To show up to Specsavers on time?

[cannasee]

Booked an eye test tomorrow for 4pm, and just received a reminder text that says 'Please arrive ten minutes early for pre-test'. That would make my appointment time 3.50pm, rather than the time I requested; why not just include pre tests in the appointment time?

AIBU to show up at 3:59:59 just to be petulant because I'm in that sort of a mood today?

Yes.

AIBU to show up at 3:59:59 just to be petulant because I'm in that sort of a mood today?

Yes. What a bizarre train of thought.

I don't think it does make your appointment 3:50. Your appointment with the optician, for an eye test, is at 4pm.

A separate person is doing a separate test before this appointment.

I would find it annoying that they didn't explain that at the time you booked the appointment though.

Turning up at 3:59 because it's irritating would surely count as cutting off your nose to spite your face?!

Nope, if they want you there for 15.50 that's what they should tell you.
If I didn't think they'd cancel on you I'd even say ten past 4, that'll learn 'em.

The appointment is at 4pm. First you fill out forms, and get some preliminary tests done. If you arrive late you may lose your slot.

They often do tests (glaucoma etc) before the 4pm appointment with the optician at 4pm.

You may also need to give details, fill in paperwork etc.

Of course be a dickhead and 'show them' by arriving late or at 3:59 and please do comment on this thread complaining that your appointment was given to someone else.

What if I couldn't make it before 4pm though? Some people (not me, to be fair) have busy lives and/or childcare to fit these things around. I've no intention of being late, just very on time.

I wouldn't book a dentist appointment and expect to come in ten minutes early for anaesthesia, or ten minutes early to a hairdresser to get my hair washed.

Had I not received the reminder, I would have shown up at 3.55pm so as not to be late, which they would consider 5 minutes late.

"What if I couldn't make it before 4pm though?"

That depends on how busy they are I guess. I'd imagine 4pm is peak time. Children after school etc.

Feel free to gamble.

I know what you mean OP. I had a dentist appointment and they rang me up on the day to confirm that I’m still coming and request I was 15 mins early to fill out some forms. Two weeks ago I had a job interview which requested I book an interview time - I then received an email telling me to come 45 mins early (!!!!) to verify my documents.

It pisses me off why can’t they factor this in when you book things????

I know what you mean. When I booked with Specsavers they did tell me I would need to be there 10 mind before the Opticians appointment. I then received the email with said if I wasn’t 10 mins early, my appointment would be cancelled!
It’s annoyingly because they are making the system suit them rather than their customers.

I had a MRI last week. They rang to make the appointment for 19.20 then when I got the paperwork it said to get there 15 minutes early to do the questionnaire and get changed etc. I just did as they’d requested and was glad I did because they were running early, as were we, so I went in for the scan at 19.00.

I couldn’t be bothered with being awkward for the sake of it.

I work for a local independent optician and if we say 4pm we mean 4pm! We do the paperwork and pre testing then you see the optician. Specsavers have strict timings so you only get a set amount of time with each person whereas an independent optician will spend as much time as necessary as they tend to value your custom more.

"an independent optician will spend as much time as necessary as they tend to value need your custom more"

They also charge a fuck-ton more for the privilege.

Not sure about before the appointment, but you need to allow a quarter of an hour a few minutes after so they can give you the hard sell. Or so I deduced from my last eye test there. (Last as in last at Specsavers, not my most recent ...).

I think it’s unnecessarily confusing to give people an appointment time and then tell them they have to be there 10 mins early.

If OP has to be there at 3:50pm, she should have been told that when booking - what if prior commitments meant that she physically couldn’t get there 10 minutes before the allotted time?

Anyway, it surely makes more sense to give people an appointment time that includes time for all the necessary pre-sight test checks?

This does annoy me too. They do warn you when booking but often after you have agreed a time you can make say after work or whatever then find you have to be there 10 mins early. That's quite a long time if you have got the time between/after something else.

Problem is if you don't OP, you'll need to go straight in to see the optician and then have to have the other tests done afterwards....then you'll need to wait to let the optician check the results of the "pre" test and you'll end up waiting longer than you would otherwise.

is it really worth moaning about? It's ten minutes

Your appointment with the optician at 4pm. You have forms about your medical health to fill out first, so optician can do their job properly. They've let you know. I have to do this with hospital appmts too especially for DC.
I don't see the problem.

OP YANBU. Fair enough pre-tests need to be done but the apt should then be made for 3.50. I often plan appointments around other things so have factored in to be there for 4, not 3.50.

Don't be late though, could be more problematic.

As they have given you notice of it and you are able then yes ywbu. I do think an appt time should be that though.
I very rarely turn up anywhere early and generally make most places just on time. I forget I have to sign a piece of paper before the dentist etc.
It's not of those things they can't get right I expect. Some people would moan either way.

OP this annoyed me too at my recent appointment. I'd booked it for after school and picked 4 as the earliest I could reasonably make only to get a text on the day to turn up at 350. If I'd have known I'd have booked 410 appointment instead because I hate being late.

Be warned that Specsavers have a very strict 5 minutes tolerance on appointment times, too. If you arrive more than 5 minutes late, they will cancel your appointment and make you rebook.