One year ago I had to buy some more glasses, (see previous entries), and as I had used a local branch of SpecSavers where I live in Kingston upon Thames, in the UK, for some years, I returned to them.
The offer of two pairs of glasses for the price on one, (really?), suits me, as I can carry both pairs around the world, if I break, damage or lose a pair, I have another ready to take its’ place. Another great asset is that one pair has green frames and the other has blue frames, so I could be colour co-ordinated.
I do not wear the all the time as they are for reading, but being bi-focal, I can keep them on, but as I do a lot of reading, I really do need them.
Three weeks ago, one of the arms off pair of glasses one, dropped off, no problem, I had another pair. I must be my fault, perhaps I sat on them, perhaps I could have abused them. I could not remember doing so, but then am I aware of every thing I do?
I wore my second pair, and live continued as normal, a trip to Italy, to Turkey and then on to Bahrain to give courses.
Whilst in the training room in Bahrain, I took my second pair of glasses off to give the presentation, and put them in my shirt pocket. When the time came for the participants to do the exercise I wanted them to do to reinforce their learning, I reached inside my pocket to get my glasses, put them on, to realise that the arm off these glasses had become detached.
Now this time, I know I was not abusive to my glasses, I had treated them with the love and affection they deserved, after all, they were now my only pair. Yes the frames were thin, light etc, but then we have to use them, wear them, that is what they are for.
Like many modern consumer goods, cars, TV’s, computer, they have a life expectancy, and it must be the same with these glasses, as both were the same style of frame.
Now I was in a mess, no glasses, four days of training left for me to give, e-mails to answer, and the latest book I was reading, The Complete Works of Sherlock Homes to finish.
Oh Poo Poo.
There was no way to get them repaired, I tried and the shopkeeper did not want to know, or did not have the correct equipment.
I purchased a pair of off-the-shelf reading glasses. Not bad, not the correct strength, but I could read.
On returning to the UK, I went straight to SpecSavers, and of cause they presupposed that I had damaged them, and it was suggested that it was the way I took them off, until I pointed out that on one pair the right arm had come off, and on the other it was the left.
SpecSavers broken glasses
Now I went into the shop with an attitude of non confrontational, to be friendly, to seek help, and that is what I got in return.
Without any to do, my records were called up, and immediately I was offered new frames, placing my existing lenses into new frames. Unfortunately they had no frames in stock.
Oh Poo Poo.
But, they would get some more, and as soon as they did, they would call me.
Today, one week later, they did telephone, but only one new frame had arrive.
Still now I can see properly to read and type, even if I have to readjust my eyes back to my old pair after using the off-the-shelf ones for two weeks.
Well done SpecSavers. I will await the blue frames, so I can go out in the streets colour matching with my eyes.