Dolland and aithchinson made me cry !!

liz_uk

Well.. this nighmare has been going on since december.. I will try and give you the shortened version !

I had an eye test back in December. Optician recommended trying contact lenses - so i thought `why not`.. An appointment was made and lenses were ordered in for me.

Went in for appointment, no lenses. someone had forgotten to order them in. So they tried some that they had instore already, but I couldn`t see a thing as they were completely the wrong prescription! The optician said she`d order more in and that we can try as many as we like as it doesn`t cost D&A anything for trial lenses.

Another appointment was made, more lenses ordered in, went for the appointment and was at the desk, when the `receptionist`said to another lady `have you seen Miss T`s lenses` .. the woman said `oh I was supposed to ring her, they haven`t been ordered` I then said. well you don`t have to ring now, because I`m stood right here !!

The acting manager interveened and said `we will order you a couple of free pairs as way of an apology`. Mmm, I thought, having been told earlier that lenses are free to them !!

Went for next appointment, decided on lenses and signed up to the contact lense by post scheme. I said I`d like some glasses too, as if you sign up to the contact lense scheme you get 50% off.
The acting manager (manager resigned, so waiting for a new one!) could not be arsed with me, I`d previsouly chosen some glasses I liked, but they are supposed to do a `style eyes` personalised selection thingy to get a good idea of face shapes, styles etc. None of that was offered or talked about. She was to busy chatting.

Nearly 2 weeks had passed and I hadn`t heard anything for D&A. So I phoned them to see where said glasses and free contact lenses were.
Woman on phone said Glasses had been sent back as they had arrived faulty and it`d be another 2 week wait and had no idea what I was talking about in reference to free contacts. woman said that they were short staffed, hence why nobody had rang me.

By this point, I`d had enough..

I wrote a letter to Head office outlining problems and staff attitude, and sent it off last Thursday!

Tuesday morning I had a missed call but no message from D&A. So this morning, I popped in.

It was obvious as soon as I`d walked in the door that a copy of my letter had been sent to them.

I approached the desk and asked if my glasses had been delivered, to which the snotty woman replied `well have you had a telephone call`. I said that someone had tried calling but not left a message, She said `no there not here`. Then the acting manager said `her contacts are in her file`. Like I wasn`t even there !!

The snotty woman went off and 5 uncomfortable minutes later came back, handed me the contacts without eye contact and served someone else.

I walked out, and cried !!

The atmosphere in there was awful. the acting manager made no effort to speak to me. and I`m damned if I am going back there to pick up my glasses.

Head office have obviously passed my letter onto the store to deal with, but it`s not good enough.

What should I do now?? Am I getting annoyed for nothing !!

shelley_crow

write another letter to head office including what happened once they received your letter. Demand an personal explanation via phone call or letter as to why they think it is acceptable to treat customers in this manner. Include as well how you want someone from head office to contact you, the less further contact at store level the better! If can remember the names of the people who served you then even better.

My OH went to them a few years ago for glasses (he has a funny prescription). They charged him nearly £400 for eye tests, bog standard frames and the lenses. Once they broke at the end of last year, he went to specsavers. He got a free eye test, designer frames and the same lenses for £200.

Hope you receive a satisfactory response, don't rest until you get one. It is disgusting behaviour x

RadoJo

I agree that you should complain, but (and this isn't meant in a negative way) I would limit what you say about how you felt to short factual statements eg "I was annoyed that nobody had contacted me" rather than "they were so rude I cried". Not that I am saying you were wrong to be upset or that I wouldn't have done the same in that situation, but it is easier for them to address a complaint which gives clear facts about the problem, as it is too easy for someone to say 'You took it the wrong way' if there is a question of interpretation, but when they have the cold hard facts, there is no wriggle room for the staff to try and make excuses!

Hope that came out right - I just know that in the past I have written letters when I was annoyed, frustrated or upset, and reading them back it isn't clear what EXACTLY happened, and it can be easy to do when people have been so rude!

Sssssss

tricky one this, but writing back to head office aint goin to change nothing. All they seem to do is forward your letter to the store.

Why not go back and pick up your glasses, take someone with you and remain polite. If you are faced with the same indifferent service then stand your ground, maybe this is where you friend can help. Make sure other customers are aware of the delays, failed orders delays etc.
You'll walk out feeling awhole lot better.
Be strong.

soolin

I recently had cause to write a letter of complaint to D and A HQ and when I next went into my branch to tackle them about an ongoing problem the first thing they did was wave the letter at me and ask why I had reported them to HO.

I never ever did get a response from HO, but I did get a full refund of everything I had paid to D and A.

liz_uk

Thanks for your comments everyone.
Having slept on it, I`m alot calmer today !!

I phoned D&A customer care line yesterday, there was an answer machine, so left a message.. and guess what - they didn`t phone me back !!

I`ll be making sure that EVERYONE knows about whats happenned to me, and it does appear that I`m not the only one - when I started mentioning it to friends, they said that they have had similar rude customer service from them and thats why they now to go boots/vision express/specsavers !!

I will pick up my glasses with my head held high (and my partner in arm) .. and make sure that I make my feelings clear !

fedupconsumer

liz_uk wrote: »

Thanks for your comments everyone.
Having slept on it, I`m alot calmer today !!

I phoned D&A customer care line yesterday, there was an answer machine, so left a message.. and guess what - they didn`t phone me back !!

I`ll be making sure that EVERYONE knows about whats happenned to me, and it does appear that I`m not the only one - when I started mentioning it to friends, they said that they have had similar rude customer service from them and thats why they now to go boots/vision express/specsavers !!

I will pick up my glasses with my head held high (and my partner in arm) .. and make sure that I make my feelings clear !

Think you certainly should make your feelings well and known and ask for your file too.

Go to boots when i had an eye test was not feeling to well so they even went and got me a bottle of water and paracetamol from the shop floor . Yes it was not that far but is the little things.

pinkshoes

Wow! What awful treatment you've had, and I can't believe that HQ can't be bothered to deal with it either!!

This thread has been viewed 430 times, so perhaps that's 430 less potential customers for D&A!

If you google "D&A Review", it comes up with some other sites where you can write reviews of companies, and some of the D&A reviews aren't good! You should add yours!

liz_uk

Phoned D&A again on Friday, and again, had to leave a message as `all our customer service agents are on the phone to other customers at the moment .. blah blah `

.. Still haven`t heard anything, either, they are not interested, or they don`t listen to their messages..

Where do I go from here ?? Anyone know who the MD is ?? I will have to do my complaint letter in a pink scented envelope marked `private and confidential` !! haha

Freddie_Snowbits

I suppose this is a problem of going to a high street name. My eyesight being poor, I once visted one of these establishments to get a pair of glasses and the numptie recommended I go and get the laser treatment!

Fortunately having discussed the same with my usual optician previously, I said no! I voted with my feet and walked.

fedupconsumer

liz_uk wrote: »

Phoned D&A again on Friday, and again, had to leave a message as `all our customer service agents are on the phone to other customers at the moment .. blah blah `

.. Still haven`t heard anything, either, they are not interested, or they don`t listen to their messages..

Where do I go from here ?? Anyone know who the MD is ?? I will have to do my complaint letter in a pink scented envelope marked `private and confidential` !! haha

If i were you I would cancel the order for the glasses they have not provided you with the goods and if you have paid ask for your money back due to the service and the emotional distress. And its impreitive to get your file from them to give to your new optomistrist.Could also let these people know too

http://www.aop.org.uk/about.html