Is Sears closing?

[eye2]

I got a call from a friend at Sears. They said it's getting weird there. So I jumped at the question and said what's up? Well they said even though we made last months goals and even though we made last weeks goals and have this week in the bank they were told they have to cut hours. They said they told there RM why should we cut hours when we have made all our so called stretch goals? They said because you fall under what they consider hours per week you have to cut. On top of that they told me if doctor is booked from 10 - 2 and has no patients after that even though they are suppose to be there till 6 they are to go home. So my friend wanted to know if I heard anything and I said no. I haven't heard anything from any rep's any one else hear anything? Strange happenings

[WFruit]

Doesn't Luxottica still own the Sear's Opticals? I know they used to be run by Cole Vision, but I though Lux kept them when they bought all of Cole? If so, I think that answers your question.

Probably they want to see just how much they can cut back hours and still make the sales goals. I always hated that mentality. "See how much you can do on the bare minimum, and if you can't do it we'll find someone else who can...."

[Geirskogul]

Eh, local Sears has their doctor working only two days a week, but still has their opticians working full 40s. So I think it's just that place.

[mrmac]

Lenscrafters in Mass is doing the same thing. They told the employees that is was okay to look for more hours at OTHER lenscrafters, the only problem is that ALL lenscrafters here have cut employee hours.

[kcount]

To be honest I didn't know there were still Sears Opticals.

[edKENdance]

To be honest I didn't know there were still Sears Opticals.

Sears is the lower end of the lux demographic. It's for people that think LC and Pearle are too expensive but too lazy to look outside the mall.

[Striderswife]

Sears is the lower end of the lux demographic. It's for people that think LC and Pearle are too expensive but too lazy to look outside the mall.

Snort. I'm just glad we don't have 'em in Oklahoma.

[Jubilee]

Typical 4th quarter behavior. Cut Cut Cut.. so we can have as much money in the book come end of year..

Lux lives on the notion that payroll is the number one controllable expense. Hack it and slash it.. and you become more profitable. Their idea of perfect scheduling would be a number of split shifts. So when business is dead in the afternoon.. bare bones staffing.. come the 4-7 time.. back to 6 or so..

[harry a saake]

The majority of sears opticals are owned by lux, and the rest by US VISION

With a lot of chains, cutting hours at this time of the year is not unheard of.

[eyeguy21]

Typical 4th quarter behavior. Cut Cut Cut.. so we can have as much money in the book come end of year..

Lux lives on the notion that payroll is the number one controllable expense. Hack it and slash it.. and you become more profitable. Their idea of perfect scheduling would be a number of split shifts. So when business is dead in the afternoon.. bare bones staffing.. come the 4-7 time.. back to 6 or so..

Exactly. I managed at Lenscrafters for a long time and every fall it was the same thing, cut hours and watch overtime. Real nice at Christmas time right? Not only did it make it diffiult for the hourly employees during the holidays but it also left us short handed during a time of year when the malls were just packed with people. It just never really seemed like a sound business philosophy.

[Robert Martellaro]

Typical 4th quarter behavior. Cut Cut Cut.. Hack it and slash it..

Here's some imagery and music to complete the picture.

[eye2]

Ya my friend called me back today and I said what's up? He said are you busy I said no at lunch doc out and just waiting for his next appointment. He said we have this RM that was before Sears selling jeans. Now they are at Sears and they haven't a clue on what it takes to run an optical. They said you must cut all times even doc, I said how will you make money if you cut doc time they said exactly. Just like above post cut,cut, and more cut. Boy I m glad I m not there!

[BMH]

Robert, that was disturbing!

Thank you for sharing.

[framehustler]

It's 4th quarter, that means it sucks at Luxottica Retail. Yes payroll slashed and micro managing of hours from the store to the regional to the RVP. Don't think of taking paid time off or holidays either,, cuz that's moola too. Just cut.. full timers will get below 30 hours, but good news they won't cut your benefits.. because they know they will eventually need you. I recoomed a 2nd job.

[mshimp]

Oh thats right after Thanksgiving people flock to optical dispenseries to buy eyeglasses for Christmas? I think the only thing that saves buisiness at years end is flex money from insurance. Other than that hang on for the ride. Buisiness owners are still having concerns about the economy and the new health care policy. Sounds like our industry is running scared conservative.

[cocoisland58]

Where I am we are busy as hell and understaffed. We are heavy on insurance reliance and some of those plans have to be used by the end of the year, or maybe they go away next year. That plus flex money plus kids home for the holidays from college. Still the powers that be are concerned with nothing but "payroll" which is why we are understaffed and overworked. Not the best scenario for employee moral this time of year.

[eye2]

The majority of sears opticals are owned by lux, and the rest by US VISION

With a lot of chains, cutting hours at this time of the year is not unheard of.

I found this on another thread might noy apply but I thought it was a good thought!

From one "Glasses Salesperson" to another...
Originally Posted by Paul E. Carbonate
Where the shoe salesperson comes in is in telling me about the latest technology and styles, and how both will benefit me.
A two or three for one deal doesn't diminish the salesperson's expertise in my eyes.
It's now the same with glasses. The non-lab optician's job is to make sure the customer is happy, period. Using pupillometers and specifying OC's is one way we can do this, but frankly that's easy. We also need to be able to understand how a lens, given the Rx, will look in a frame...but that's also easy, just find the meridian of highest power. You can learn all of that and how to find a good-looking frame for someone in two weeks.
Wow, sad to think of all the time and money I wasted getting an A.A.S. in Opticianry. I wish I knew I was going to end up as a glorified "shoe salesman". Paul E. Carbonate, maybe you should let the ABO, OAA, NAO, and all the state regulatory boards in on this so they can go ahead and dissolve and deregulate. You might want to change your title up there from "Dispensing Optician" to "Glasses Salesperson".

I don't mean to sound like an a**, just a little disillusioned.

I thought this was well said! :bbg:

[clumsy lab guy]

Often i think how glad i am that i don't work retail anymore . Thanks suxlottica :)

[David_Garza]

Often i think how glad i am that i don't work retail anymore . Thanks suxlottica :)

any particular reason to comment on 2 year old thread???

[Johns]

any particular reason to comment on 2 year old thread???

Sure, he/she's happy to not work at Sears anymore! (We celebrate every escape)