Lenscrafters no true prices bait and switch ripoff Avon Connecticut

This is right back at JW. It is a fact that the person in question, Mark, was so upset that he was moved to respond negatively to Lenscrafters in this public forum.

It is a fact that the person in question either did not see the prices listed, understand the pricing structure or is just lying and going out of their way to discredit Lenscrafters (I do not believe this last case).

Fact I do go into Lenscrafters, Pearle and other optical outlets in my area to verify the prices, customer service and quality of work. This is a must in today's competitive market. As a business owner it gives me valuble insight and education into the good as well as the bad.

Fact, I have found very good sales associates and horrible sales associates in many of these stores. In more than one case in the same exact store.

Fact, mistakes happen.In our business as you are well aware, (you, Jw, being in the field for 12 years), the idea is not only to get the initial sale, but follow with great service for repeat business. This will generate first and fore-most great will for the company and as an added perk multi thousands of dollars in the next 10 years of repeat business.

I am sure the company donates a lot of time for very charitable causes as probably Mark, who has these grievances probably does also. What charities we support, all of us really has no bearing to this conversation. That is personal and private, and shouldn't be used to deflect the real conversation.

What you failed to mention is the education of the patient (what you call a customer) is paramount to avoiding just these types of situations. A patient who is upset enough to write a disparaging letter to this format and who knows where else, was not treated properly.

Fact, if Mark actually, took the time to respond to a situation where he felt taken, do you as a Lenscrafter's employee believe this situation was handled properly.

Fact, I feel strongly when it is apparent that any person or persons feels violated in any optical format. It is our job to take care of the health of the patient's eyes first and everything else is secondary. The health of the patient includes a well educated patient, whom can make informed decisions on options that can either protect their eyes like Ultraviolet protection or Scratch Coatings which will add life to the lenses.

Fact, the bad press that lenscrafters has recieved from just this story probably could have been averted. Mark, probably will not be going back to Lenscrafter's.
Jw-do you think this patient is not going to tell everyone he know's how Lenscrafter's screwed him (whether true or not) the damage is done.

Fact, I do not believe Lenscrafter's as a company purposefully, led Mark's family down this road. I do believe, either untrained or uncaring employees of Lenscrafter's turned this into a situation that has no winning side for the company. I believe that whoever was Mark's sales associate did not properly explain the details and did not diffuse the situation and it became a problem.

Fact, I was just in Lenscrafter's before I wrote this and there is no package prices in plain view. I had to ask what the warranties were and the sales associate did not even ask any questions of me to determine what type of lenses I wanted (E.G. do you fish?, are you rough with your glasses? Do you need sunglasses?)

Fact, One of my best friends is a Lenscrafter's employee and he never once mentioned how great he is for giving to charity!

Fact, the customer is almost never right-what's the difference. If the patient know's up front all the options and costs these problems will go away. If the cost is to high the patient will go somewhere else. I understand that you need to "balance" your companie's needs. That balance should not make a consumer this irate. If a company can not bend to a patient's needs in an instance like this than don't you think there may be a problem with the training the company gives. Unless you believe that Mark is either lying or so misinformed that he has not tried to resolve this problem before writing to this forum.

This is in response to Doug. First of all, know your facts before you decide if employee attitides are cavalier.

The package price is listed for everyone to see with a disclaimer stating no coupons or other discounts are included. HOW DO YOU KNOW THE EMPLOYEES ARE NOT INFORMING CUSTOMERS ON PRICES AND ADVANTAGES OF LENSES AND OTHER PRODUCTS? YOU DON'T WORK THERE. THE FACT THAT YOU ASSUME CUSTOMERS ARE NOT BEING INFORMED SHOW YOUR NAIVITY. The customer could've been misinformed or misunderstood. Mistakes can and will happen. Anyone who works in the retail business knows,sometimes the customer isn't ALWAYS right, just most of the time they are. There is a fine line in balancing your company's needs and your customer's happiness. Lenscrafters strives to do both.

I have worked at Lenscrafters for 12 years . I am proud of the company and their commitment to customer service. I believe I can explain correctly how employees handle their relationships with their customers.

The company and EMPLOYEES donate their FREE time and energy by producing and gving away thousands of glasses a year. No company is perfect, but Lenscrafters is consistently trying to work on improving the quality of customer service within their community.

That is all I ask for with any company I myself deal with. If I felt Lenscrafters was being dishonest with customers would leave my job. I can always get another job with my experience and contacts in the optical business. I honestly believe Lenscraters is the best.

This is in response to Doug. First of all, know your facts before you decide if employee attitides are cavalier.

The package price is listed for everyone to see with a disclaimer stating no coupons or other discounts are included. HOW DO YOU KNOW THE EMPLOYEES ARE NOT INFORMING CUSTOMERS ON PRICES AND ADVANTAGES OF LENSES AND OTHER PRODUCTS? YOU DON'T WORK THERE. THE FACT THAT YOU ASSUME CUSTOMERS ARE NOT BEING INFORMED SHOW YOUR NAIVITY. The customer could've been misinformed or misunderstood. Mistakes can and will happen. Anyone who works in the retail business knows,sometimes the customer isn't ALWAYS right, just most of the time they are. There is a fine line in balancing your company's needs and your customer's happiness. Lenscrafters strives to do both.

I have worked at Lenscrafters for 12 years . I am proud of the company and their commitment to customer service. I believe I can explain correctly how employees handle their relationships with their customers.

The company and EMPLOYEES donate their FREE time and energy by producing and gving away thousands of glasses a year. No company is perfect, but Lenscrafters is consistently trying to work on improving the quality of customer service within their community.

That is all I ask for with any company I myself deal with. If I felt Lenscrafters was being dishonest with customers would leave my job. I can always get another job with my experience and contacts in the optical business. I honestly believe Lenscraters is the best.

This is in response to Doug. First of all, know your facts before you decide if employee attitides are cavalier.

The package price is listed for everyone to see with a disclaimer stating no coupons or other discounts are included. HOW DO YOU KNOW THE EMPLOYEES ARE NOT INFORMING CUSTOMERS ON PRICES AND ADVANTAGES OF LENSES AND OTHER PRODUCTS? YOU DON'T WORK THERE. THE FACT THAT YOU ASSUME CUSTOMERS ARE NOT BEING INFORMED SHOW YOUR NAIVITY. The customer could've been misinformed or misunderstood. Mistakes can and will happen. Anyone who works in the retail business knows,sometimes the customer isn't ALWAYS right, just most of the time they are. There is a fine line in balancing your company's needs and your customer's happiness. Lenscrafters strives to do both.

I have worked at Lenscrafters for 12 years . I am proud of the company and their commitment to customer service. I believe I can explain correctly how employees handle their relationships with their customers.

The company and EMPLOYEES donate their FREE time and energy by producing and gving away thousands of glasses a year. No company is perfect, but Lenscrafters is consistently trying to work on improving the quality of customer service within their community.

That is all I ask for with any company I myself deal with. If I felt Lenscrafters was being dishonest with customers would leave my job. I can always get another job with my experience and contacts in the optical business. I honestly believe Lenscraters is the best.

This is in response to Doug. First of all, know your facts before you decide if employee attitides are cavalier.

The package price is listed for everyone to see with a disclaimer stating no coupons or other discounts are included. HOW DO YOU KNOW THE EMPLOYEES ARE NOT INFORMING CUSTOMERS ON PRICES AND ADVANTAGES OF LENSES AND OTHER PRODUCTS? YOU DON'T WORK THERE. THE FACT THAT YOU ASSUME CUSTOMERS ARE NOT BEING INFORMED SHOW YOUR NAIVITY. The customer could've been misinformed or misunderstood. Mistakes can and will happen. Anyone who works in the retail business knows,sometimes the customer isn't ALWAYS right, just most of the time they are. There is a fine line in balancing your company's needs and your customer's happiness. Lenscrafters strives to do both.

I have worked at Lenscrafters for 12 years . I am proud of the company and their commitment to customer service. I believe I can explain correctly how employees handle their relationships with their customers.

The company and EMPLOYEES donate their FREE time and energy by producing and gving away thousands of glasses a year. No company is perfect, but Lenscrafters is consistently trying to work on improving the quality of customer service within their community.

That is all I ask for with any company I myself deal with. If I felt Lenscrafters was being dishonest with customers would leave my job. I can always get another job with my experience and contacts in the optical business. I honestly believe Lenscraters is the best.

I have been in the eyecare business for over 20 years and I own an operate a wholesale optical business(www.wohloptics.com)

. I am appalled at the cavalier attitude of some of these lenscrafters workers. The consumer gave a mild rx, probably the 1st script for the child.

First of all the Harry Potter collection is purchased from Logo. Logo icludes a Harry Potter case with each of it's frames. In regards to a cloth it is a nice feature but let's get real, a child will lose or ruin the cloth in a matter of weeks. Rinsing the lenses and a clean cotton cloth work as good as anything else.The Lenscrafters employees failed to educate this consumer on the advantages and disadvantages of polycarbonate lenses. As well as the pricing structure they use. It is not up to the consumer to figure their way through the eyecare expierience it is up to us, the optician to guide the consumer in the right direction by asking questions of their lifestyle and how responsible the child is?

Second, the prices should be listed for the consumer to see, if not the consumer should ask what is the price and what is the discount.

Third, employees praising the discount price of polycarbonate lenses whether they be standard or 1.2 centers are crazy. The cost of these lenses are significantly lower. The true difference in cost between CR-39 plastic and polycarbonate is 1-2 dollars. And they already block UV and have a scratch coating. These lenses can be sold for $80 and a good profit would be made. These lenses are standard for not only children but also anyone who is sports oriented.

The one thing they probably did not tell you is polycarbonate can scratch easier due to a soft surface, but that is a small price to pay for the protection of your child's eyes.

I am very pleased to hear what Patrick from Phoenix has to say. I have been employed with LensCrafters for about four years now. And I can honestly say I work for an awesome company. I also agree that your son should have been given a case, but as for everything else.....there is a point where you are asking for too much. I am also glad that Patrick mentioned our Gift of Sight program because it is a great program that demonstrates how much LensCrafters does care about people. The way it works is like this. As an employee, you can apply to go on a mission overseas. You don't have any idea where you are going until they tell you. This can be very scary at a time like the present, given our military presence in Iraq and the fact that there are many countries which disagree with it. My retail manager is in Thailand right now, where the Bird Flu is breaking out. She is on one of the companies biggest missions. They are donating at least 60,000 pairs of glasses in about 3 weeks. Of these three weeks, the Lenscrafters employees only get one day off, and they work 14 hours a day, giving glasses to those who need them. Just yesterday, a gentlemen came in our store with his son who had been given glasses for free through the Gift of Sight. His son had broken the frame and there is no guarantee on free glasses. As I was debating what to do, the man replied "You guys HAVE to fix them". Although, the unappreciative comment made me angry, I still asked a manager and we gave his son another set of free glasses. So....in essence, Lenscrafters is a company who truly cares about helping people and that is the real reason they gave you the discount after all, not because of an ADMISSION OF GUILT, as you call it. The company has nothing to be guilty of!

Mark,

AAA is not used as a Bait and switch. Ask yourself why? Why would LC do that? In fact Mark, AAA is often going to be your best deal. You recieve 30% off you total purchase. That could save you $100's. What incentive does LC have to bait you in with AAA then switch you to a different discount.
Question: Do you even know what Bait and Switch means?

OK,
You are correct, and have every right to question an organizations pricing/discounts. However, it seems to me, that you have simply been mis-informed. And instead of being polite and kindly asking questions, you feel the need to express you resentment toward LC and scar their reputation.

Lets set the record strait. Lenscrafters goes above and beyond to offer children, not just a quality product, but at a discounted price. They have a program called Gift Of Sight, where they donate not just the eyewear, but countless hours of volunteers, who travel the world to help people see. Alone, LC donates thousands upon thousands of eyeglasses a year.

Ok, you had someone misinformed you. We are all human and we make mistakes.

Now, as for what you purchased from LC. Childrens lenses are packaged at a discounted rate to be sold with frames. These lenses are marked 50% off retail value, that of which you and I would pay for the same product. Children either recieve Featherwate or Featherwate Plus Polycarbonate Lenses. These Lenses are recomended for children under the age of 18, however LC offers them for 79.98 to children under 12. They do this knowing how ruff children came be with eyewear and it helps the consumer "you". The $79.98 is then added to the cost of your frame purchase to make a "package". However, it is up to the discretion of the store, namely the manager, as to wethere or not they will apply any additional discounts to the purchase. Because, Lenscrafters policy specifically states, that coupons, packaged deals and insurance cannot be combined. AAA in an insurance. LC uses this discretion to help build business amogst its customers.

Now, since you are begging...lets do the math. Your sons lenses: $79.98. Frame $99.00. Total=178.98. This is your total "Packaged deal". Now lets look at what you would have paid had you not received a discount. lenses for a -1.oo Sphere OD/OS $169.98. Frame $99.00 Total: $268.98

WOW, I think that is a $90 dollar difference.
And since you might be wondering if AAA (30%) would be better, well NO. It would only give you about a $80 dollar discount. As for the remainder of you package i.e. case. Yes, the should have given you an HP case, but under no circumstances do they ever give to anyone, even those who spend far more than $200, cleaning solution, cleaning cloths, or any other accessory. That is why they sell them.

Nevertheless Mark, had you simply asked an LC associate about the childrens packaged deal, I am confident they would had been more than happy to assist you in explaining the details. My only questions is why do you feel the need to seek out and tarnish an organization. You present to the public a false image of an organization simply because you are uneducated on a given subject. Had you been educated, then I assume you would had never felt compelled to write this complaint.

All I can hope for is as your son grows, may he be a Gryffindor, and not a Slytherin, as his father seems to be. Then again, I could just be uneducated about you.

I am an employee of Lenscrafters for 3 years. I am a retail supervisor, and pride myself on knowing company policy. I did not know that a AAA discount was allowed with the childrens pkg. We have always been told only one discount per transaction. New one on me and probably for the other associate in that transaction. whats the big deal. You got your second discount. Haven't you ever made a mistake

I am an employee of Lenscrafters for 3 years. I am a retail supervisor, and pride myself on knowing company policy. I did not know that a AAA discount was allowed with the childrens pkg. We have always been told only one discount per transaction. New one on me and probably for the other associate in that transaction. whats the big deal. You got your second discount. Haven't you ever made a mistake

I am an employee of Lenscrafters for 3 years. I am a retail supervisor, and pride myself on knowing company policy. I did not know that a AAA discount was allowed with the childrens pkg. We have always been told only one discount per transaction. New one on me and probably for the other associate in that transaction. whats the big deal. You got your second discount. Haven't you ever made a mistake

I am an employee of Lenscrafters for 3 years. I am a retail supervisor, and pride myself on knowing company policy. I did not know that a AAA discount was allowed with the childrens pkg. We have always been told only one discount per transaction. New one on me and probably for the other associate in that transaction. whats the big deal. You got your second discount. Haven't you ever made a mistake

Here is a follow up to my complaint:

First the AAA representative called Lenscrafters and was told after contacting Lenscrafters, the (fictitous) normal price was discounted as I related in my complaint and, we received MORE of a "discount" than we would have had we "used" the AAA card (nonsense!). BTW the child is 9 (that's under 12 where I live).

An eMail response from Lenscrafters received 2 days ago indicated "someone" would be in touch. Yesterday someone from the Lenscrafters store called my home indicating they had, in fact, "made a mistake" and that the "AAA 30% discount should have been applied" at the time of service and "could we have your MC card number" to give us the 54.00 refund.

Good Will OR AN ADMISSION of GUILT - It's still BAIT AND SWITCH in my book!

You are correct. The childrens package is polycarbonate lenses, which do cost 79.98. These lenses normally cost 169.98 for anyone over 12. The package is just that a $90 savings on lenses because children need to be put in polycarbonate lenses for safety reasons and Lenscrafters has a special package price. The child should of received a case and cleaning instructions and your AAA discount should be applied to the package price on lenses and the Harry Potter frame.

You are correct. The childrens package is polycarbonate lenses, which do cost 79.98. These lenses normally cost 169.98 for anyone over 12. The package is just that a $90 savings on lenses because children need to be put in polycarbonate lenses for safety reasons and Lenscrafters has a special package price. The child should of received a case and cleaning instructions and your AAA discount should be applied to the package price on lenses and the Harry Potter frame.

You are correct. The childrens package is polycarbonate lenses, which do cost 79.98. These lenses normally cost 169.98 for anyone over 12. The package is just that a $90 savings on lenses because children need to be put in polycarbonate lenses for safety reasons and Lenscrafters has a special package price. The child should of received a case and cleaning instructions and your AAA discount should be applied to the package price on lenses and the Harry Potter frame.