Having worn glasses for most of my life, I have had to deal with a great many opticians. As a result I was well-acquainted with the fact that many of them are either barely-competent, uninterested in their customers' needs, or simply content to push a very limited selection of ill-fitting frames upon their customers -- and often a combination of all three -- all while over-charging for the meagre service which one would receive from them.
The staff at ROSHAD were the ones to change my opinion about opticians.
I have now purchased two pairs of glasses from ROSHAD, and on both occasions found that their performance of their duties very much *sets* the bar which most other opticians do not bother trying to meet.
ROSHAD's personnel are polished and professional without appearing to be so at first glance. While not as punk-rock in its branding as nearby RAPP optical, ROSHAD embraces a casual dress code and a laid-back appearance, making their staff far more comfortable to deal with than the up-tight stiffs whom one might see at a corporate chain. The attitude of ROSHAD is very much "casual, cooly competent" -- with the emphasis being on competent.
The laid-back, friendly appearance is laid atop of a well-oiled machine. Proprietor Rhonda Shadlyn not only knows her inventory better than most individuals know their own dwellings, but has gone to some trouble to include items on her shelves which would not have even made it into the stock-rooms of most optician's shops -- large frames for those of us who take a XXL-sized hat, tiny frames for very young children, extremely-light-weight frames for those of us who never remove our spectacles, and all manner of things in between.
The other sales staff know the inventory at least as well as Ms. Shadlyn and have a way of putting customers at ease regardless of how complicated their orders become -- I was in the unfortunate position of having complicated orders on both occasions when I dealt with them, and must report that they not only closed the sales, but untangled a mess consisting of lenses and frames from two separate (and uncooperative) manufacturers which most corporate opticians would have given up on while throwing me out of the store.
As if to underscore how well they know their trade, ROSHAD's IT department knows ROSHAD's stock better than the salespeople at many other opticians know their own.
On both of the occasions during which I had the pleasure of dealing with ROSHAD, I walked away with a far better pair of glasses than I had hoped for.
ROSHAD is a bit more expensive than a corporate optical chain would be -- however the price is still a bargain for the far superior service, selection, and cumulative experience, than a corporate shop could ever hope to deliver.
I have to give ROSHAD five stars for the cumulative experience I have had with them. read more
