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Thread: Tact

  1. #1
    small but mighty! Nettie's Avatar
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    Confused Tact

    I am getting very frustrated with the number of people bringing me their jacked up nasty filthy scratched to hell glasses and demanding refunds or replacements because these things occurred thru no fault of their own. What is a tactful way of saying "You are totally full of doody and I ain't giving you nuthin!"

    I usually try the "I am so sorry this happened to your glasses! Would you like to purchase a new pair today?" And then they go off about how they clean them EXACTLY how I told them to and they ALWAYS put them in their case when not wearing them, so they should be covered under warranty. Making these people understand that this is not a defect is hard to do without them getting more pissy.

    So what are your tactful ways of dealing with these GIMME IT FREE types?

  2. #2
    Manuf. Lens Surface Treatments
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    Big Smile Veryu simple...............................

    Quote Originally Posted by Nettie View Post
    So what are your tactful ways of dealing with these GIMME IT FREE types?
    Simple enough......................stop giving warranties against scratching and stop giving warranties against frame breakage. Only clear factory defect should be covered.

    In the early 1980's most opticians applied some sort or another, of scratchresistant treatment on lenses for an extra charge which brought them a good little profit by saving when buying non coated lenses and by applying the scratch resistant treatment in the lab behind the store.

    Our manufacturing corporations did not like, not selling their hard coated lenses and did not want a repeat what happened to UV treated lenses which disapeared in manufacturers inventories after most opticians did their own UV treatments.

    So they came up with a gimmick called warranty, covering the lenses against scratching for a year or two, no questions asked. What the optician does not seem to know that with the purchase of each hardcoated pair of lenses he pays 50% or whatever of the cost towards a new pair of lenses, buried in the purchasing price.

    The only exception is poly which has to have a hard coating as the basic material is soft a butter.

  3. #3
    Optiwizard making films Audiyoda's Avatar
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    If the lenses are scratched I offer up my apologies that the scratch resistant lenses have become scratched and offer to send them to the lab for replacement under the manufacturer's warranty.

    Every patient that leaves this office has a brochure of our policies - manufacture warranties are passed onto th patient at not charge. Those policies are outlined specifically and I write in the brochure what type of frames and lenses they have and the scope of the warranty. The patient signed a similar form when they leave - the form protects me when they say they didn't get the brochure - I point out that they signed that they understood what was outlined in the brochure and they they did if fact receive that brochure.

  4. #4
    OptiBoardaholic
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    Actually, I like your own response: "You are totally full of doody and I ain't givin you nuthin!" Seems tactfull enough for me, although I cannot find "doody" in my Dictionary of Ophthalmic Terminology.

  5. #5
    Master OptiBoarder
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    Sometimes I do well with just saying that it's just bumps and bruises with a smile on my face. Some folks will just realize at that point that they might have been a little rough..
    But I have yet to find a way to politely say, "Well, I don't believe that this just happened in the case overnight, and if you treated them a little better, maybe this wouldn't be happening." I agree with Chris that eliminating all warranties would solve the problem, but I don't care to do away with my warranties. People like warranties, and that's fine with me. I always carefully explain that the warranties apply to normal wear and tear conditions. Frames/lenses show wear and tear from being worn...that is not broken. Frames/lenses that are chewed up by your dog or dropped on the pavement are not broken under normal conditions...
    Saying it that way makes it clear upfront that you're not taking it back for just any reason, but that just encourages "well, I opened the case and they were just like that!"

  6. #6
    OptiWizard
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    A neighbor came in, took his glasses out of his front pants pocket, and complainded they bent too much.

    I said "I've got to charge you more for these things so you start taking better care of them".

    Harry

  7. #7
    Master OptiBoarder
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    I use the CD senario a lot. How much do you pay for a DVD/CD? "$20" And when you take it out of the player you put it right into the case don't you? "Of Course!" Well, how much did you pay for your glasses again??

  8. #8
    Optical Chemical Manufacturer
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    Warranty is a sales tool

    Optical retailers use warranties as a sales tool to make a customer feel good and more positive about there buying decision. This applies to the choice of store and the choice of lenses. It is used to reduce the fear factor in the consumer purchase. "Did I make the right choice?" For some the warranty is also a source of additional revenue. It is a risk versus return question. In general, additional warranties for consumer products are a poor value for the consumer and of great reward to the seller.

    From time to time a consumer will take advantage of the optical retailer. As a retailer you set policy to decide what is reasonable and what is not.

  9. #9
    Optiwizard making films Audiyoda's Avatar
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    Selling additional warranties is a headache waiting to happen. Rather than pulling the risk-reward senario all the time, why not simply sell warranted products and pass the warranty on to the consumer? Even a CR39 lens (from major manufacturers) with factory hard coat has a 12 month, 1 time remake.

    Sure, warranties make both customer and retailer feel all warm and fuzzy - but they also protect both sides. If the customer purchases basic CR39 lenses and returns with them scratched, it's the perfect time as the retailer to remind the customer that they chose the product with the least protection (warranty protection) and that they were offered better options. Of course doing this tactfully is sometimes difficult - some customers don't want to be reminded they're duffs at the buying process.

    But selling a extended warranty is asking for trouble. Of course then there's the office I'm currently in - they offered a free two year unconditional warranty. So many patients have taken pure advantage of it I'm sickened. One patient I'm aware of broke their glasses 8 times (I mean broke as in smashed) and got them replaced at office expense each time.

    That warranty is no longer being given out BTW.

  10. #10
    Optical Chemical Manufacturer
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    Warranty to the extreme

    Years ago Sears had a "satisfaction guaranteed" warranty store-wide. Customers clearly took advantage over the years. Current management changed the policy to a limited warranty for a limited time period. Management needs to make prudent choices for there operating policies. If management wants to give a very generous warranty, then use it as a sales tool.

  11. #11
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    I have to agree with you, Audiyoda. I think passing on the manufacturer's warranty to the patient is wonderful. It is also a great way to compete with big chains.
    IMHO, eyeglasses are like a car. They are a considerable investment and you are going to depend on them/it to get you through your days. Things happen and stuff breaks, but to know that if/when that happens you're OK is a good feeling.

    On another thread, I guessed that 90% of my patients use my src warranty. I think that was a wee bit high, and after thinking on it, I'd say it was more like 30-40%. But the point is, people do use it at least once in their life. I have Alize on my glasses, and I am VERY careful with them, but they got a scratch some how.
    I don't think it's a failure of the product, but rather more like an insurance policy. People get all upset about warranties being more like "free replacements" than taking care of defects, but I think it is (and should be) in place to cover the "oops" moments of eyeglasses.

    Back to the topic of the tread, though, I still want to hear how to politely explain to a patient that they have simply mangled and mistreated the specs!

  12. #12
    Master OptiBoarder
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    Quote Originally Posted by LKahn View Post
    Years ago Sears had a "satisfaction guaranteed" warranty store-wide. Customers clearly took advantage over the years. Current management changed the policy to a limited warranty for a limited time period. Management needs to make prudent choices for there operating policies. If management wants to give a very generous warranty, then use it as a sales tool.
    Now, THAT is a warranty that makes me mad. Not Sears, but LC's 30 day guarantee. It's great for the customer, but it gets it in their head that glasses are returnable! You can't resell a frame, and you cannot put the swarf back on the lens to be edged anew. I am amazed at how many people think it can just go back on the shelf (yet these same people would be horrified to find that the pair they own was previously worn by someone else). If you pick it out and I make it according to how you asked of me, then you need to suck it up!:finger:

  13. #13
    Sawptician PAkev's Avatar
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    Our Policy..........

    We realize from time to time doodoo does happen.....If the scratches are compromising a persons vision we will gladly replace the lenses within parameters of the manufacturer and wholesale lab scratch warranty.


    We have sponged too much of the cost of lens materials while waiting for some folks to bring their eyewear back to have the lenses replaced; (which supposedly was compromising their vision) sometimes in excess of 3 months. Therefore we now will only replace lenses under the scratch warranty if we take custody of the scratched lenses before ordering new replacement lenses. On many occasions the light goes on :idea: for the importance of a second pair which compells them to make an additional purchase.



    Do you folks remember selling DIAMONEX lenses? They were very scratch resistant but the lifetime RX scratch warranty created the cognative effect on consumers that it was the last pair of lenses they needed. Therefore, after the company missed a few consumer purchasing cycles, their party was over.

  14. #14
    Rising Star OptiBoard Silver Supporter
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    Quote Originally Posted by EyeFitWell View Post
    Now, THAT is a warranty that makes me mad. Not Sears, but LC's 30 day guarantee. It's great for the customer, but it gets it in their head that glasses are returnable! You can't resell a frame, and you cannot put the swarf back on the lens to be edged anew. I am amazed at how many people think it can just go back on the shelf (yet these same people would be horrified to find that the pair they own was previously worn by someone else). If you pick it out and I make it according to how you asked of me, then you need to suck it up!:finger:
    Funny, I remember asking my family and friends about this when a lenscrafters add was on TV. They thought it was a great idea to be able to return glasses and switch to another. Why not, they thought? Then I asked if they would be ok with buying a frame that someone else wore for 29 days... then and only then did they think it may not be a good idea.

    A lot of this just has to do with withholding info to make the positive aspects stand out...

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nettie View Post
    What is a tactful way of saying "You are totally full of doody and I ain't giving you nuthin!"
    I usually try the "I am so sorry this happened to your glasses! Would you like to purchase a new pair today?" And then they go off about how they clean them EXACTLY how I told them to and they ALWAYS put them in their case when not wearing them, so they should be covered under warranty. Making these people understand that this is not a defect is hard to do without them getting more pissy.
    So what are your tactful ways of dealing with these GIMME IT FREE types?
    In China, optical shops do not have this problem. They never give refunds. Any product that is purchased is inspected at the time of delivery.

    Now I like your wording "You are totally full of doody and I ain't giving you nuthin!" Originally I am from NYC so we could not speak like that. I think we would have spoken in a more local dialect. I suggest you try "whad crap ya tryin' ta pull. Git outta 'ere befaw I giv' ya a fresh one. "

    Let us know how that works.

  16. #16
    On the Sunset Tour! Framebender's Avatar
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    I, too vote for the. . . . .

    "you're full of doody and I'm not giving you nuthin!" I think that is as tactful as you need to be. Honestly though, I shake my head while looking at the mess in my hands. What part of normal wear and tear did you miss?? I can't get credit for these. I'll tell you what I will do for you, since you've been a good customer. I will do a 1 time replacement for you for 50% of retail, same Rx, same coatings. Then the lab guy is going to drill a couple of holes in these lenses. Give you a start on a wind chime or just a reminder of how not to treat your lenses. Come on over, let me write this up.

    I don't want to lose them whether they bought the coating or not. We're discount but we don't take abuse either. We will make every effort to satisfy the customer without losing money. It would be unfair to our other customers that rely on the fact that we're going to be in business to do it any other way.

    :cheers:
    Days where my gratitude exceed my expectations are very good days!

  17. #17
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    Often I am asked what kind of warranty comes with the glasses. I am honest and tell them there is a one year manufacturer's warranty against defects in workmanship and materials, ie: finish peeling, solder breaks, etc. There are no warrantys against scratches because most lenses will develop small scratches under normal use. If you purchase the premium anti-glare lens you do get a one year warranty against that "wear and tear" scratching. Nose pads are replaced free for one year. I also tell them that we are always willing to try to fix it if we can and are available for tune ups anytime. I do have an "insurance policy" for kids. They purchase the "policy" very reasonably and we cover 60% of the cost of replacement parts or lenses for one year. So they get 60% percent off retail, we are more than covered for replacement parts, and everyone is happy. And really it is hardly ever used.

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