Customer upset about…..

[Opticia_n]

Hello everyone,

We have a customer that’s upset that her polarized filter in her RX sunglasses has rubbed off after five years, she said she paid $500 for them on repeat and wants them covered under warranty which we all know isn’t possible.

How’s the best way to handle this and what analogies would you use to help the customer understand that what they’re asking is unreasonable.

Often times customers can be emotional and rational explanations just don’t work.

[optical24/7]

Hello everyone,

We have a customer that’s upset that her polarized filter in her RX sunglasses has rubbed off after five years, she said she paid $500 for them on repeat and wants them covered under warranty which we all know isn’t possible.

How’s the best way to handle this and what analogies would you use to help the customer understand that what they’re asking is unreasonable.

Often times customers can be emotional and rational explanations just don’t work.

I would simply say that their warranty has run out and it’s 500 dollars to rub a new polar filter on her lenses. Explain the difficulties associated with rubbing polar filters on lenses, how you just about wore your fingers down to the nub on the last lens you rubbed a new polar filter on, and that you need your fingerprints to use the company’s ID time clock.

[Barry Santini]

Offer a one time “good will” warranty and replace the lenses. Assign lens cost to marketing/advertising.

B

[Lensman11]

Being it is not possible to remove or wear out the polarizing filter just demonstrate to the customer that the lenses still work and don’t need replacing

[KrystleClear]

If they are out of warranty, they are out of warranty. They're five years old. She's gotten a lot of mileage out of them. That's a long time for lenses. I am also not sure how the polarization could "rub off." How is she storing and cleaning them? Say I bought a leather jacket for $500. Yes, it's an expensive purchase and I hope it will last a long time. But I don't take proper care of the jacket. After five years, it's cracking and the leather has gotten dry rotted. If I took it back to the store, what do you think they would do for me after five years? Nothing.

I would recommend she consider purchasing new lenses with an up to date prescription and maybe offer her a discount. It's up to you or your management. If you replace at no charge, you're going to be eating the cost. I try to be understanding and patient with people who come in wanting to fight over 5+ year old glasses, but I also stick to my policies.

[drk]

What she said ^^

The nice thing about policies is that they can:
1. have input of more than one person
2. be decided outside a crisis situation
3. be considered, fair, balanced

Then you really gotta....USE THEM. Because why have policies?


Think about a judge. Do you want the judge to have a law to apply? Or just do as he/she feels fit, in the moment, perhaps swayed by the emotion of the situation, or having a grumpy or good mood?

Nope, policies are like laws, and they should be well-considered, fair, and applied.

And the answer to the customer is: "No, I'm sorry, there is a one-year warranty, and you are outside of the warranty period."


Now, maybe your policy is like Sears' used to be: "Drag it in, bring it in a thousand pieces in a box, no matter. 100% customer satisfaction no matter what." That's a policy, too.


So, the question to the board: How much "customer satisfaction" do you have your patients paying for, in your office? (Because nothing is free, unless you want to go out of business.)

[AndyOptom]

If she consistently purchases stuff from your practice over many years, what Barry said.

If she's a one-time deal from five years ago, what Krystle and drk said.

Sometimes it's best to let them walk, and take their neuroses elsewhere.

[DanLiv]

How’s the best way to handle this and what analogies would you use to help the customer understand that what they’re asking is unreasonable.

I do regularly get more reasonable questions from my customers about why their expensive "scratch proof" lenses I made them 3+ years ago are scratched or crazed. Of course first we all remind eveyone there's no such thing as scratch "proof", but it IS much more resistant. So resistant that only now 3+ years on are they seeing notable degradation. The average lens replacement cycle in the US is 2 years. We don't make lenses with ultra durable materials that last 10 years because people would not pay the increased cost when they are unlikely to keep those lenses that long anyway. The goal on premium lenses is to maintain near 100% functionality for up to 2 years. Anything after that is pleasantly unintended bonus longevity.

[Robert Martellaro]

[Uncle Fester]

This:

https://tinyurl.com/yd97dtpa

/s

And what Andy says.

[AngeHamm]

Five years is an unreasonable amount of time for someone to expect a replacement for an item with an expired prescription and warranty. Sometimes you just gotta say no.

[waynegilpin]

She's being unreasonable. She knows it. She doesn't care. If you cave at 5 years this time. It will be 7 next time.
So, if she and the family are great customers and you can get the money back a bit at a time over the next few years, maybe it's worth eating this one.
If not? As my old Grandma used to say, "Save your breath to cool your tea."

[varmint]

Years ago I worked at a Sears optical and we had to refund a 7 year old pair because the patient dreamed the metal trim turned into claws and dug her eyes out!

[waynegilpin]

Years ago I worked at a Sears optical and we had to refund a 7 year old pair because the patient dreamed the metal trim turned into claws and dug her eyes out!

Okay. I had more than my share of crazies over the years, but I think I'll fold after that raise.

[rosesformonsters]

Five years is an unreasonable amount of time for someone to expect a replacement for an item with an expired prescription and warranty. Sometimes you just gotta say no.

This. Exactly.