My Experience with Specsavers North Sydney

Second not so good experience to post this year is to do with Specsavers North Sydney.

Last month I went to Specsavers to do eyechecks and bought a frame off them. I only ordered the frame, no lenses as my prescription is pretty high and it would cost a LOT to get my lenses here in Australia. I told my optometrist that and he agreed with me.

My optometrist was very friendly and nice, I had only compliments for him. Same thing goes to the girl who helped me chose my frame. She was friendly and very patient. She pretty much full acted as my personal shopper, getting some frames within my price range that have full rim and not too big (that's per my optometrist suggestion to hide the thickness of the lenses). She then used an iPad to take photos of me trying on those frames so I can see and compare them later on. I did take a lot of time choosing it, and even sent those photos to my sisters via whatsapp for their opinion. She stayed calm and patient, no annoyance whatsoever. Too bad I didn't catch her name to give her credit for it. So all good, and they said the frames would be ready in about 2 weeks. They told me someone will call me when they are ready to pick up.

I completely forgot about it until 2 days ago!! Nobody called me. So on Thursday, I went to the store after work to check on it. My mum is going back to Indo next week, so I need to give them to her before she goes. The girl checked on my order and was surprised how I still haven't got them yet until now - more than a month! She tried searching with no avail. I told her I need the frames by the end of the month, and she said she will search for them tonight but will also place an order tonight too, just in case. She said she'll call me.

Fri lunch time I went back to the store to check up on it. She didn't ring me back. Luckily, she was working when I came, so I didn't need to explain the whole thing again. And, she found it! Yayyyy!! (Though I'm still a bit cross on the part that she didn't keep her promise to give me a call). I asked for my prescription, but there's no PD on it. I need it to make the lenses! I asked for it from another girl (the girl earlier had a customer to attend to), and she said they don't normally do it unless the customer makes the lenses with them. I then said to her, I clearly said to the optometrist I'm going to send them overseas to make the lenses and he was okay with that. She then went on and did my PD while repeating to say they don't normally do this.

Well I understand what she's saying. However:
1. I did my eye test with them, they get paid for it from the government. So it's not free anyway?
2. I bought frames with them too. Their frame prices include standard lenses. So, what's the big deal? I could just order the standard lenses with them and then get the PD and I still pay the same price isn't it? If you think about it, I spared them the hassle.

This is not my first time using Specsavers, and have always been recommending them to everyone. I've bought frames off them before and got the full prescription just fine. I've heard about other spectacles shops refusing to give away prescriptions if you don't buy the frames off them, and up until last year, Specsavers have been a pleasure to deal with. However, this experience unfortunately was not as lovely.