19-03-2012, 06:56 PM
As with any service, I think there are two issues that affect the quality of service - firstly, the company ethos and secondly, the individual that serves you. As to this latter point, there are two facets - their training, experience and competence, and secondly, their approach to customers, (or in the case of an optician, as with a dentist or doctor, the 'patient'). We've gone to Dolland and Achieson for many years, simply because the optician we see is first class in every respect. On one occasion when she was on maternity leave I saw another optician and I couldn't get on with the lenses he prescribed, which were worse than my old specs that they were replacing. Shortly afterwards out regular optician had returned to work from leave so I asked her to check my eyes. To cut a long story short, I ended up with new free specs which were perfect.
Were it not for this particular optician I probably wouldn't go into D&A - all their shops look badly in need of refurbishment, both internally and externally - worn carpets, faded shop fronts, almost looking like a firm about to go out of business. I wasn't aware that Boots had taken them over. I get suspicious about firms that promote themselves aggressively as Specsavers do because the eye test is a 'sprat to catch a mackerel'. For health reasons I have an annual eye test in addition to retinal screening and when I went recently, my optician said 'your prescription is fine - you don't need new specs'. I wonder what the chances are of that happening at Specsavers, where I suspect that even the slightest change would result in a recommendation for new specs.
If the optician says you need new specs, they know they're on a winner because most 'patients' (customers really) will acquiesce and choose new specs there and then, and few will want the basic NHS specs, so they try to get you to 'trade up' to more expensive frames, coated lenses, etc. At D&A, (In Hull anyway) the opticians aren't involved in any aspect of selling - they just had you the prescription and it's up to you what you do with it.
Setting aside what we may think of Specsavers or perceive them to be, it seems to me that optical services are about the only part of the NHS that works really well and speedily. Consider this:
If I was in a shopping Mall one Sunday morning and was a bit concerned about an aspect of my health and felt I should have a free NHS health check, so I walked into an establishment without an appointment where I had a test that indicated that I needed some specialised equipment, and that if I chose the equipment then got on with my shopping and returned two hours later to collect the equipment, and that both the test and the equipment was free of charge on the NHS, I think that would seem pretty amazing.
I've just described a trip to Specsavers!
Were it not for this particular optician I probably wouldn't go into D&A - all their shops look badly in need of refurbishment, both internally and externally - worn carpets, faded shop fronts, almost looking like a firm about to go out of business. I wasn't aware that Boots had taken them over. I get suspicious about firms that promote themselves aggressively as Specsavers do because the eye test is a 'sprat to catch a mackerel'. For health reasons I have an annual eye test in addition to retinal screening and when I went recently, my optician said 'your prescription is fine - you don't need new specs'. I wonder what the chances are of that happening at Specsavers, where I suspect that even the slightest change would result in a recommendation for new specs.
If the optician says you need new specs, they know they're on a winner because most 'patients' (customers really) will acquiesce and choose new specs there and then, and few will want the basic NHS specs, so they try to get you to 'trade up' to more expensive frames, coated lenses, etc. At D&A, (In Hull anyway) the opticians aren't involved in any aspect of selling - they just had you the prescription and it's up to you what you do with it.
Setting aside what we may think of Specsavers or perceive them to be, it seems to me that optical services are about the only part of the NHS that works really well and speedily. Consider this:
If I was in a shopping Mall one Sunday morning and was a bit concerned about an aspect of my health and felt I should have a free NHS health check, so I walked into an establishment without an appointment where I had a test that indicated that I needed some specialised equipment, and that if I chose the equipment then got on with my shopping and returned two hours later to collect the equipment, and that both the test and the equipment was free of charge on the NHS, I think that would seem pretty amazing.
I've just described a trip to Specsavers!
Regards, David.
BVWS Member.
G-QRP Club Member 1339.
'I'm in my own little world, but I'm happy, and they know me here'
BVWS Member.
G-QRP Club Member 1339.
'I'm in my own little world, but I'm happy, and they know me here'
