I'm so sorry . We gave it our best effort...

[tx11]

REFUNDING MONEY. When do you refund? Do you do partial or full refunds? Do you try to maintain a relationship with the customer or cut the ties altogether? Just curious.

[ThatOneGuy]

It is case by case. We have an experienced staff with 50+ years experience just between three employees, so we have learned when we aren't going to make a person happy (which is still super rare). More to the point is we try and determine why a patient isn't happy, since more often than not they will come in complaining about a lens ("I can't see out of these at all") or the frame fit ("these are just to uncomfortable", when really it was that cousin Bill said he doesn't like the glasses so now the patient is just self conscious about their decision. Refunds are super rare because we usually determine the problem and solve it. However, if we do refund, we give a total refund of their out of pocket expenses if they just simply changed their mind about a product.

In one case, the patient said "I can't see out of these glasses, I want a refund. Besides, I'm having cataract surgery in a couple months so these wont work anyway." Because the person was mildly senile and wildly irritating, we agreed to the refund. However, when we asked for the glasses back, he said "You can't take the glasses back! How am I going to see between now and the surgery?!?" We told him we would not refund the money without having the glasses back.

[RichR]

In one case, the patient said "I can't see out of these glasses, I want a refund. Besides, I'm having cataract surgery in a couple months so these wont work anyway." Because the person was mildly senile and wildly irritating, we agreed to the refund. However, when we asked for the glasses back, he said "You can't take the glasses back! How am I going to see between now and the surgery?!?" We told him we would not refund the money without having the glasses back.

Must be a Michigan thing... I've experienced similar situations as well.

[jefe]

I seem to end up doing one refund a year even though I have a sign saying "No refunds. Store credit only." When this happens, there is an understanding -- either tacit or explicit -- we won't do business with each other again.

[uncut]

REFUNDING MONEY.
When do you refund?
I refund when I have delivered goods that fail to live up to the expectations that were agreed upon......
Do you do partial or full refunds?
Both, but with an emphasis on materials only.
Do you try to maintain a relationship with the customer or cut the ties altogether?
I always leave the door of opportunity open for future professional services.
Just curious.

[Roy R. Ferguson]

My favorite story was the man who brought his wife’s glasses back after a couple of months asking for a refund. When asked what was wrong with the glasses he replied, “Nothing, she died last week and doesn’t need them anymore.”

[Uncle Fester]

My favorite story was the man who brought his wife’s glasses back after a couple of months asking for a refund. When asked what was wrong with the glasses he replied, “Nothing, she died last week and doesn’t need them anymore.”

So did you?

[anthonyf1509]

We had this happen....I just asked him what he's suggest we do with the return? Nobody is going to wear it, nobody is going to take it back. He understood.

[SeaU2020]

My favorite story was the man who brought his wife’s glasses back after a couple of months asking for a refund. When asked what was wrong with the glasses he replied, “Nothing, she died last week and doesn’t need them anymore.”

Happened to me once....I showed him the Lion's Club Donation box and explained that custom made eyewear is not returnable. He said he figured but he thought he would ask anyways.

[Fezz]

When this awkward situation presents itself, I do the following and it has served me very well!


As soon as the DEADBEAT, eerr..ahhh, I mean "PATIENT', mentions the word REFUND.................I snap into action!

I give them "THE SLAPCHOP TREATMENT"

SLAP YOUR TROUBLES AWAY!!



I leap over the dispensing table and wrestle the perp to the ground! I easily overtake them with my extreme fitness and grappling expertise. I hastily throw them over my shoulder as I dash for the back door, gayly signing the words to the SlapChop Video. I bust open the back door and toss the money grubbing time waster into the crowd of meth addicts, crack heads, and wannabe comics that populate the surrounding area of my upscale establishment, and let them have their way with these idiots!

Man Up....You are going to be in a GREAT MOOD all day!

[uncut]

Grumpy cat would be proud of you, Fezz!.....(and his frrriends) at this site: http://icanhas.cheezburger.com/

[DanLiv]

I seem to end up doing one refund a year even though I have a sign saying "No refunds. Store credit only." When this happens, there is an understanding -- either tacit or explicit -- we won't do business with each other again.

Same here, we have a partial refund only policy on materials, but I really only have a total return once a year and I usually just refund it and go about business. I could be more rigorous but thankfully I just don't need to be.

[optcl96]

I am currently crafting our refund/return policy after being alerted that our no refund policy has slipped to the side of "yes" we always will.

With the notion that We "should" keep our customer (not patient, retail side when discussing refunds) happy at all cost in order to prove we are delivering quality service, but this cost is adding up, quickly.

Aside from the usual business tactics does anyone have a hard stop policy or standards for refunds/returns that alert the patient to their customer experience with moderate to great success?

What is the industry standard?

[newguyaroundhere]

I am currently crafting our refund/return policy after being alerted that our no refund policy has slipped to the side of "yes" we always will.

With the notion that We "should" keep our customer (not patient, retail side when discussing refunds) happy at all cost in order to prove we are delivering quality service, but this cost is adding up, quickly.

Aside from the usual business tactics does anyone have a hard stop policy or standards for refunds/returns that alert the patient to their customer experience with moderate to great success?

What is the industry standard?

There isn't an "industry standard" per se. Every location & office is unique. Our office only give them 24 hours from the moment they pay for them to change the order or cancel it. After 24 hours, you are SOL. Other locations will offer a refund but will take out a restocking fee as a result. Some locations such as your retail chains will offer a full refund within a certain time frame (i.e. 30 days, etc)

[Lori]

We refund 100% if our patient is unhappy, but if it's something I can trouble shoot I do that first. Fortunately refunds are few and far between.
Adding to this question, how many of you do a one-time free redo? And if you do, how much time do you give the patient?

[newguyaroundhere]

We refund 100% if our patient is unhappy, but if it's something I can trouble shoot I do that first. Fortunately refunds are few and far between.
Adding to this question, how many of you do a one-time free redo? And if you do, how much time do you give the patient?

Depends on the reason for the redo. If its prescription related, then we usually will do it within the timeframes permitted by the lab (60 to 90 days for most). If its frame related, we will only change frames under certain situations such as allergic reaction, extremely poor fit or the rare instance that I have an MRI tech for a patient and their glasses get ripped off their faces from the machines.

[Hayde]

In the past I've worked where there's no stomach for customer dissatisfaction and the rule of mid mgt was "Don't let it get to my desk." In terms of bottom-line efficiency, there's something to be said for it.

But I really think there's more consideration than just the popular alter of "customer service" to consider. An unconditional refund whenever the patient asks isn't always good health care.

Patient education is unfortunately, occasionally at odds with what a patient wants to hear. I believe sometimes we have a duty to make just enough of a (polite, compassionate) stand that the information we're conveying about their eye care is at least remembered.

Since I'd rather not sell to those unwilling to make a mutual commitment, I have a conditional refund policy--those conditions being the patient is responsible for timely communication that there is a problem, has to give us a chance to troubleshoot and refer back to the OD if deemed necessary, and if there's an actual optical/optician error, we have on an opportunity to first fix it before 'refund' becomes a possibility.

In the case of optician error, I may offer a partial customer service refund and/or a discount on a future purchase. The cost of eyewear includes the quality of our service, and if they didn't receive the typical standard of quality I give myself credit for, I'm happy to honestly discount the portion they didn't receive. So long as their story ends with them having the good specs they ordered and are motivated to consider us again for their next pair.

If the specs are not back and right by 30 days after the order, yeah--I'd want the option of a full refund too.

Slightly/marginally late specs just because of bad luck at the lab: a partial refund is appropriate (say 5% or less, or $30 or something like that.)

Paperwork stapled behind every receipt. Verbal notification of a 1-business day window to cancel the order if they don't like the fine print after the chance to sleep on it.

[AngeHamm]

Patient education is unfortunately, occasionally at odds with what a patient wants to hear.

Understatement of the year.