I visited the Tuscaloosa Eyemart location today and the experience left a lot to be desired. When I first sat down, the greeting was pleasant. However, that changed the moment I explained that I didn’t have my insurance card with me, even though it was the same insurance I had previously used there. The associate let out a very noticeable sigh while grabbing the phone to verify the information, which immediately made me feel like I had become an inconvenience. Mind you, I had only been sitting there about three minutes. Three minutes shouldn’t be long enough for a customer to feel like a burden for simply asking for service. I could have easily paid cash if necessary, but the attitude alone made the situation uncomfortable. I later called back and spoke with the manager. The manager was polite and provided the corporate phone number, but there was no apology or acknowledgment that the experience was unpleasant. Customer service is not just about saying “welcome” when someone walks in the door. It’s about treating people with respect during the entire interaction. If verifying insurance is such an inconvenience, perhaps customer service may not be the right line of work. Hopefully this location improves how customers are treated moving forward.
