LensCrafters associates please read

[jediron1]

[QUOTE=GOS_Queen: said
You're right ~ it's a great script ~ whether a sales associate leaves on their own accord (for folding pants and shirts at Abercrombie??) or perhaps leaves on their managers whim and will ~ all you have to do is insert another preprogramed robot, I mean, associate into the mix!

[color=blue]The reason they do a script is because they hire most people who are not Opticians, so they need something they can use with these people to help them sell glasses. As Queen said: " preprogramed robot " just my 2 cents[/color]

[jediron1]

;)

[jediron1]

This stuff crackes me up, I have never seen a "sales format" like these work. Every one sounds like a robot...(use your best robot voice) "what kind of hobbies do you have???" Amber, just strike up a conversation with your patients and you'll find out what you need to know to best serve them.

ps. dont forget these systems are, most of the time, developed by and aproved by people who wouldnt know a diopter from a dip stick. They are just comming up with stuff to justify the job they have.

Bring on the robots!

I just heard from my insiders that SEARS OPTICAL is in a big panic because of lost dollars because people are not following the script.( so they think )

They are now sending secret shoppers around to try and catch all the people who are not following the script. Looks like heads will be rolling with in the next few months. Whats next scripted Doctor exams? Just my 2 cents from my insiders.

[For-Life]

Bring on the robots!

I just heard from my insiders that SEARS OPTICAL is in a big panic because of lost dollars because people are not following the script.( so they think )

They are now sending secret shoppers around to try and catch all the people who are not following the script. Looks like heads will be rolling with in the next few months. Whats next scripted Doctor exams? Just my 2 cents from my insiders.

the funny thing is they are probably following the script, and are losing sales, because customers can tell it is a script and do not trust them.

I had two sales reps in today that I could not get rid of quick enough, because I could tell that they were reading a script.

[jediron1]

the funny thing is they are probably following the script, and are losing sales, because customers can tell it is a script and do not trust them.

I had two sales reps in today that I could not get rid of quick enough, because I could tell that they were reading a script.

Everyone seems to be doing scripts seems to be the new revolution in selling at least in Optical!

[Lyrix76]

I have to say that,at the LC where I work,our GM ecourages us to do CustomEyes in a "conversational" manner.As long as we hit on all the key points,we're ok (he gave us a copy of the mystery-shop checklist so we knew what they were looking for).I don't mind doing it,after all,it is my job,I just don't really see it helping in any way.I started at LC 4 years ago,and we were ALWAYS told to ask lifestyle questions,so I'm not sure what makes CustomEyes so much different or better.That's funny about the AccuFit,because we STILL get people (I just had one yesterday) asking me what size they wear.In my short time at LC,I've seen many many changes,and my associates and I have predicted that CustiomEyes will go the way of AccuFit in a few years.

O.k. so I've been working for Lenscrafters in NY for 7 yrs. this Aug, & have been in the optical profession for close to 14 yrs. now. I started out in wholesale & I do agree that things HAVE definitely changed as far as procedures, over the years. I am a Lead Lab Technician/Apprentice Optician, & am cross trained for both Lab/Retail. I have to say as far as the custom eyes is concerned, most of us do ask the custom eyes questions, but we put our own spin on it, so as not to sound "robotic" as most of you have put it. I too thought it was the DUMBEST idea, & alot of customers DO NOT wish to divulge information on their personal lives, as they don't think that it pertains to our particuliar line of questioning, but we do tell them that it's to uncover their needs. Does custom eyes really work to get a person to purchase more than one pair of spectacles??? well I think for some people it does in fact work, BUT, those people who are multiple purchasers also, have come into our store expecting that they'll come out w/more than just one pair. The whole old Accufit idea, I believed was completely idiotic & frankly I'm glad that they did away with it, because ALMOST any frame can be adjusted to fit, unless you've got a head the size of a watermelon, or the face the size of a peanut. I think the whole "Let's Go Shopping" sounds childish & well, just unnecessary, I mean that's why they even entered our facility in the first place. The phrase itself makes it seem as if they're "shopping" for a sport jacket or sneakers, when in fact they're searching for a medical necessity for visual needs. SO I can't say that I agree w/the whole custom eyes process, I suppose we all just deal with it??? if that makes any sense.

[jediron1]

O.k. so I've been working for Lenscrafters in NY for 7 yrs. this Aug, & have been in the optical profession for close to 14 yrs. now. I started out in wholesale & I do agree that things HAVE definitely changed as far as procedures, over the years. I am a Lead Lab Technician/Apprentice Optician, & am cross trained for both Lab/Retail. I have to say as far as the custom eyes is concerned, most of us do ask the custom eyes questions, but we put our own spin on it, so as not to sound "robotic" as most of you have put it. I too thought it was the DUMBEST idea, & alot of customers DO NOT wish to divulge information on their personal lives, as they don't think that it pertains to our particuliar line of questioning, but we do tell them that it's to uncover their needs. Does custom eyes really work to get a person to purchase more than one pair of spectacles??? well I think for some people it does in fact work, BUT, those people who are multiple purchasers also, have come into our store expecting that they'll come out w/more than just one pair. The whole old Accufit idea, I believed was completely idiotic & frankly I'm glad that they did away with it, because ALMOST any frame can be adjusted to fit, unless you've got a head the size of a watermelon, or the face the size of a peanut. I think the whole "Let's Go Shopping" sounds childish & well, just unnecessary, I mean that's why they even entered our facility in the first place. The phrase itself makes it seem as if they're "shopping" for a sport jacket or sneakers, when in fact they're searching for a medical necessity for visual needs. SO I can't say that I agree w/the whole custom eyes process, I suppose we all just deal with it??? if that makes any sense.

I still get people walking in from LC and saying they want to try on a number
10 frame. I patiently explain to them we are not a shoe store and we fit frames according to your facial characteristics and not your foot size. We go
by whether they are round faced, triangular, square ect. No one frame will fit everybody but that is what they want you to think. They are retailers not OPTICIANS! There is a difference between an OPTICIAN and being a retailer
as opposed to a RETAILER trying to be an OPTICAL company. You can't put a square peg into a round hole. Just my 2 cents ;)

[jediron1]

O.k. so I've been working for Lenscrafters in NY for 7 yrs. this Aug, & have been in the optical profession for close to 14 yrs. now. I started out in wholesale & I do agree that things HAVE definitely changed as far as procedures, over the years. I am a Lead Lab Technician/Apprentice Optician, & am cross trained for both Lab/Retail. I have to say as far as the custom eyes is concerned, most of us do ask the custom eyes questions, but we put our own spin on it, so as not to sound "robotic" as most of you have put it. I too thought it was the DUMBEST idea, & alot of customers DO NOT wish to divulge information on their personal lives, as they don't think that it pertains to our particuliar line of questioning, but we do tell them that it's to uncover their needs. Does custom eyes really work to get a person to purchase more than one pair of spectacles??? well I think for some people it does in fact work, BUT, those people who are multiple purchasers also, have come into our store expecting that they'll come out w/more than just one pair. The whole old Accufit idea, I believed was completely idiotic & frankly I'm glad that they did away with it, because ALMOST any frame can be adjusted to fit, unless you've got a head the size of a watermelon, or the face the size of a peanut. I think the whole "Let's Go Shopping" sounds childish & well, just unnecessary, I mean that's why they even entered our facility in the first place. The phrase itself makes it seem as if they're "shopping" for a sport jacket or sneakers, when in fact they're searching for a medical necessity for visual needs. SO I can't say that I agree w/the whole custom eyes process, I suppose we all just deal with it??? if that makes any sense.

Problem with this is you have people coming into the Optical Community who
used to sell shoes or burgers and now think they can sell glasses. That is the biggest problem with all these large corp. opticals, they bring in people who maybe were great in phone sales or what ever but know nothing about optical business and they make business decisions based upon this. You need Optical
people to make Optical decisions, not burger flippers. Just my 2 cents ;)

[jediron1]

I was a lab rat for about 4 years at LC and there for the custom eyes change over. After my shock therapy treatments, I thought it was quite a boon for customer service, and with the marrige of the Ready When Promised program, it was spectacular. It took some time for me to learn the clever scripting, which lulls customers into a false sense of security. It makes them feel like your sincerely interested in building a relationship with them. The robotic, calculated movements of the checklist help guide you through the customers entire human experience to assit the customer with choosing the right eyeware for all of thier needs. Of course every customer needs a $300 Antireflective high index lense with a $250 Armani frame, coupled with a $200 Rayban frame with $180 polarised AR sunglasses. So from the information that the customer provides us with, we have an agreement from them that these items are exactly what is missing from the eyeware void in thier lives. :shiner:

But seriously, I know that LC wants to be the RETAILER OF THE CENTURY and, folks, toghter.......they roc, but they really need to humanise thier aproach to people. I was a non sexual theraputic licensed certified massage therpaist for about 5 years, and during that time I got to work with alot of people on a very human level. The very best thing IMHO that came out of the Custom eyes program was the inital contact greeting. Looking the customer in the eyes, intorducing your self, asking thier name, and shaking thier hand. People, in general, like that.

1. From what I have been told by insiders they are looking at results in the neighborhood of 30% second pairs and at least 25% A/R


2. You can call it what you want Custom Eye's or what ever all it is " how much money can you get from the customer before they yell GOUGING get out of my pockets"

Just my 2 cents ;)

[harry a saake]

Having had the very disgusting experience of working for luxottica, i can tell all of you that the secret shoppers and the pressure is enormous. First of all luxottica is probably guilty of more discrimination then anyone in the optical business, as you better be a female to start with. Walk by most of there operations and tell me what you see out on the floor. yeh they hire guys and while occasionally one happens to wander out on the floor you usually see them in the lab.
When cole sold out to luxottica i was running a target store that i took from scratch to 500,000 a year in less then three years, great while i was with cole. on the very first visit from this sorry piece of trash they hired as a RTL, her experience was formerly in a jewelry store, i was now told i wasnt doing a good job as my percentages were not enough of everything. i was forced to sign a paper saying they would be up in the top 25 percent or goodbye. BTW, no one else as a store manager in my district had to sign one. so i did what they said and instead of giving the sales to the lower wage employees so they could make more money i took them myself. Now they were really PO,d
So they sent in piece of trash number two, the company auditor, only trouble was much to there dismay i passed the audit with a good score, my new RTL (white trash number one was moved to another territory) was in shock, now what was they going to do. The famous luxottica in the back room, you will sign this piece of paper saying you did this and that or else we will consider not signing as insubordination. so i signed as it was obvious what was going on and i had to listen to all these made up stories, most of them from white trash number three the sorry so called licensed optician who was trying to get my job and of course did. they got me for giving out a couple of reciepts where i changed the dates so the customer could get there contact lens rebate, and i did the terrible act of selling for some price the scratched glasses that a customer replaced on warranty, god only knows how much money i saved them, but you were not supposed to do that, gift of sight or some crapt like that. of course white trash embellished the story to where i was supposedly selling customers broken glasses.
Now whats ironic about this sad disgusting story is when the new RTL came up for his second visit, he told me in person, face to face, how to cheat the company, and that was, if you were having a slow month and you knew you were not going to make your goal near the end of the month, save the orders as many as you could and put them on next month and that way you would stand a better chance of making your goal next month and getting your bonus, and of course so would he. Now is that not fantastic your RTL telling you how to cheat and then firing you for what i did, thank god i will never ever have to work for this sorry bunch of idiots, btw, lyrix watch what you post, this sorry bunch already fired one employee just like you because she posted something on the board here about the company

[VegasEyes]

Sorry you had to go through all of that Harry. I have my own LC/Lux horror stories! I figure that eventually every one that has a connection to either one will too. Unfortunate. :( The only thing you can do is pick yourself up take your license off the wall and learn from your experience. One door closes and another one opens.

Cynthia

[jediron1]

Sorry you had to go through all of that Harry. I have my own LC/Lux horror stories! I figure that eventually every one that has a connection to either one will too. Unfortunate. :( The only thing you can do is pick yourself up take your license off the wall and learn from your experience. One door closes and another one opens.

Cynthia

Unfortunatly one door does close and another one does not open for some time.
But then time usually heals all wounds. Just my 2 cents ;)

[icspots]

Posted by harry:

"they got me for giving out a couple of reciepts where i changed the dates so the customer could get there contact lens rebate, and i did the terrible act of selling for some price the scratched glasses that a customer replaced on warranty, god only knows how much money i saved them, but you were not supposed to do that, gift of sight or some crapt like that"

Wow...and you expected not to get fired for that??? You changed dates on receipts to defraud a contact lens company and sold someone an old pair of scratched up glasses? You could have referred them to the Gift of Sight program and if they qualified then they would have gotten the glasses for free and they would have been brand new with no scratches. That is a much better deal than you gave them.

Do you or anyone on this board think those things were ethical? Then you blame Luxottica for your demise. I do believe you will meet the same fate at your next place of employment if you continue to do underhanded an unethical crap like this.

I would have fired you as well.:finger:

[jediron1]

Posted by harry:

"they got me for giving out a couple of reciepts where i changed the dates so the customer could get there contact lens rebate, and i did the terrible act of selling for some price the scratched glasses that a customer replaced on warranty, god only knows how much money i saved them, but you were not supposed to do that, gift of sight or some crapt like that"


Ya I agree he should have been let go for changing dates on reciepts. But from what my insiders tell me the other 90% of what Harry said is true. But then again how much of what Harry is saying is true and how much is made up to see
how many LC employees they can get and then fire there BUTTS for displaying negative comments about the EVIL EMPIRE. Maybe something to think about.
just my 2 cents ;)

[GOS_Queen]

Having worked for the Borg for nearly 17 years, I can tell you this: if they want you "out" ... you'll be "out"



(I try to remember to thank God everyday for my new job and wonderful company I work for ... :o )

[harry a saake]

Well, first of all to iseespots, i fully expected an idiot or two like you to respond as you did with out knowing all of the facts.

GOS queen , you hit it right on the head, the real reason for this whole fiasco, is luxottica supposedly has this open door policy,WHEN THEY WANT TO.! I was really fired as Stephanie Thompson, the newly hired TVP violated that policy and when i made an issue of it they found a way to fire me. Luxottica you will find will break and bend the rukles as it suits there purpose..

Now back to mr. iseespots, no i,m sorry i dont think the contact lens company who wants to give the rebate in the first place, really cares as if it was in the 90 day period they would have done it anyway. also it was not a luxottica reciept, just a plain cheap dime store variety reciept that they had over in the doctors office. What lux acussed me of was doing this for finiancal gain, now this whopping financial gain at the most would have been .32 cent as you got .01 cents for each box sold in an 8 box deal. Now iseespots thats probably a lot of money to you. What i thought i was doing was just making a happy customer and to my way of thinking the most it should have been was a verbal, you cant do this, but thats not what it as really all about.

Now as far as the glasses go, when these customers replaced the under warranty, is when i gave them the option of i can throw these out or if you dont mind the scratches and want to use it a spare, or garden glasses, or something of that nature, i can sell them to you for x amount of dollars, or i can throw them away. they made the decision. I then rung up all the money, the problem was where to put it and not affect inventory, so i rang it up under care kits. So when i went back for my second day of review after passing the audit they now said, how did you have more money in care kit sales for what we sent you. i then told them where it came from. You see when we first opened under the good company COLE, we were allowed to do that, so i only kept on doing what i had been doing, as NO ONE FROM LUXOTTICA said to do otherwise, BUT my RTL knew i was doing it, but it was better to wait and see how much could we compile.

So the moral of the story here is all you lux fans, fanatics and what have you is, THE DOOR ONLY OPENS ONE WAY AND THATS WHATEVER WAY LUX WANTS IT TO SWING.

[GOS_Queen]

So the moral of the story here is all you lux fans, fanatics and what have you is, THE DOOR ONLY OPENS ONE WAY AND THATS WHATEVER WAY LUX WANTS IT TO SWING.

that sums it up exactly.

[icspots]

So, now I'm an idiot for not agreeing with you...you must be a far left liberal too.

As for what you did with the receipts it was dishonest and unacceptable in the corporate big scheme of things. Then we get to you selling a customer a pair of old scratched up glasses and ringing it up as care kits...how can you possibly think that is an acceptable way to handle things. You were not doing the customer any favors. If you wanted to do the patient a favor you would have found them a very inexpensive frame and sold them a pair of straight plastic lenses for a little more cost but a much better solution for them. If you tried to sell me a scratched up old pair of glasses I would never shop with you again. It is unethical and definately not doing your patient any favors. You see, we fall into this trap of thinking we are doing our patients a favor by trying to save them money, when all any consumer really wants is an honest recommendation and for you to explain the value to them.

While I don't doubt that Lux was trying to get rid of you and looking for anything to do that with, I don't doubt that you were not doing your job the way that you should have been. No company looks to get rid of someone who is doing a great job....even a good job. If you have such a moral problem with the BIG BAD CORPORATION then why are you even taking the time to post and fret over this situation. Be glad that you don't work for the so called "evil empire" and move on with your life.....please.

[icspots]

Posted by Harry:

"you see when we first opened under the good company COLE, we were allowed to do that"

And that is why Cole is no longer around... due to letting people get away with and even encouraging things like this. It's called inventory control and Sarbanes-Oxley. You see, after Enron there are these whole set of rules that corporations have to follow to a T....and ringing up an old pair of scratched up glasses as care kits does not fall within these rules. If you want to work for the big boys you need to follow the big boy rules. If you want to fly by the seat of your pants and make up the rules as you go...open your own business.

If you don't know what Sarbanes-Oxley is click this

http://www.sarbanes-oxley.com/

[jediron1]

[QUOTE=icspots]So, now I'm an idiot for not agreeing with you...you must be a far left liberal too.

As for what you did with the receipts it was dishonest and unacceptable in the corporate big scheme of things. Then we get to you selling a customer a pair of old scratched up glasses and ringing it up as care kits...how can you possibly think that is an acceptable way to handle things. You were not doing the customer any favors. If you wanted to do the patient a favor you would have found them a very inexpensive frame and sold them a pair of straight plastic lenses for a little more cost but a much better solution for them. If you tried to sell me a scratched up old pair of glasses I would never shop with you again. It is unethical and definately not doing your patient any favors. You see, we fall into this trap of thinking we are doing our patients a favor by trying to save them money, when all any consumer really wants is an honest recommendation and for you to explain the value to them.


Why is that ethically wrong? From what he said he told the customer what he was going to do so the consumer understood all the ramfications and agreed to the transaction. Now I m not saying I would have done this but is it ethically wrong and how can you judge what is ethical and what is not. It is something like in one mans country he is cheered on as a hero where in another country he is liken to a war criminal. To the victors goes the writting of history. Now on his side maybe he thought he was doing the consumer a favor where from your view you think he was unethical. A number of years ago we were able to remove scratches from lenses by just running them through the polisher for a few minutes now would you consider what we did back then unethical? Just my rant ;)

[Chris Ryser]

A number of years ago we were able to remove scratches from lenses by just running them through the polisher for a few minutes now would you consider what we did back then unethical? Just my rant

Today you can saok them into AR stripper and remove the hard coat.which contains the scratches..................and bingo,........... you have a new lens without scratches in a matter of 2 hours.

[jediron1]

Today you can saok them into AR stripper and remove the hard coat.which contains the scratches..................and bingo,........... you have a new lens without scratches in a matter of 2 hours.

Chris I might be wrong but that leaves you without any scartch cote, is that right? But you are right the scratches are gone now I ask as I did before would he ( the previous poster icspots ) consider this unethical?

[jediron1]

CustomEyes is basically a sales format. LC folks are supposed to be saying certain phrases and asking questions a certain way. They are sending in secret shoppers to ensure compliance. Managers are supposed to watch associates and make sure they are compliant. It is sales scripting, basically. Supposedly, if you say the words and phrases in a certain order, a customer will buy 10 pairs from you because you are "meeting their needs" :p


Can anyone say "sales and service process redux" ?? ;)

(FYI ... "sales and service process" was another format we did about 10 years ago or so ... that's when they introduced accufit and we had a script to go by)

The main reason from what my INSIDERS tell me is because they hire so many
people who do not have a clue what an Optician is or does so by scripting they could even hire a monkey cave man and get the same results. ( PS: No insult to the monkeys or cave man )

just my 2 cents

[Alan W]

Lenscrafters is a child of the hard core retail world. It has been and will continue to be obsessivly compulsive with risk management issues. And, just as it's "heritage" suggests, people get canned for any infractions of the "corporate honesty" doctrine. A whole book was written called "Moments of Truth" which is the foundation of the customer service program Lenscrafters will built on as far back as 1984. I know....I wrote the first round of it. I was Area Manager on Special Assignment and was Management Program Designer at the time. It's really sad to see good folks lose their job over what appears to the "dyed-in-the-wool" defenders of risk management as dishonesty. Those of us who came from the private sector as well as corporate see things differently. When I owned the Wizard of Eyes, I bent the rules constantly to make a customer happy. AND.....the reps from the frame and lens companies knew exactly what we were doing. In most instances, they blessed the action because in those days . . . the customer comes first, and making them happy IN THEIR VIEW is what it's all about. If you think corporate justification is better than the customers perception of satisfaction at that place in time is better . . . then have at it. What you're dealing with has nothing to do with customer satisfaction. You are thinking like a risk manager. That's at the other end of the spectrum all too often. I commend you for making that customer's perception a reality. Unfortunately, the corporate animal is what the corporate animal is. There is no possible way we can change that. I genuinely believe that your experience was just part of the grand corporate scheme of things called corporate culture. In the case of LC . . . LuxOttica brings "its" culture to the scene. But, then, the French brought theirs to the wholesale end. Is there an American in the house?

[jediron1]

Lenscrafters is a child of the hard core retail world. It has been and will continue to be obsessivly compulsive with risk management issues. And, just as it's "heritage" suggests, people get canned for any infractions of the "corporate honesty" doctrine. A whole book was written called "Moments of Truth" which is the foundation of the customer service program Lenscrafters will built on as far back as 1984. I know....I wrote the first round of it. I was Area Manager on Special Assignment and was Management Program Designer at the time. It's really sad to see good folks lose their job over what appears to the "dyed-in-the-wool" defenders of risk management as dishonesty. Those of us who came from the private sector as well as corporate see things differently. When I owned the Wizard of Eyes, I bent the rules constantly to make a customer happy. AND.....the reps from the frame and lens companies knew exactly what we were doing. In most instances, they blessed the action because in those days . . . the customer comes first, and making them happy IN THEIR VIEW is what it's all about. If you think corporate justification is better than the customers perception of satisfaction at that place in time is better . . . then have at it. What you're dealing with has nothing to do with customer satisfaction. You are thinking like a risk manager. That's at the other end of the spectrum all too often. I commend you for making that customer's perception a reality. Unfortunately, the corporate animal is what the corporate animal is. There is no possible way we can change that. I genuinely believe that your experience was just part of the grand corporate scheme of things called corporate culture. In the case of LC . . . LuxOttica brings "its" culture to the scene. But, then, the French brought theirs to the wholesale end. Is there an American in the house?

Allan since you were there when it started how does it make you feel to see the way LC does business now? I would be VERY DISHEARTENED!