SPEC-SAVERS = TIME-WASTERS

I had an appointment scheduled for today 06/11 at 14;00. Emphasis on scheduled. It was scheduled at the Specsavers at the Gordon's Bay Mall. I was meant to be taught everything about contact lenses -how to put it in, take it out, clean it etc.

I made specific plans with my employers so that I can take my lunchtime off to do that. So did my boyfriend, so that he can drive me to the APPOINTMENT.

So my boyfriend and I show up. We were the only people at the shop. There is only one lady in the shop. We were then instructed to wait because the lady that is supposed to help me has not come back yet. The lady that was at reception then sets up an area IN RECEPTION for my contact lens appointment. So I was supposed to learn how to put my contacts in and out IN FRONT OF EVERYONE IN THE SHOP OR PEOPLE WALKING PAST.

After 10 minutes of waiting, she shows up for OUR SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT. The lady that waited at reception goes off to give an eye test. I remained nice and friendly with the lady that was meant to help me. I immediately felt some sort of attitude and impatience from her. I spoke in English with her even though I am Afrikaans. I just learn better in English. I realized that the lady is actually Afrikaans but she seemed fine talking in English. She then started to show me how I must wash my hands and how to put the lenses in. In my opinion, she showed me quite poorly. I then attempted to put it in. Naturally, as expected I was struggling. The lady just sat and stared at me. I could see she was impatient. The overall time of this situation was approximately 5 minutes. A lot of elderly people came in and she immediately leaves me to go help them. I am already stressing with just putting my contact lenses in after just seeing what to do BRIEFLY. The other elderly people start staring at me and making comments. I, of course, felt very uncomfortable already. So the lady still left me and I was figuring out what to do on my own. About 15 minutes later I finally get it in without her help, because she was too busy having a nice fat chat with this lady (in Afrikaans) and LITERALLY SHOWING HER EVERY PAIR OF GLASSES IN THE STORE. If things weren't unprofessional already, she makes me wait AT LEAST ANOTHER 30 MINUTES, because still with this same lady she was chatting and pulling out more and more glasses EVEN AFTER THE CUSTOMER HAS ALREADY CHOSEN THE PAIR THAT SHE WANTS TO BUY. Then after that, she still continues her nice fat chat while she knows I am waiting. To add to her unprofessional nature, she and her customer were invading my personal space so that they can look at more glasses. How am I supposed to put contacts in FOR THE FIRST TIME while people do not give me the room or privacy to put the lenses in. The ladies went behind, in front and over me to look at glasses. I barely had space to move to put these contacts in.

After at least 50 minutes with the ONE customer ( I was waiting while I had a scheduled appointment and another lady was waiting), an elderly couple walks in and started to push in, in front of everyone, to get service. She immediately starts to serve them and the other lady that was waiting. After not saying a word, I walk up to her and said that this is not right and that I am just going to leave now. She refused that I leave and forced me to stay. She then started to show me how to take the contacts out while EVERYONE WAS LOOKING AT ME AND SAYING COMMENTS LIKE POOR GIRL. The lady that was finally helping me just allowed the people to invade my privacy. The elderly couple just waited in the corner and glared at me because I am the disrespectful young girl *****ing THEIR TIME. THIS WAS MEANT TO BE MY TIME! IT WAS AN APPOINTMENT! After two minutes of showing me how to take it out, she leaves me to go help the other people. Finally, the other girl comes out and helps me. 5 minutes later with her and I am done. I told the other girl about my horrible experience and she just covered for her friend saying they are understaffed.

I have never been humiliated like this in my whole life. This was truly a traumatic event for me and my FIRST CONTACT LENS EXPERIENCE. I felt like I was having a breakdown while they were making me put my lenses in and out in the waiting room while multiple people were staring at me and no one was helping me. I could feel the tears building up. I can promise because of this horrible experience, I will never support any Specsavers Branch and I will let know everyone how horrible they treat their customers. This is not the first time I have heard bad things about Specsavers anyway. I don't know if it is because I am young or English, but this branch was being extremely biased towards me.

I was only allowed 1 hour for lunch. It ended up being two hours because of this HORRIBLY TRAUMATIC experience and most of it was just me waiting for the lady that was supposed to help me just staring at me. It felt like they threw me to the wolves. This is not on. This is extremely unprofessional. The ladies in the shop took complete advantage of my kindness and friendliness. THEY TOOK ADVANTAGE OF ME! She just walked all over me. This is extremely sick. After my experience today, I have learned that you cannot be nice to people in the service industry because they will just take advantage of you and make you feel horrible, make you feel less of a person. Well, that is definitely the message Gordon's Bay Specsavers Branch is sending to everyone.

Since when must people be elderly or shout just to get service?

So for the total actual helping time, it added up to 15 minutes. I spoke to my boyfriend's dad for five minutes and he told me much more about contact lens care than they did. I am utterly disgusted.

Drastic action needs to be taken out on this branch. They will only continue treating customers like me poorly and that will only cause much more harm to the overall branch.

I will never support Specsavers because of this. I am completely traumatized.