LensCrafters

My family and I have been using various LensCrafters for more than 20 years and we've had great experience until I use this particular store (LensCrafters, 3319 N. Main St., Anderson, SC 29621). My health insurance covers the vision and I pay more than $100 every year; therefore, I can have one free eye exam this year. Their LensCrafters webpage shows "Sorry, eye exams cannot be scheduled online at this time. Please call our office and we will be happy to schedule an eye exam for you." I expected to talk with one of the representatives there, but their system didn't allow me to talk directly and I was asked to leave a voice message. So, I left my voice message regarding my eye exam appointment with my name and phone number. That was in late November (I think following week right after Thanksgiving). No return calls from the store. A week later (the first week of December) I visited the store in person to make an appointment for eye test, and asked the store why they didn't call me back. One lady said they were experiencing a problem with their voice message system which was understandable. I wrote my name and phone number on the paper they gave me. The lady said someone will contact me next morning. I waited a week and unfortunately the store never contacted me. About 10 days later (December 13), I visited the store in person again and told them that was my third attempt just to get an appointment date. I was asked to leave my name and phone number again and I did. Someone called me next morning (December 14) and I learned I should wait until January. I mentioned on the phone that I would contact the LensCrafters' headquarters to file a complaint. Within 10 minutes after I hung up the phone, she called me and left a voice message indicating I could have an appointment this coming Saturday, if I like to come. I appreciated her attempt but I thought my relationship with the store had already gone sour, and I will go somewhere else. This is just one voice, but here are my tips on how the store can improve. One, the system should be established to check if return calls to their customers are actually made. This responsibility belongs to the store manager. Two, I know they are busy but there must be a way to talk directly with one of the representatives at the store. If not mistaken, customers are eventually routed to the store's voice message system. Three, the store claimed they couldn't return my phone call because their voice message system was recently malfunctioning. If the store's claim is correct (yes, I trust their claim), fix the voice message system as soon as possible; otherwise, future customers will have the same experience. Finally, it looks like the issues I pointed out above can be solved easily by providing the store employees with a quick training program.