Paid For Product But Never Recieved. What Would You Do?

**NeGlassesGirl27** · 06-01-2011, 11:43 AM

Hello All, question for you...

Just had a patient come in inquiring about her glasses that were supposed to "change colors". I looked in the computer and she PAID for transitions but they were ordered as clear. First thing I thought of was the Optician that helped, clearly didn't do their job @ check-in. Second thing I looked at was the order date. Naturally, it was exactly one year ago today when she ordered them. So I sit here and think...what do we do now?

I see both sides where she originally paid for them and never received, however, it's been a year and she's just now figuring this out? Personally, the way she was throwing out ways to resolve the issue..she wanted a set of free lenses.

My 2 questions are;
Has this happened to you guys before?
What did you/would you do in this situation?

I haven't spoken to the OD about it yet because I'd like to have some options before speaking about it. Do I order new lenses with transitions and eat the cost of the lenses? Do I just say, "I'm sorry but these were ordered a year ago so there's not much we can do now?" I'm not sure!

Thanks!! :bbg:

**bhess25** · 06-01-2011, 11:47 AM

well if she paid for them, it would be illegal to keep the money without providing the product. so a remake sounds like the only option other than refunding.

**WFruit** · 06-01-2011, 12:07 PM

I agree that you should redo them since she paid for Transitions (although if all she wants is lenses that change color, you could order her SunSensors, which would cost you less. I'm not saying you should, but it is an option).

I would, however, ask her point blank why she waited a year to come back in. And when you do remake them, make sure that they are the exact same prescription she had a year ago, with no other upgrades (unless she wants to pay for the upgrades or Rx change). And make absolutely sure that the lenses that are currently in her frame are the original ones that you made for her.

**Judy Canty** · 06-01-2011, 12:09 PM

I agree. In addition, if and only if you are a good customer with your lab, they might be willing to work out something for you.

**DragonLensmanWV** · 06-01-2011, 01:11 PM

Just one question - were these done by a VSP lab? The one we use fails to produce Transitions as ordered several times a year and sends clear.

**NeGlassesGirl27** · 06-01-2011, 03:16 PM

It was a self pay order, no insurance was used.

We settled on re-making the lenses are eating the cost of it. Like I said, I do understand both sides and in the end I told her that if she has issues with glasses in the future to bring it to our attention ASAP instead of waiting a year.

**DanLiv** · 06-01-2011, 03:31 PM

This happened to me once before that a patient came in the following year and said he never got the Transitions he paid for, which was true. He was in for his next routine exam anyway so I just apologized and offered Transitions free on his new lenses. If she wants new lenses she should be ok with the option to get her new rx in a frame of her choice with no extra cost for Transitions.

If she's just trying to angle for free lenses after a year, then just decide if this is a customer you want to keep and make happy or are fine seeing leave and never return. If she's worth keeping, eat it and be happy about it, you'll make it back from her in the future. I don't think it's proper to say there's nothing you can do, because it was an error and it is only reasonable to offer some fix. Either redo the lenses or simply refund the Transitions fee, whichever is best for you. Hopefully your put some nice AR on there and will get a redo from the lab and only be charged the Transitions upgrade, in which case all is good because then you are only out what you should have been in the first place, customer gets the lenses she wants, and the lab even gets their Trans fee.

**Craig** · 06-01-2011, 04:36 PM

I do not even offer a scratch warranty; but if we make an error it is our responsibilty to take care of it and not look to blame the consumer for waiting one year. If I see a set of lenses that were made 3 years ago and they left here not as ordered; I would apologize and do them at no charge.

The client should never be penalized for being nice!

**optical24/7** · 06-01-2011, 05:00 PM

Originally Posted by Craig

I do not even offer a scratch warranty; but if we make an error it is our responsibilty to take care of it and not look to blame the consumer for waiting one year. If I see a set of lenses that were made 3 years ago and they left here not as ordered; I would apologize and do them at no charge.

The client should never be penalized for being nice!

+1!

If I made a mistake 10 years ago, I'd make it right at n/c today.

**Speed** · 06-01-2011, 08:04 PM

Originally Posted by NeGlassesGirl27

Hello All, question for you...

Just had a patient come in inquiring about her glasses that were supposed to "change colors". I looked in the computer and she PAID for transitions but they were ordered as clear. First thing I thought of was the Optician that helped, clearly didn't do their job @ check-in. Second thing I looked at was the order date. Naturally, it was exactly one year ago today when she ordered them. So I sit here and think...what do we do now?

I see both sides where she originally paid for them and never received, however, it's been a year and she's just now figuring this out? Personally, the way she was throwing out ways to resolve the issue..she wanted a set of free lenses.

My 2 questions are;
Has this happened to you guys before?
What did you/would you do in this situation?

I haven't spoken to the OD about it yet because I'd like to have some options before speaking about it. Do I order new lenses with transitions and eat the cost of the lenses? Do I just say, "I'm sorry but these were ordered a year ago so there's not much we can do now?" I'm not sure!

Thanks!! :bbg:

In your inspection process you need to figure a way to check that transitions were recieved and document that. Could be a number of reasons those are not even the lenses she got from you. Also, check your invoice and check with the lab. It is very difficult, in todays systems, to have transitions on the invoice and not processed through the lab. Blank specifications are stored and a number of things would create problems in the processing lab. Bar code numbers are used and verified. True curves are taken from the stored information and are often different from transitions and non transitions. Your lab can check barcodes on the invoices amoung other things. It is mose likely that your patient has returned with lenses other than the ones you provided. I can think of many reasons this could be. Often when duplicating Rxes, the optician will fail to check or ask if these are transitions.

**TLG** · 06-01-2011, 11:15 PM

Can you afford to lose a customer over the cost of photochromic lenses? (Hint: No)

**VTC** · 06-02-2011, 08:29 AM

Originally Posted by Speed

In your inspection process you need to figure a way to check that transitions were recieved and document that. Could be a number of reasons those are not even the lenses she got from you. Also, check your invoice and check with the lab. It is very difficult, in todays systems, to have transitions on the invoice and not processed through the lab. Blank specifications are stored and a number of things would create problems in the processing lab. Bar code numbers are used and verified. True curves are taken from the stored information and are often different from transitions and non transitions. Your lab can check barcodes on the invoices amoung other things. It is mose likely that your patient has returned with lenses other than the ones you provided. I can think of many reasons this could be. Often when duplicating Rxes, the optician will fail to check or ask if these are transitions.

I share this opinion !

**optical24/7** · 06-02-2011, 08:57 AM

Re-read the original post. She admits they were ordered clear from the lab.

**edKENdance** · 06-02-2011, 09:40 AM

Originally Posted by optical24/7

Re-read the original post. She admits they were ordered clear from the lab.

Maybe your lab will be lenient on the time frame and do it as a non adapt to clear lenses from transitions. :D

**NeGlassesGirl27** · 06-02-2011, 09:52 AM

Correct. In OUR computer system, she paid for transitions but on the order form and per the lab, they were ordered as clear. The Optician that worked here who checked them in, looked over that and missed the transitions that were supposed to be ordered.

In cases where the transitions were actually ordered, we have a Transitions light box that I put them in to ensure it was applied. There are times where I order them and it's on the invoice, however, they were not applied on the lens. In this case, as I said, it was the offices fault for not catching that and I do see both sides of all the points so thus why we are re-making the lenses. I was just curious if this happened to you guys and what you have done..

Thank you all for your input!

**jmchapman** · 06-02-2011, 11:06 AM

She paid for them, regardless how long ago it was, and never got them. Get her new lenses for free, keep the customer. It's just good customer service, sure you'll lose a little bit right now, but there's always the chance she'll return because of your awesome customer service.

**skt** · 06-02-2011, 05:20 PM

optical 24/7.....+2 !!!!

**tdj** · 06-05-2011, 09:07 PM

I'd remake, no question, but also urge the patient in the future if there is ANYTHING wrong, please come back immediately so we can fix it more quickly and easily for them.