Summary: Abysmally poor service and they tried to hustle me. GVO is in violation of their agreement with VSP. (See deets below.) GVO is refusing to sell me frames unless I purchase the prescription lens from them, too. Of course, they don't hesitate in accepting my prescription procured from another optometry office, but then refuse me the same choice that is allowed via my VSP benefits that I pay for, out of my own paycheck. That refusal is a direct violation of VSP's policy. The entire GVO staff are rude and deceitful hustlers.
Details: I informed sales associate Austin, that I will be taking them elsewhere for the lens prescription. He stated to me, "That is fine." I came in later to purchase my selected frames and advised sales associate Sam that I wanted to take them elsewhere to fill the prescription. He said, "Sorry, you can't use your VSP insurance benefits. We can only give you a small discount on the frame." I told him "That is "incorrect." I am knowledgeable on how my insurance benefits operate. (I dislike when companies lie to me.) I said to Sam, "I will get VSP on the line and VSP can inform you that my frame benefit will be covered while still allowing me to take them to the place of my choosing to get the presciption lenses filled." I get VSP on the line, and indeed, the VSP rep informs 'Sam' that "Yes, she can use my VSP benefits towards the frame." Sam lied to me and incorrectly assumed he could hustle me. As a result of the convo with VSP, he began to ring up the frames, per the discussion with the VSP rep. Then Adrienne, the most obnoxiously rude manager I have run across ever, barked, "I will NOT sell those frames to you unless you get them filled here." I stated, "It's part of my benefit. VSP will cover them under my insurance, and you are a contracted provider with VSP." Adrienne then yells, "I AM THE MANAGER AND I MAKE THE DECISIONS AND I WON'T SELL THEM TO YOU UNLESS YOU GET THE LENSES HERE TOO." A VSP supervisor was on the phone call with me as I had I told the previous VSP rep what was occurring. The VSP supervisor asked to talk with the store manager, and Adrienne stated, "I don't want to speak to her. I make the final decisions." I'm concluding my phone call to VSP and Adrienne demands, "Get out of my store!" I told the VSP supervisor what Adrienne said to me, to which she replied, "I will write up a formal complaint on the store." I stated, "Excuse me, Adrienne, I just wanted to let you know-" at which point Adrienne tosses her head, spins her chair around the opposite direction and speaks to me with her back facing me, "Get out!" I stated, in a very calm, direct tone, "Please don't interrupt me. I have a VSP supervisor on the line and I wanted to inform you that she is going to write a complaint up on you if you fail to meet my VSP benefits." Adrienne demands loudly, "GET OUT!" I got my son, who had been quietly witnessing this ordeal, and walked out. VSP has issued a complaint against the GVO because they have a contract with VSP to provide frames to VSP customers.
The Hustle: Sam lied to me about my benefits about "VSP would send them a warning if they sold me frames, utilizing my benefits, without filling the prescription too." When hustling me didn't work, Adrienne, the store manager, refused to sell me frames, and instead, actually told me to "Get out!" of the store. I was both courteous and mindful of my tone of voice. Adrienne, the store manager, is violating VSP's policy by refusing me to utilize my VSP benefits.
VSP stayed on the line with me after I left. VSP heard the manager and was in disbelief that GVO treats their clientele this way. Further, the VSP supervisor followed up with the store after I had left, and Adrienne stated, "I don't want to speak to VSP!" The VSP supervisor advised me of this manager's arrogant, obnoxious behavior, and deplorable behavior.
Selection: Normally I end up with a choice of about 6 pairs, but with their limited selection, I only found two 'potentially' suitable frames. They don't offer service in frame selection. Other shops assist the customer in picking out frames, based on the prescription and the customers face. It was the opposite here, as they proffered no frame selection assistance, for both my face and lens prescription needs. They lack experience in assisting customers in making wise frame choices for both the 'face and prescription lens' needs.
Result: They lost me as a frame customer, my husband as a vision exam and frames customer, and my son as a frame and lens customer! That's three lost customers, one negative Yelp review, one negative experience on 'Escondido Friends' Facebook page with 19,000 members, where I received several recommendations to other local, 'wonderful' optometry shops, and one formal complaint initiated by VSP. Yup, that about sums it up.
ETA: It was a blessing in disguise. The frames I had selected there were so wrong for my face/lens read more