Appauling service and lack of follow up from Optical Express (Optical Express)

Member Name: wrightyi0

Product:	Optical Express
Date:	21/10/05 (3517 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: NONE

Disadvantages: Too many to list see review

Below is a copy of a letter sent to customer services which we are still awaiing a reply. After 6 weeks we again appraoched the store and was told that they had received the letter and will be passing it on to the area manager on Monday once he returned from his holiday.

THAT WAS OVER 3 MONYHS AGO!

After spending many years travelling to London and back to the 20 20 Optical Store to purchase both spectacles and contact lenses, I decided that it was time to try a local optician and chose to visit Optical Express in Central Milton Keynes.

BIG MISTAKE!!!

On my first visit I had an eye test, which was fine and had no real change in my prescription, and I then went to choose some new frames.

After choosing some frames very similar to those I already had, I was informed by a sales advisor that they were not suitable as I was short sighted. I am not short sighted, I am long sighted, my prescription being stronger that +6 in both eyes. After arguing this for several minutes with the advisor I was then told that I was in the wrong and that as an employee with Optical Express “I should know”.

As a spectacle wearer since the age of 2 years old and an ex employee of Specsavers surely I myself should know.

After going to Boots to have my prescription confirmed, I then returned to Optical Express to finish my purchase and let your incompetent member of staff know that as an employee at Optical Express he was in fact wrong.

I then had a consultation with the manager, an Asian lady who was very helpful and assured me that my lenses would be extremely thin and I would be very happy with them. This was my main concern as having such a high prescription means that unless I have specific lenses, I end up with very thick, heavy lenses which I am not happy wearing. I need to like my spectacles to actually wear them.

This is why I have always gone to the 20 20 Optical store in the past. Not only do you get exactly what you want in a very quick time, but also their customer service is impeccable.

After choosing expensive frames and purchasing Hoya lenses, I was told that my new spectacles would be ready within 10 days.

Two weeks later and still no call to say that they were ready, I visited the store to hear that they were going to take a little longer than expected.

When my spectacles finally turned up, they were nearly twice as thick as my original pair so I complained and new lenses were ordered. Another two plus weeks to wait and I did receive my new spectacles, which were satisfactory. I completed the sale and was told that as a gesture of goodwill I would receive 10% off my next purchase.

In September last year I had an accident which badly scratched one of the lenses, so knowing that I had the 10% off I decided to try again at Optical Express. When I entered the store the new store manager, Françoise, greeted me.

After finding my file and hearing about the previous problems I had, she assured me that the 10% was not a problem. She also informed me that all the previous staff had been sacked from the store because they were ”F*****g s**t” which I was obviously quite shocked at.

I informed Françoise that my new spectacles were being paid for through the house insurance and she then asked us to call the insurance company there and then to confirm how much they would pay. The number was obtained through directory enquiries and they confirmed a sum of £580 based on the price I paid for my last pair of spectacles plus an amount for inflation.

After choosing two pairs of new frames as there was a promotion on at the time, buy one get one free, the paper work was completed and it was agreed by myself that as my second pair of spectacles were going to have a standard lens, I would pay the difference on Pentax lenses.

After giving me the original10% discount plus several other discounts, apparently, the price to pay was almost £700.

After voicing my worries about the very high cost to Françoise, I was assured that insurance companies generally pay up to 20% above the agreed cost, however I still feel that the price was extremely excessive considering the frames were on a buy one get one free promotion.

The Spectacles were ordered and after waiting nearly three weeks for them, I went to collect them. When I arrived the staff could not find them anywhere so I was asked to come back later, which I did.

When I was handed the spectacles, one lens was thin and the other was twice as thick, yet when I pointed this out, I was told that this was normal and this was what I had ordered. I argued this out and another optician, Trevor Pilay agreed with me that this was not right.

Do staff not check such simple things before contacting customers?

Both pairs of spectacles were held while the problem was sorted out and another two weeks went by.

When I was next contacted to collect my spectacles, the lenses were badly scratched and sent back again.

This time I spoke to Françoise and told her that I was not very happy, as it seemed that nothing had changed with regards to the service both within Optical Express and with the outside suppliers. She was apologetic and promised to get it right next time. I was told to leave it with her, speak to her and her only from now on.

Another two weeks went by and again I was contacted to collect the spectacles, and again the lenses were badly scratched as well as the frame.

I asked to speak to Françoise and was told that she was not available. I demanded a refund and was told that this would not and could not be authorised.

I agreed to give one more chance but if I was not happy, I would be having a full refund on my next visit.

By the end of October, nearly nine weeks after I first ordered the spectacles, I finally received two pairs of spectacles. Francois was sitting in the store at this time and she saw me but not once did she acknowledge me or check to see that I was finally happy with my purchase.

All that was needed was for them to be fitted to my face correctly. One pair was absolutely fine, the other pair the advisor had a real problem fitting them and told me to work with them so I just left it at that.

After a few weeks the second pair of spectacles still didn’t feel right so I returned to the store only to find that they had moved. They attempted another refitting session, but I still feel that these frames are twisted, as they do not fit squarely on my face.

On Friday 24TH June one of the nose cushions broke on my Gucci spectacles so again I returned to have it repaired where I was informed that I had to go to Boots to have it repaired as Optical Express do not have screw in cushions.

So off I went to Boots where they informed me that they don’t like to touch other companies’ spectacles and could not understand why several customers from Optical Express were continuously being sent to them for repairs.

I did think it a bit odd in the first place.

When I returned to Optical Express, I explained the situation and the new manager then ordered me a pair of new nose cushions. Curiosity got the better of me and I asked where Françoise was.

The new store manager and a sales advisor informed me that she had been sacked for gross misconduct, not only from Optical Express but also from her next two jobs for falsifying information.

They then began to elaborate on what had actually been going on. To my understanding, it appears that Françoise has been overcharging customers for their purchases and insisting that they need to have very expensive extras (coatings, tints, anti-scratch etc.) on their spectacles as well as bumping up costs unnecessarily.

It appears that I have been one of her victims, so my question to you sir is where does this leave me?

I feel that I have been constantly, grossly mistreated, overcharged and left now with one pair of expensive glasses that are still not perfect and very tight around my ears.
The other pair waiting for new nose cushions.

What should I do? Do I go back to Optical Express and try to get them to fit these spectacles correctly or do I just put up with them until next time?

I really look forward to hearing from you.

Appauling management, untrained staff, lack of follow up, non-existant customer service and complete lack of area managers!

Don't go to these clowns, we now wish we hadn't.

Summary: Avoid Optical Express like the Plague!