Poor customer/patient service

I went to the eye doctor's today to have my glasses repaired. When I called yesterday, I clearly explained the situation (that my glasses are broken) and I asked if I would have to buy a whole new pair or if they could be fixed. I was told they would need to see them to determine the answer.

So I took time off work and went into the office. The assistant showed me into the eyeglass room (you know the one, where they have all sorts of frames hanging on the wall for you to choose from), sat me down in a chair opposite her, and started eyeing my glasses. She pulled out the little plier-like tool that is used for adjusting glasses and said, in her most condescending tone, "Did we get our glasses bumped?"

She took the glasses off my face and looked like she was about to start adjusting them when I said, "No, I got a piece of hair caught in the arm and when I was removing it I noticed it was broken."

She got this alarmed look on her face, quickly set the plier tool down and said, "Oh, they're broken?"

She CLEARLY had NO IDEA why I was even there!

I said, "Yes, as I said WHEN I CALLED, I need to know if they can be repaired or if I have to buy a whole new pair."

As she scurried out of the room in a panic, she said, "Do you know when you got these? Let me get your chart."

I then hear her whispering to the other gal behind the desk, "I don't see her chart...do you know where it is?"

The other gal said, "It's still on the shelf, I don't think we pulled it."

Oh my freakin' heck! First, the room is right through the door and I can HEAR THEM WHISPERING! Second, NOBODY had any idea why I was there!

The first lady returned, finally having located my chart, and said, "Laurie will have to check and see if that frame is even still available and give you a call. Do you still have VSP as your insurance?"

SO...what you're telling me is that you could've answered my question over the phone after all?!?! And what does my insurance have to do with anything?

I said, very calmly, "OK...but I'm kind of worried about how my frames will hold up with the broken piece."

Her advice? "Be very careful with them."

She did, very kindly, adjust my frames anyway. And she proudly announced after doing so, "There, that looks better...not crooked anymore," as if she had just fulfilled my life's dreams for me.




So off home I go. Before I even get there, they call me to tell me that I'm due for an eye appointment and I might as well have that done so my frames will be covered...otherwise it will cost me over $100 to replace/repair the pair I have. OK...no problem. Let's schedule an appointment.

"What time of day would you like?"

"As late in the day as possible, because I work. But I can take anything really, I would just prefer not to take time off work."

"The earliest we have is May 21st."

Now mind you...my frames are BROKEN! And if they break entirely, I will have no way to SEE! But I maintain my calm and say, "Well, I can say yes, but I'm pregnant and due June 9th, so who knows."

Laurie laughs nervously and says, "Oh well, you'll have to keep us posted. Do you still have VSP insurance?"

"Yes."

"Umm...let me see, I think there may be something sooner. Oh yes, but it's in the middle of the day."

"Sign me up...I'll just take time off work."

"Great, see you April 15th at 1:50pm."

HOLY MOLY!!! I'm surprised my hormonal pregnant self didn't go kung-fu on someone!

Is it just here...or has customer service gone completely down the drain in the past few years?