Specsavers..save your money and spend it elsewhere! (Specsavers Opticians)

Member Name: Pooky73

Product:	Specsavers Opticians
Date:	02/08/09 (130 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Optometrist was great.

Disadvantages: Sales team were far to wrapped up in their evening plans.

That time again for an bi-annual eye test. A new branch of Specsavers has just opened in my town, a special offer inticed me in.

After a rain soaked walk, I popped in an hour early on the off chance that they'd have some cancellations and be able to fit me in early, which after much tutting and sighing, they said they could.

I was taken to the pre-test area where several tests were done, these were carried out with the use of some space age looking machine into which I was asked to "place my face". I was told to expect "a small puff of air into each eye, please try not to blink or move", easier said than done as it's not the most natrual feeling in the world. Several other tests were carried out where I was told to "look there" or "don't move", nothing was explained and I really did feel as if I'd inconvenienced the entire work force by arriving early.

The eye test itself was a breeze, the optometrist was chatty and polite, he explained each and every thing that he did and made sure I was comfy and relaxed throughout the entire time, full marks to him.

A prescription was needed and I was asked to choose some glasses, in the mean time all 5 members of staff stood around discussing their evening plans, I had to actually wait for them to stop their conversation before I could ask for further help. The glasses I'd chosen were from the £25 range and boasted "£25 for frame and lenses", I was happy with that, or so I thought.

I was taken to another area of the shop and was told that the glasses I'd picked, mixed with the prescription I needed would be too heavy and that I'd need thinner lenses, ok I thought, here we go. The thinner lenses were £30 but they wouldn't be good enough and it was suggested that the extra thin ones would be better at a cost of £60 on top of the £25 for the frames (which did include lenses at the start but no discount could be made for the fact that I only wanted the frames as I needed different lenses ) Before I knew it I was told that the whole thing would only be £125 including lens treatment and eye test. I asked to see what the size difference between lenses would be so that I could compare for myself, after much huffing and puffing the member of staff reluctantly went to get sampels of each for me to see. She came back with one...not great for comparison.

I explained that I'd have to go away and have a good think before spending that sort of money, to which I was told "but it's only......."

So to sum up the experience.

The shop was clean and tidy, all the displays seemed full and the prices were clearly visable at the top of each stand. Lots of mirrors, all clean. The seating area was tidy, as was the desk.

The staff all seemed to be wearing different variations of the uniform, some had name badges, some didn't, none of them looked particularly well groomed and I had to quell the urge to take a comb to one young blokes hair. The optometrist was very smart in a suit.

The pre-test checks felt rushed and I really wasn't aware of what I was doing or why. The after test sales patter felt tired and bored, I wasn't informed of any other offers that were available and really felt as though I was being pushed through quickly so that the member of staff in question could get back to the discussion about the evenings shinnanigans.

Over-all a real let down from what is supposed to be one of the big players in the optical industry.

Summary: I won't bother going back, I expect so much better.