Wow. Probably one of the most awkward and unimpressive customer service experiences I've had in a…read morewhile. I stopped in yesterday in the early evening of Oct 4th as I wanted to have a look around and interested in a specific brand of glasses that I'm after. However, I walked in and there was a salesperson who happened to step from their backroom/offices into sales floor, but didn't even greet me. I immediately felt awkward - I stood there for about 15 seconds yet she ignored me as she was doing her own thing, putting stuff into drawers or checking whatever it was she was doing. So it took me to break the ice and step around the displays to go to her, and say hi and ask if they sold the branded frames I was looking for. She thought about it for a second and answered 'no'. And to my genuine surprise - that was it. No apparent willingness to offer to a new customer an alternative or discuss what if anything she could do to earn my business. Nothing - not even a willingness to make-up for the earlier awkwardness and offer a 2nd impression of the shop's customer service. Nothing. Nada. Nought. Zilch. El zero. I felt even more awkward about this encounter by the second, and I just ended up thanking her, for nothing really, and I just saw myself out. I lingered outside the shop for a minute trying to make sense of the experience, but I quickly realized that this is really not a shop I felt I wanted to give another chance to win my business. Couldn't believe how big a fail this was as a first impression customer service experience on a first visit, and don't want to imagine what after-care service would be like. If this is what it's like to "shop local" then it proves that there's nothing at all wrong with thinking I "should've gone to SpecSavers." And I did. It was just up the road.

After a recent visit to Optomise in Newtownards I wondered why someone would go to a local optician…read morerather than a big brand opticians such as Specsavers? The only way to solve this debate is a good old fashioned shoot out: Optomise is a well established family business with a lot of experience. Sure you may say that Specsavers for instance employ experience staff but do they greet you by your first name when you walk into the shop? Optomise have further enhanced their services by introducing house calls to elderly and vulnerable people to their list of attributes. They offer a good choice of frames and a competitive price depending your prescription. They will also work around the customers schedule and make an appointment that is convenient for you rather than the big brand policy of fitting you in when it suits them. So there we have it, after an intriguing match up between big brand opticians and Optomise, it appears that Optomise have come out on top with a resounding 5 star to nil victory. Optomise are sure to stay top of the optician league for a long time to come. I know what your thinking, and no the refree does not need glasses.

I have never in my life given a bad review for any business/practice, but I felt this place…read moredeserved to be written about. I had a feeling by looking at the place before I walked in that it wouldn't go well, it looked more like an opticians then a proper clinic, especially if it was going to cost me €150, but I said to myself to give it a chance. I had previously been to my optician about an eye issue I had been experiencing. However, I still had a problem with my eyes so I decided I should see an eye "specialist", thinking they would go in to more detail. Well that's what I thought anyway, but all the "specialist" did was shine a light in to my eyes. My optician who supposedly is an under study to a "specialist" performed far more rigorous tests and took reports of how my eye was on their system (scans etc.), nothing like this was performed here. They wanted to charge €150 for this, I couldn't believe a 2 minute consultation would constitute this charge. The "specialist" threw in a few phrases about the Mater Private as if that warranted the €150 for his 2 minute analysis & that it's good to see a 'specialist' over an 'optician'. I see through those comments and it was nothing short of a con artist job & a quick buck and no regard about taking notes regarding my eye health. I will be looking in to more detail about this. My optician was "FREE" and performed a much better professional analysis of the eyes. Please stay away from this place if your looking for a more in depth analysis from a "specialist".

I know of this place due to the deficiencies in my girlfriends' eyes and I really admire the…read moreservice and shop that is on offer here. The shop floor is modern and spacious, and is a vast amount prettier than most of the stores in and around Downpatrick. The different brands of glasses on sale here are clearly categorised and labelled to let you know their prices and suitability for different eye conditions. The optometrist herself is a lovely woman. My girlfriend regularly has to collect her prescription for her contacts her and she always receives timely and personal service here. It would be easier for her to get someone closer to home but she likes to stay her because of the quality service that she gets here, so I have only good things to say. Hopefully my girlfriend will not have to go here too much longer as she wants to get her eyes lasered, which is alarmingly expensive for of you who don't know, you are looking at £3000!!!