Has the recession improved service?

I haven't noticed anything specific, but now you've mentioned it I'll keep my eye out for it! I'm a stickler for good service.

Saying that, I was in Specsavers the other day - which I'm pretty loathe to do, but needs must on this particular day - and I was pleasantly surprised to find that they are as crap as ever.

Thing with laser surgery is the prices on the adverts are usually if you're eyesight is only a little wonky. If they're completely screwed like mine then you're probably going to pay an obscene amount of money.

As for Specsavers... grr. I swore never again a couple of years ago when they shoved me through their store like I was at a cattle auction. But my wife booked in an appointment, I was getting headaches from using my PC so I asked her if she could try and get me in at the same time. She could, but when we turned up they had no record of my appointment (it was made that morning).

They said they could still squeeze me in, so we went and sat down. I began to get worried when people started sitting in the waiting area after we were meant to be seen were called first. We went to check and were told "oh, so you did want the appointment then? You didn't come back to confirm so we assumed you had left". Yes, we expressed thanks at you 'squeezing us in' then went and sat in the waiting area just across from the reception desk for a laugh.

I had been out of work for way too long so paid for my just my eye test and left. This was always the plan - my wife and I were planning on buying online but realised that for designer specs they're not actually much cheaper (more on that later).

I realised that Specsavers was actually going to be cheaper for what I wanted (designers specs and some sunglasses too) so under duress I went into a different store the next day as I was in that area for work. Having used Vision Express before (great service if a little more expensive) and was amazed when they told me that it would take TWO weeks to get my glasses ready.

What the hell do they do??? Hand file the lenses to just the right prescription????

Even worse, I was told "this is the date [Thursday 4th, so I'll have to try and fit voting in too] they should be in, we won't call you unless they're going to be delayed. Though to be honest, they're likely to be ready on the Monday so feel free to give us a call and see if they're ready"

My problems with this:

1) I'm waiting on a prescription as my eyes are getting strained. Surely good service would be to get in touch when they're ready?

2) I'm waiting ages. What's the harm in letting me know if they're ready sooner? I'm likely to forget the ridiculously long wait and think "wow! They turned them around quicker!"

3) I've just spent £185 in their store. I expect at least a phone call for parting with my cash if what I've spent my money on is available

4) I understand that calling might be a wee bit prohibitive. So can I suggest a text message system? Come on Specsavers, you're a national company! Get with the times

Back to designer specs (I did this as a new post to break my rant up a little!)

My current pair, from Vision Express, was the first time I splashed out on designer specs. Before I thought it was just a frivolity. But they have impressed me - no other pair of glasses have lasted me this long with no problems. I'm planning on getting new lenses in these so I have a spare pair as they are still going strong.

On the other hand, you should see what wife's current glasses....

And these haven't had an easy ride - pulled off by my son, I woke up just this morning lying on them in bed, and they've even survived a skydive when my goggles flew off at 125mph....

You pay a bit more, but I think they last a lot longer and if you look out for deals you'll get two pairs for a reasonable price. You can even insure them if you're that worried.

But if you don't want to splash out, I recommend some online sites:

Glasses Direct coming soon
Glasses - Prescription Glasses, Designer Sunglasses and Reading Glasses for less | SpeckyFourEyes.com

And others. Cheap as chips, you can trial pairs for a week to find a style you like (although I'd just sneak into an opticians and try some on in there) and if you're not completely happy you can send them back, or with some sites, have a mobile optician visit your house to have a look at what's wrong.

Like I said, they don't seem any cheaper for designer frames (I presume that this is because they have a high unit price in the first place so not much margin to cut), but if you want other styles you simply cannot beat the price.

I wish I could answer yes! Yes! Yes! to Rachelle, but sadly it's a No! I was in Homebase t'other day and remarked to DH that you would never guess there was a financial crisis with high unemployment as we queued for ages while three members of staff worked on freeing a courtesy wheelchair from it's chains. When we were 'served', the staff member bantered loudly with a colleague as if we were all invisible. It was so rude. Pathetically all I did was my very best glower, but I should have said something. I am losing my touch!!

I too hate it when staff continue their discussion whilst you're stood there. One of my pet hates.

Just to confirm again that yes, Specsavers are crap.

Our local one is a 25 minute drive away. Mine were due in today, as were my wife's. Here's what has happened in the interim:

1) I called on Monday as advised by the lady who served me to see if they were in early. My current prescription is causing me problems using the PC, and when you work for an internet company who do all their business online (and therefore computers) that's a bit of an issue... I was made to feel like I was being unreasonable in doing this as the woman who answered huffed and puffed down the phone at me. I was told they weren't in, but my order said to call me as soon as they were in. So I dropped it.

2) My wife's were due in on Tuesday, but on Friday she got a call to say they were going to be delayed and would be in Thursday.

So in we both went today. Mine were ready but only one pair of my wife's were. We were told that the courier doesn't usually get there until 11am. I said that we would come back due to the drive, although we had to leave by 11:30am at the latest as I had to get her into work by 12pm.

After waiting they said again "no, they're not in yet". When my wife mentioned that we were told to come back around 11.30am the two girls behind the counter laughed and said "you're lucky if the courier gets her by 1pm".

And that was the tone - giggly laughter. They didn't seem to appreciate that we had waited around or driven a few miles to get there (and paid for parking). They kept saying 'you can just nip in any time' and didn't even apologise. It's a royal pain as I'll probably have to try and get her there on Saturday morning before she's due in work (and pay for more parking).

I have several issues with this crap service:

- Both my wife and I were told to nip in at any time on the due date (and we went in on separate days)
- I was supposedly going to be called as soon as they were available, but since they had both pairs in store this morning before the courier arrived obviously they were either in yesterday or even Tuesday
- It's that old bugbear of mine again - the lack of an apology. I feel aggrieved but I'm not demanding compensation, just that someone says "I know you've waited around and will have to drive all the way back here again - I do apologise". Instead, they think they're being helpful in saying we can simply pop by any time.

Crappy Specsavers service.

My saga with Specsavers carries on. Yesterday I was cleaning my glasses and noticed that both lenses were scratched. As my wife described it, it was almost as if I had tried cleaning them with sandpaper - there was hundreds of minute scratches all across the lens which were noticeable when you held it up to the light.

I was pretty annoyed with this for several reasons - the lenses are meant to be scratch resistant, and further more I had had the anti-reflective coating added, which was meant to make them harder wearing as well. In the week I had had them I had been extremely careful with them - they 'sleep' in a glasses case at night, and I've only used Specsavers' own cleaning solution and cloth, so wasn't best pleased with this.

And then this morning the lens fell out. Maybe Specsavers have got something against me.

So back into town I went today, and after the assistant had refitted the lenses she said "if it happens again let us know and we'll replace them completely", which I was quite pleased with. I then pointed out the scratches. I admit, what I was expecting was for them to state that they would need to send the glasses off to be refitted. I would have to refuse this request, because I am completely blind without them and to only use sunglasses for two weeks would be unfeasible.

So I was pleasantly surprised when there and then she stated "it looks like a fault with one of the coatings - I'll order two new lenses in and we'll fit them in the store".

So I went from annoyed to pretty happy - I'm easily pleased like that. I love service recovery.

I am personally of the opinion that the recession has improved the service as well as worsened it. In some shops they are now very friendly but others who where friendly before the recession started are now unfriendly. I guess it depends on if your job is secure or not. All in all I do not think that much changed maybe there has been a shift.