“My wife needed her glasses adjusting as they were slipping down and weren't correctly aligned. After 10 visits to the two branches operated by the same management in Durham they are still not correct. They still slip down and the nosepieces are misaligned. She has finally had enough of them messing about and will either scrap these glasses, at a cost of several hundred pounds, or seek out another optician to do the job properly, paying if necessary.
The staff are pleasant and try to be helpful but the fact that they cannot get simple things right after so many attempts makes you wonder just how good Specsavers are with more complex requirements, such as actually providing an accurate prescription and manufacturing the lenses.
It gives the very strong impression that the training of the front of house staff is inadequate, or that the staff do not have the necessary expertise to do the job, amounting to what regretfully can only be described as incompetence. Either way it is not acceptable.
We have both been customers for very many years and have seen things deteriorate gradually over that time. It has come to the point, which in reality was obvious in the business model the whole time, that Specsavers is less an optician than a production line to upsell expensive frames and complicated options that boost the entry price. The staff often seem unable to explain clearly what those options are, their relative benefits, and the consequent cost. The special offers are no more than an enticement, a loss leader in effect, the relatively low starting price quickly being negated by upgrades. The contrast between the somewhat frenzied atmosphere in an often crowded shop and the calm measured pace of an independent is very marked. We have been put off by this experience and are very unlikely to use Specsavers in future.
If Specsavers respond to this, addressing the issues raised, I will be very surprised. They seem not to to want to answer questions in a public forum, but to hide away behind a request to fill in their web form. The information is already here and does not need to be repeated for an answer to be provided. Transparency, like their opaque pricing, is not one of their strengths, a singular failing when vision is your business.”
“Been a customer for years at specsavers and i went on holiday for 2 weeks when my contact split in half. We were told they were sending us a new pair of contacts that should arrive between 3-4 days. After 7 days we called to ask where they were and the manager said they had not been sent out and that they did not need to call us and tell us this information. Therefore i was left on holiday expecting a parcel and was left practically blind for 2 weeks. Thank you specsavers!!!!”
“I was 12 minutes late for my appointment and the lazy staff would not see me. I had been there 2 days before and was waiting for 15 minutes but I presume it’s ok for them to keep you waiting as we are only the customer!”
“I have yet to have one thing go correct my mother who has dementia needed a home visit I had to call 3 times to get that visit booked in. Then when they did come left precription with staff with informing me. It then took six weeks to get guy to come in to measure her for glasses then it got cancelled and a further 4 week delay. He said he would get name on glasses leg as she kept losing them. He turned up but did not fit to her face and no name on legs as promised I called to complain they said would get her two pairs that was eight weeks ago”
“The staff are just not on the ball. Firstly would not let us in the shop to select glasses as said needed appointment. I said thats ok as I will simply go to another provider who would likely be more welcoming. Suddenly they let us in. On ordering a pair, they said the glasses would be ready a week later on Sunday. One pair missing. Then promised a call back once located. Non came. Rang them and said they had them. Went to look and cant collect for a further 2 days. All the while I'm struggling to see. Just feels like they dont really care about the customer.”
“Hopeless, five months to make a pair of bifocal glasses! I have been wearing bifocals for 30 years and all I wanted was a new frame. I had no vision issue with my current prescription, this I kept telling them, I finally gave up on over 9 visits to shop and two sight test numerous adjustments to the spectacles. That included re making them twice with lenses that I was the absolute best even though I had asked and paid for their best at the outset. I just said enough asked for a full refund this they agreed to pay, that was the only positive thing.”
“I have been waiting for my contactless trial since June 2021 still today I did not hear anything from supersavers so rang & they can't give me appointment till end of August!
Also they said my leanness has been sitting with them for a long time but no one had time to let me know nor a book an appointment, very bad service & I will not use them aging.”
“I’ve been going to Specsavers for years . I always eat a very thorough examination . Last tie I went , the young Optometrist told me I had dry macula degeneration in both eyes and bombarded me Ruth the right diet information and pills to take to help halt the disease . He showed me I had it last year , but no one told me !! . I was livid with Specsavers. Then even more so when I was told I’ve had it for 10 years . They’ve know all this while and kept it from me , because. , I was told , it hadn’t affected my eyesight !??? . Well it has , and my close up vision has deteriorated a lot . I am furious with this company . I could have been doing g something positive for 10 years !!! . They obviously didn’t care enough about me to tell me . I will never ever go back . I need to find an optician I can trust .”
“First time visit to Coulby Newham Specsavers after a disappointing previous visit to Middlesbrough branch a few years earlier. We vowed never to return..but we are so glad we did. The staff especially Maddie and Gavin were very patient, professional and friendly. I recieved excellent care from them both and my varifocal glasses were excellent, fitted correctly and everything I'd hoped for which fully restored my confidence in Specsavers . Wholly recommended.”
“Jabulile Nkosi at specs savers maponya mall was very helpful..she serviced me with a smile..was patient even though i didnt have an appointment. Her colleague simphiwe and the other one i forgot her name were very helpful.”
“Never will I use specsavers again 5 times I had to go back first eye test was to strong I couldn’t see out of the glasses properly so I had another eye test I was told there top of the range lens varifocols were the same as my old ones which they are nothing like at all . Then on the 4 th time I went back to collect my glasses I could see out of them but when I got home I noticed they had these bubbles on the lens and one of the lens had a scratch on it so I rang the shop in the end I went to the shop and was told that the bubbles were water marks and they would rub out then another person told me they were to do with the varifocal lens to which I replied my old glasses are varifocols and they don’t have bubbles on them in the end I asked for a refund which I got but I would never recommend specsavers to anyone in fact they should pay us for all the inconvenience that some people have had to put up with”
“Did not bring glasses I asked for, when they were brought they were going to fit wrong lens and was given wrong price for them then on day of fitting person off sick so now waiting for a day for them to come back”
“Went to have my 6 month old glasses repaired today, and was told by an extremely surly assistant, that I had damaged my glasses myself and therefore had to pay £40 to have them mended, that I had forced them, so it was self damage, why would I do that? The arm fell off when I took them of after reading, I wasn’t asking for new glasses, just to be fixed, I’m a 66yr old lady, who has used spec savers for years….NEVER AGAIN……so rude, and just didn’t care, NEVER will I go back disgusted and shocked”
“We three family members are customers at Specsavers Rhodes . Antion ( manager) and William are 100% committed to Customer Service , and also Customer Care .We were all very happy with the glasses we purchased last September ,and the service .We were advised at the point of purchase, that it is always a good idea to have glasses tightened , after extensive months of wear .We have recently done just that , and made to feel very welcome as returned customers , by both Antion and William.Our friends who are also customers at Specsavers Rhodes have said the same thing to us .Thank you .”
“I’m 72 years old and have been with Spec Savers for years. They referred me to the Eye Hospital for cataract surgery. At my cataract appointment I was told I had a serious stigmatism and they suggested surgery which I had last week. Apparently I could have had this surgery years ago so why did Spec Savers never mention this to me. It beggars belief that they let me go all those years when something could have been done to correct it had they referred me to the hospital. In addition to this after surgery I rang Soec Savers for an appointment (as requested to me by the hospital) and they couldn’t give me an appointment for over two months. I have now changed Opticians and will never go back to Spec Savers. I have no confidence in them.”
“Specsavers,you are the best,
Providing,me with my new specs.
Everything,you did yesterday,
Came, from me having a text.
Superb staff,they are the tops,
All I did was turn up,
Visiting,one of your shops.
Excellent,service I will repeat & repeat,
Recommended, over & over
Specsavers,you can't be beat.
Robert Dowell
Birmingham”
“Had an eye test on the 29 th May 2021 chose my glasses variafocals picked them up two weeks later if I turned my head from side to side or up and down I felt like I was on a ship ,wore them for two weeks took another week to get an appointment to take them back ,today the 26th of July I went back to pick them up to find that they are the same ,I don't feel like they have done anything to them £389 down the drain .spectacles you will never get my custom again.”
