I know it’s our company strapline, but it really is so true.
On Sunday I went to get my eyes tested. I specifically looked for a store that did a one hour service. If I have to go on the road without my glasses my license is no longer valid and I am driving illegally. I needed my bi annual eye test, and knew that the service I required was the premium service and that I would have to pay extra for the glasses to be made to my prescription, so I went to Vision Express in Basildon.
They fitted me in and then did the testing. I needed new glasses so I chose them and then paid for them. After paying, the one hour premium service I was told would take two hours. Ok, so I took the family for a walk around Basildon.
I went back 2 hours later and got my glasses. They looked ok and I was happy until I tried them on. They didn’t fit over the ears and the lens didn’t look right. I queried the ear fitting and they were adjusted but they didn’t seem quite right. I had also bought a pair of driving glasses and were having them tinted for driving in the summer, so I said I would come back to collect the sunglasses on Tuesday. I also queried the bill, it appears I have been charged an additional £44 for services.
I asked what the services were, it’s only fair I had paid for them and I was told it was for the case. Expensive case and I had no choice, I had to pay it. I left the shop unhappy, the glasses did not feel right and I felt some what disturbed that a generic glasses case is ‘services’ and just added to my bill with no explanation.
When I got home I examined the glasses closer, the workmanship was shoddy and the lens were wonky. I need the glasses for driving, so I had to go back on Monday.
On Monday Vision Express admitted the lens were wonky and that was why they didn’t fit over the ears, slid down my nose etc. They would replace them. They were happy to blame someone called Adam. They made a few phone calls and said could I come back Tuesday for the new glasses as they were out of stock on one of the lens. I wasn’t happy, this is the one hour premium service that I had bought here –
- Only it wasn’t one hour, it was two
- I was only informed of that after I had paid
- I was now having to come to Basildon to have shoddy workmanship corrected
- I was now having to come back a third time
Vison Express Basildon is apparently a franchise, well they need to look at their operations manual again – their delivery is appalling. They must be the worst retailers on the high street, they have turned getting glasses from a sprint into a marathon.
Tuesday I went back to the store and they had the glasses, the lens replaced after a 30 minute wait and then asked to come back. I returned 90 mins later to find my new glasses were still wonky, they had a bent bridge, but after waiting 30 minute more I was invited back to the store on Wednesday.
Let’s get this straight, premium service that so far still cannot deliver after 2 days what I paid for. What I have received is shoddy glasses, poorly made and asked to take more time off of work to get a pair of glasses that I need to drive. Vision Express must feel somewhat guilty they offered me another pair of glasses to the value of £60 to be made up. How do I know how long it will take me to get a decent second pair? I already have a tinted pair! How many more do I need? And I don’t want to be paying an extra £40 for a case for the ‘glasses to make up for the crap I have had to put up with’
I am not going back to the store until Saturday, you see they now have to get a new frame from Chatham as Thurrock didnt have one the same frame. Some premium service this is turning out to be. No courier service to deliver the frames between stores, so I have to wait. They also have to wait for me, I am not taking another day off of work just so they can sort out their business practices.
Don’t promise a premium service and then fail to deliver it, the difference is in the delivery.
Kevin
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