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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think they've lost their minds?

138 replies

OneTiredMam · 21/02/2022 12:28

During the pandemic specsavers have been a bit OTT.
Locking customers in the store, taking temperatures etc. i could deal with that.

Now they have a new policy where they refuse to see children until after 3.30pm during weekends and weekdays.
My DS needs his glasses, but they are refusing to give him a mid day appointment despite it being half term.
My DS has autism and relies on routine, they know this as I explained and was given a eye test in the day time and it was fine they were happy to adjust for him.

Now they are being awkward and won't let him collect them till 4pm and he won't cope with his routine being changed. I've explained to the manager and they are still being awkward as hell meaning either my DS will have a absolute melt down and probably refuse to collect them or he goes without his glasses that he needs.

AIBU to think there discriminating?

OP posts:

TheOccupier · 21/02/2022 14:47

@OneTiredMam

I've always used specsavers for myself and never had a issue. We don't have a boots opticians by us but there's another one I'll be using from now on. 3.30pm is day time yes, but when your child has a strict routine and is only happy going out between 10-2 in the day it's bloody hard, I wish people would have more understanding about how catastrophic it can be.

Does he only attend school between 10 and 2 then?

I have been going to Specsavers for years and my local branch doesn't have any weird rules like this.

Topsyturvy1 · 21/02/2022 14:52

I wanted to take my daughter to specsavers so she could choose frames for a spare pair and we were not allowed in to browse because we didn't have an appointment

ThinWomansBrain · 21/02/2022 14:53

Switch opticians?
Depends on finding one you like, but I much prefer to use a local independent optician, for the continuity of service more than anything else, typically you'll see the same optician year in year out and he/she will be familiar with your history.
I previously had a spell with specsavers, the only optician close to where I was working at the time, and saw a different person each year.

BluebellsGreenbells · 21/02/2022 14:56

Glasses are adjusted using a small hand dryer type machine. They hold them in for a few seconds and bend the arms - it’s straight forward

I would’ve said fetch the glasses and ring a local optician to adjust them - I’m sure they’d be more accommodation.

Bit all sorted now I guess.

monkeysox · 21/02/2022 14:57

They wouldnt even fit glasses when I got my last pair.
Specsavers are franchises I think. Some are shite

skodadoda · 21/02/2022 14:57

@Hellokittyninja

Our local Specsavers don’t have any of these rules and are great with my autistic DS. This branch sound over zealous, complain to someone higher up in the organisation.

This. Try on Twitter:

twitter.com/Specsavers

I think they’re franchises so are run on varying lines. Mine has been very good, but you need to kick up a fuss as you’ve already committed to ordering the glasses.

gettingolderandgrumpy · 21/02/2022 14:58

I went to my Specsavers last March nobody took my temperature nor did they lock me in . How bizarre isn’t it a franchise ? so may depend on store .

JuergenSchwarzwald · 21/02/2022 15:03

I used Specsavers for a routine appointment two weeks ago. Two years ago they were great. This time they weren't. I won't be going back.

I hope you get them to see sense, OP. Ludicrous policy. But then my dentist still has its doors locked!

PriamFarrl · 21/02/2022 15:04

I’ve worked for Donald and Aitchison, Boots Opticians, Vision Express and Specsavers. Every one always had a policy of only offering children appointments after 3.30 and they don’t make any money on children and if they booked up the entire half term the stores wouldn’t make any money.

When I was at VE we would have a special ‘children’s clinic’ day in the half term to get all the appointments in then.

All Specsavers are franchises so it’s up to the individual store what they do.

JuergenSchwarzwald · 21/02/2022 15:04

Now they have a new policy where they refuse to see children until after 3.30pm during weekends and weekdays

have they explained why this is? Is it do with covid or something else?

PriamFarrl · 21/02/2022 15:05

I’m not saying it’s right to refuse children’s appointments by the way but that is what they did any why.

OkyDoke · 21/02/2022 15:05

I urgently needed to order glasses on a Friday, child had stood on them and broke them. No appointments to go and look at frames until the next Tuesday. What good is that? I went to Vision Express the same afternoon and they were delivered by Tuesday.

PriamFarrl · 21/02/2022 15:05

*and why.

JuergenSchwarzwald · 21/02/2022 15:06

and if they booked up the entire half term the stores wouldn’t make any money

of course they would - adults can easily book in half term too if they plan ahead. I had to book my non-half-term appointment about three weeks ahead. And lots of adults have free eye tests. My DH does and my ds would, too. I have to pay!

Anyway, the OP is asking for a reasonable adjustment on grounds of disability, so this "policy" doesn't apply.

Thewindwhispers · 21/02/2022 15:09

Yanbu. That is mad. I guess they’re going to lose a lot of customers 🤷‍♀️

PriamFarrl · 21/02/2022 15:13

@JuergenSchwarzwald

and if they booked up the entire half term the stores wouldn’t make any money

Anyway, the OP is asking for a reasonable adjustment on grounds of disability, so this "policy" doesn't apply.

If a days appointments are full of children then they don’t make any money on the sales of glasses. It’s not the free eye test that is the issue it’s the lack of sales. Opticians don’t make any profit on eye tests, just on the sales of glasses. They make very little on the sale of children’s glasses which are often completely free and if they are the frames you pay extra for then they are subsidised by the company as the value of the NHS voucher doesn’t cover it.

I agree that this isn’t the OPs point but I wanted to point out that having a policy of offering children’s appointments only after 3.30 is not new.

WonderfulYou · 21/02/2022 15:16

I can’t believe you accused them of discrimination FFS!

They’ve set up a system where there is set times for various things to make it run smoother.
Most of the time kids are in school 9-3:30 so they’ve set it up so it benefits the kids and parents and you’ve complained!

Imagine someone wanting contact lenses and they say contact lens appointment are sun-tues and they accuse them of bring racist.

Onlyforcake · 21/02/2022 15:18

Why are they refusing children appointments during the day? I don't understand that.

WonderfulYou · 21/02/2022 15:18

Every time I’ve been to Specsavers it’s at least a 30min wait so I am happy that they seem to be having set times for things so it will hopefully make appointments run smoother.

MuddlingThrough1724 · 21/02/2022 15:24

Well, that policy explains why it was so difficult to book an eyeyest for me and my daughter at the same time. I couldn't understand how I could get an appointment for next week but had to wait the best that of 2 months for a child's appointment! Is so silly, there are plenty of families who wouldn't be able to attend later appointments, and lots that home educate so aren't tied to school timings anyway. Very short sighted of them (🤣)!

FavouriteFortnight · 21/02/2022 15:25

@WonderfulYou

I can’t believe you accused them of discrimination FFS!

Imagine someone wanting contact lenses and they say contact lens appointment are sun-tues and they accuse them of bring racist.

Did you completely miss the bit about the OP’s child being autistic, only being able to cope with appointments in the morning due to need to stick to a routine?

It’s discriminatory because it’s not making a perfectly reasonable adjustment to their policy on the grounds of disability.

elvenqueen · 21/02/2022 15:29

you are not be unreasonable and they are being discriminatory. I hope that you find a way to contact them centrally. Trying Citizens Advice perhaps.

Nosnogginginthekitchen · 21/02/2022 15:29

@mumda
"No! They need to be put on and checked for fit!"

We had our appt last week. They checked them then and there, asked if I wanted him with when I collected or if I wanted to do a collection without him, them spent extra time checking and told me to come in with him and them if they turned out not to be comfortable or well fitted when he wore them, but they were very accommodating and could tell it was a stressful environment for my son, who is also neurodivergent.

FavouriteFortnight · 21/02/2022 15:30

The whole thing sounds a bit daft to me - the demand for children’s appointments is the same whether they schedule the appointments after 3:30 or not. If they don’t want their appointments all booked up by less profitable children’s tests etc, they could put an overall limit on the number of children’s appointments they will take bookings for rather than just limit it to a time of day which doesn’t do much to control demand, it’s just means all the kid appointments are in the same time window.

elvenqueen · 21/02/2022 15:33

this is a straw person argument.

Surely you understand that at the moment it seems impossible for the OP and her ds to pick up glasses. It seems to me they are being deliberately obstructive. And it is discrimination

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