The Dumbing Down Factor

**CME4SPECS** · 06-17-2003, 07:15 PM

John R said:
Like we havent already thought of that one.....Tell a optician they will have to pay extra and you can hear the sharp intake of breath miles away....
All they say is so & so dont charge me extra...and i'll go to them in future.
Ours even moan about standard mail charges they expect everything to be free...
They want freepost lables to send orders in and NO postage charges on work sent back to them....

Like I say Smarten up!
I moaned at the gas pump a few months back when gas hit $2.15 a gallon...that's right, I moaned the entire time my hand was squeezing that lever! I moan every time I buy a roll of stamps too! A lab I use for AR use to ship everything free of charge until about 2 months ago, now they charge, I still wrap those lenses up and send them to them.
If you are doing quality work and giving good service, a couple of bucks on an order shouldn't stop people from coming to you. Now if your work is shotty and you give poor service, then you need to give,give, give to attract their business! For me, charge me postage, make a buck on me...just give me good work and good service.
That's what I give my customers, and I'm not afraid to charge for it either.
Labs created this monster years ago, and they forgot to change with the times, and those big boys are chompin' at the bit, waiting for you to buckle!

**John R** · 06-18-2003, 01:09 AM

CME4SPECS said:
Like I say Smarten up!

Yep but whats this thread all about.....How bad/poor some people have got in this trade..
I know what you are saying and understand its just some others have a hard time even trying to grasp the idea....
Some people are more than happy to spend time writing letters to customers who have complained but yet wont bother to ring them and explain the problem....
You sure your not a brit in disguise all that moaning....

**Chris Ryser** · 06-18-2003, 04:23 AM

I guess you guy.s are either too young or dont remember the late 60s and early 70s ................................

when the large frames became fashion, we as lab we charged charged for oversize lenses for anything that was larger than 68mm

**Steve Machol** · 06-18-2003, 09:43 AM

I don't know if anyone has already made this point or not, but the sad fact is that 'dumbing down' has become an American way of life. It's not rest restricted to just the Optical profession. It is running rampant through all professions, schools, industries and government institutions.

**JRS** · 06-18-2003, 10:01 AM

So true Steve. You see this every where you go.

**Texas Ranger** · 06-18-2003, 10:02 AM

This post reminds me of when I went into the Navy, I wanted to go to Optical Lab School in williamsburg, Va., but didn't have enough active duty time left when I got orders to go to it, but I do remember that it was one of the few Naval schools that you had to have an IQ above 110 to qualify for; think that's still relevant; it's a field that requires a better than average intelligence. Also, in years past, you had to have a working knowedge of all phases of lab work, an understanding of physical optics and the integrity to deal with people honestly. I'm afraid that there are a lot of folks dispensing eyewear that have neither of the three. And sadly, I believe that there are employers who don't want "trainees" who are too smart....they'd rather have someone who is "trainable" in the company line, and understands how to "sell' and deal with insurance claim forms, and be willing to work dreadful hours. these employers work hard to keep standards low by lobbying against licensing standards and trying to overturn current licensing regulations. They are not supporters of high optical standards, they are just retailers trying to exploit the optician's profession, for profit. And, unfortunately, they're do a good job of it, since eye doctors don't seem too concerned about it, so long as their own shop is turning a profit...so, as they say, "on with the show, this is it.."

**John R** · 06-18-2003, 02:03 PM

Steve Machol said:
but the sad fact is that 'dumbing down' has become an American way of life.

Steve, It aint just an Americanism either..Its rampant this side of the pond.....From the top down you have to look at Mr Blair to realise that..

**jediron** · 06-19-2003, 07:20 AM

Steve Machol said:
but the sad fact is that 'dumbing down' has become an American way of life.

Steve hit the proverbial nail on the head. We have kids coming out of school who can't read or write. You have kids going to college who have to take prep. courses just to get in the door.
Then you have kids in college in major sports programs, that if you quized them on there program of study would not have a clue what they were learning or should be learning. And if they happen to be great in there sport the major sporting venues will bend over backwords to supply them with million dollar contracts.
Even an eight year old has a million dollar contract with (I believe
Adidas). And you wonder why people don't want to stay in school
or even go, when you have sporting venues passing out millions
and where kids can sit on a corner and make a thousand a day selling drugs and you don't think were being dumbed down. Come
on, you have more kids who know there Gangsta rap groups who espouse rape, murder and killing of police officers then they do
Sharespere (Shakespeare) or who Hamlet or Macbeth were. If you asked what was meant by the (sword of Domocles hanging over there heads) they would not have clue.

:hammer: