Stephen Cooke

I just wanted to let you know about the awful experience I have had at your branch in Southampton Above Bar.

I booked online for an appointment for Friday 6th March @ 16:15hrs
On entering the branch a browsed the displays whist 3 staff member held a discussion with a lady customer.
I stood at the desk for some time before a snooty lady asked if she could help whist looking down her nose.
I said politely I had an appointment and was just point at some chairs and told to sit. the same lady did my pre test check with the same attituded.

The optician was very nice and professional and made me feel at ease.

After the examination I was returned to the same lady and told to brows the selection and pointed toward with Boots own budget friendly selection.
Asking about a particular part of Tom Ford frame that I had seen in a previous visit and the reason I come to this branch.
I was told "Boots don't do Tom Ford, I must of seen them in vision express" so I informed he that I had seen this on your website that very morning.
With a comment of we don't get many customers looking at our high end frames much, she looked at the Boot website and found a lovely pair she liked.
But she attitude completely change knowing I was not maybe their normal demographic and became very helpful.

This was more shocking as a customer with a £50 or £300 budget should be treated the same.

Very quickly I was deciding between Montblanc or Ralph Lauren pair. the RF Polo pair was chosen.
I decided the purchase one new pair and reglazes a pair of Oakley Pitchman coming to £340.00 for 2 single vision glasses.

On checkout I was told that the glasses I had chosen were discontinued and the pair in the branch would need to be send away with my reglaze pair.
liking the glasses but not wanting to pay full price for a display pair I asked for a discount and 10% was agreed.
Unfortunately no management was available to sign off the discount and was asked if I could come back, not a problem was my partner and I was going to a gig that night and staying in a hotel overnight and I couple pop back in the morning.

One my return the next day, sadly I was told their was no manager available again to sign off the discount and they would have to call me and take a payment over the phone on Monday.
I did not receive any calls on Monday from Boots and finally did get a call @ 14:45hrs Tuesday afternoon.

By this time I had looked online and to my amazement I found the same Ralph Lauren frames for £69.00 and not £190.00 boots was changing. so no brainer I was not going to order from Boots.
I was going to get Boots to reglaze my Oakley's as planned.
When the branch called me, I explained that because they had not called me I have some spare time on my hands and looked online finding them at a better price.
I this point the attitude completely changed again and she barked at me "when did your want to pick up your other glasses" I did explain that i still wanted my glasses reglazed, but i will collect and go elsewhere.

I have used this branch for 38 years when ever I lived in Southampton and my step mother even worked at this branch before retiring .
She will be shocked at the level of poor customer services.

The change in attituded from several members of staff was awful, I did not get the names of those individuals, but I will say that Louis and Natalie were helpful and professional, spoilt by the others.
I will try and collect my other frames this week, but don't expect a good reaction.

Advertises as a UK brand but just Chinese rubbish.
lenses are OK but the frames are cheap and poor quality.
Overprices but good AI marketing.
Yes i got suckered in