well, no. Apparently my lenses were special order, and would be in in 12/14 days. Since I was honestly in no hurry to get glasses, I was okay with that. Until the next day. I saw TWO charges of a couple hundred dollars pending out of my account. One amount was for my transaction, and the other was a mystery. I waited another day and saw it was now debited from my account- the odd total and the new one. Both by LC Int. or whatever they''re called. I called the store and they said sometimes that happens to validate a credit card. Well, it was a DEBIT card. So I argued that it was in fact, no longer pending, and printed out the transaction report and brought it in. They argued with me. Many times.

"It''ll come out when the bank realizes the error", they told me. Well, a week passed (still no glasses) and I called back to let them know the errant transaction was still debited from my account. They then asked me to bring another copy of the transaction and my receipt and they''ll see what happened. Well, DH and I went in and they argued that it wasn''t their error and sorry! I was so fed up I left. DH came back the next day, and spoke to a few people, went to the head guy and demanded they credit my account for that error, but ALSO a refund. Well, it worked, Turns out they had "accidentally" charged MY account for someone else''s glasses, which were ALSO charged to that persons LC credit card. So basically they got paid twice for them. DH still insists it was someone''s way to get a little extra cash.

Yeah, they suck hard. I did end up picking up those glasses, though. Hey, they were already in!

 

[bee*]

Wow what bad customer services! I''d definitely write to their head office or somewhere like that. The way that they''re treating you is rubbish! Glad that the new place were nice!

 

[Steel]

Yikes

.

Why do people behave so badly. I think you managed it very well, I might have blown a fuse.

 

[Italiahaircolor]

Date: 1/21/2009 4:46:17 PM
Author: DiamanteBlu
Get your prescription from them and have it filled somewhere else - preferably a nice privately owned shop with cool frames that appreciates your business. And - make sure you ask for progressive lenses instead of bifocals.

I did get the progressive lenses...I would have died having true bifocals. The new shop wasn''t privately owned...but I got nice frames...So, in the end, it was a win.

 

[Italiahaircolor]

Date: 1/21/2009 5:03:03 PM
Author: AmberWaves
I can honestly tell you that I HATE LC! I had to get bifocals (at 25) due to cataract surgery when I was 19. I went there because I was like, hey, no problem- get ''em in an hour! Well, no. Apparently my lenses were special order, and would be in in 12/14 days. Since I was honestly in no hurry to get glasses, I was okay with that. Until the next day. I saw TWO charges of a couple hundred dollars pending out of my account. One amount was for my transaction, and the other was a mystery. I waited another day and saw it was now debited from my account- the odd total and the new one. Both by LC Int. or whatever they''re called. I called the store and they said sometimes that happens to validate a credit card. Well, it was a DEBIT card. So I argued that it was in fact, no longer pending, and printed out the transaction report and brought it in. They argued with me. Many times.

''It''ll come out when the bank realizes the error'', they told me. Well, a week passed (still no glasses) and I called back to let them know the errant transaction was still debited from my account. They then asked me to bring another copy of the transaction and my receipt and they''ll see what happened. Well, DH and I went in and they argued that it wasn''t their error and sorry! I was so fed up I left. DH came back the next day, and spoke to a few people, went to the head guy and demanded they credit my account for that error, but ALSO a refund. Well, it worked, Turns out they had ''accidentally'' charged MY account for someone else''s glasses, which were ALSO charged to that persons LC credit card. So basically they got paid twice for them. DH still insists it was someone''s way to get a little extra cash.

Yeah, they suck hard. I did end up picking up those glasses, though. Hey, they were already in!

What a GD nightmare! I bet the slacker clerk who made that mistake took money from the drawer, and debited your account to smooth over the missing money.

I''m happy things worked out for you...and that you got glasses you liked....

 

[Italiahaircolor]

Bee and Steel, I am writing the letter in between typing these responses...

 

[princesss]

Italia, I''m glad you''re writing a letter and that you''re using a different place.

I can''t tell you how much bad customer service like that steams me up. Maybe because that''s what I do (I''m a customer service rep for a shipping company), but I have NO patience for bad service. I''m all about catching flies with honey, but I am not afraid to kick up a fuss and take it straight to the top.

I''m glad that you''re writing to the company. I hope you get a suitably apologetic response.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 1/21/2009 4:40:18 PM
Author: Italiahaircolor
It just keeps getting worse and worse...


So, because I am going through insurance, I have a slightly limited store selection I can visit to get new glasses. I finally settled on a nice local place, where they were very friendly and helpful...(and I selected cute glasses, btw)...so, as we are closing the deal we find out that the original store in the maul never ''released'' my insurance, so basically it looks like I just got my glasses last night

when in reality, that never happened.


The new store was apologetic, I was humilated and enraged...I called the maul store and asked to speak with a manager...and guess who answers the phone...yep, the A-HOLE from last night. I briskly explained that I needed him to call and release my insurance...he, very flipantly, told me to ''have the other store do it'' and proceded to laugh at me saying that he has to do similar things all day long, and he doesn''t have the time. If I could have gone through the phone line and strangled him, I would have---I promise!!!! He didn''t have time? Are you fing kidding me....like I had the time to f'' around last night at mall waiting for his flunky assistant to break my $400.00 glasses. I guess when you''re making minimum wage you get to do minimum work. UGH


Anyway, I thanked him---for nothing, and hung up...I plan to write a strongly worded letter to corporate.


The new store called and had my insurance released. I will be the not-so-proud owner of bifocals on Friday (crossing my fingers).


Oy Vey.

OMG are you SERIOUS???

Definitely write an angry letter - I''d be so mad.

HUGS - sorry you have to go through all of this trouble!

 

[Italiahaircolor]

here was my letter to Lenscrafters:

____

To Whom It May Concern,

I am extremely disappointed with my recent visit to your Aurora Illinois location. First of all, the doctor was wonderful--and although I wish I could continue an ongoing relationship with her, I feel that the rest of my visit -- which was all negative -- far outweighs the good.

I found your staff to be terribly unhelpful, and disinterested.

My visit was as follows...

After my eye exam, I selected the frames for my new glasses. I then took a seat in the waiting area for approximately 25 minutes and was told by the sales associate that she had "forgotten" about me. She finally lead me to her desk area, she sat me there for another 30 minutes while she proceded to talk about "wanting to take her break" with a fellow co-worker, and helping other customers who had arrived after me and weren't left waiting nearly as long as I was. During this time another sales associate was simply sitting at her desk doing nothing, so I asked if she would by chance be available to help me, her response was that she was "trying to get up on out of there for the night"...and then proceeded to go back to sitting around and doing nothing.

Finally, my original sales associate returned to help me and kept having to get up and retrieve things she needed to finish the process which I found to be unprofessional and annoying.

I was finally able to place and pay for my order, and was told to return at 8:45 that evening for my glasses. So, I left the store and with all the intention of returning an hour later.

When I did return, a man that I assume was the manager came out to meet with me (snapping and popping his gum the whole while) and explained that the frames I selected (Versace) had snapped in half during the process, and they would order me another pair which would arrive in approximately 10 business days. I shared with him that that was in fact "not good enough" and I wanted a full refund, and I would simply go elsewhere for glasses. I was upset, and shared this with him, as well as the fact that I was double angry that no one even bothered to call me and let me know that this happened...that I had literally wasted an hour waiting for something that had broken 10 minutes after I left the store. He tried for several more minutes to convince me otherwise and honestly, had the customer service intially been better I may have been convinced to wait it out and order the new pair...but at this point I was beyond annoyed and completely fed up. Never apologizing for the inconvience, he refunded my card, and I left the store with my prescription.

The following morning I visited another eye glass store to have my prescription filled, and upon checking out found that the man I had dealt with the previous evening had not "released" my insurance. I was outraged. Clearly, I believe this should have been taken care of last night after the tech broke the frames. When I called Lenscrafters, I asked to speak with a manager and when I explained the problem, the man I spoke with *laughed* at me and told me to "have the other store take care of the problem". Absolutely unacceptable, in my opinion. Your store was the one to make the mistake that set forth the problems, ergo it should have been the managers responsibility to handle and to make it right without further inconviencing me or anyone else. I found his attitude to be completely flipant, and unresponsive...I am completely disgusted with the level of professional consideration that is expressed within that location of Lenscrafters.

In closing, I plan on never returning to Lenscrafters, at any time for any reason no matter the location, I simply cannot trust the training which you provide your staff to meet my expectations. I have already posted several reviews of my experience on different boards and sites, and hopefully will spare someone else from running into the same insubordination. I am embarassed for your company that you would intrust people of such a low calibur to care for someones vision. I hope you take into consideration that customer service is customer service...and I don't care if you're buying a can of soup or a Range Rover, people deserve to be treated well and with care regardless.

Thank you for your time,
Ashley