LensCrafters Reviews

Pros

You do get good training in the optical world... Most people on the store level have fantastic work ethic and try to be the best they can be. Most struggle alot and care about trying to fulfill corporate expectations. They are very knowledgeable about product. You will meet people whose work ethic you will admire....but....

Cons

Cutting hours is my main qualm..how can you plan a budget for your family this way, and then they expect you to work like a mad dog to fulfill 2000$ sales goals. Overall I feel taken advantage of, its not a give and take. Its a take and take. The pay is lousy for what it takes out of you mentally, coupled with the knowledge that other jobs would pay more for you to do less. By one year , I am totally burnt out and resentful. And I was a good employee who hit my daily sales goals and was courteous and profesional.

Advice to Senior Management

Cutting hours equals financial chaos to your employees. With thtat blow to morale and lack of regard for thier welfare, how much amazing loyalty do you truly expect.??? Really? Are you not aware of how hard things are out there????????????

Pros

benefits are good. hard to beat with 401, pension, and vacation time. It is possible to be promoted within the store.

Cons

Lots of pressure. you have increasing sales goals. Conference calls twice a week, which is a waste of time. You are forced to have everyone try on sunglasses or you will be written up if you don't follow the behaviors your told to do. Eyewear protection plan is forced down your throat to sell. You have to reach a certain percentage or you go on a pip, performance improvement plan. If you don't improve then it goes to a CAR, which means basically you get written up. From there you are looking to be out the door. You have morning huddles. Have to tell a belief story to the asociates to prove it can be done. Basically, if you want to work here make sure you drink the kool-aid.

Advice to Senior Management

be in our shoes for once. You have no idea how our stores are run. Lets see you make glasses in an hour by yourself getting slammed. Give back the hours. Remember # 10 core value? I didn't think so!!!

Pros

Pay
Work life balance
Free spirit to run your store how u need

Cons

too cut throat about policies and procedures

Advice to Senior Management

Hear the manager out before jumpin to conclusions due to strict policies

Pros

Extremely fast paced environment, allowing for almost no boredom. You also get that warm, fuzzy feeling when you make a pair of free glasses for someone who needs them, but can't afford them.

Cons

The entire company seems to be hemorrhaging individuals that can do their job quickly and efficiently in order to save money, and then hiring outside individuals to fill their spaces -- often times placing a new employee in management positions.

Advice to Senior Management

How about you do some internal promotions of individuals based on their performance -- also, allow individuals to actually receive a "perfect" on their reviews without having to be a robot.

Pros

Great opportunity for experienced retail professionals.

Cons

Payroll cuts have been challenging. Training and development could be better. Need better communication channels.

Advice to Senior Management

Hire a manager of communication to filter the flow of information between corporate and field.

Pros

good overall work environment, leader in optics, great products, mostly good leaders to help develope associates who want to advance within the company

Cons

lower pay rate compared other optical chains, some goals are unrealistic for retail staff, need more time for associate development to help drive sales more

Advice to Senior Management

Pay your associates what they are worth, don't bring managers in to a store that you want them to manage for training bring them over after training so the staff is not training the managers, provide hours designated for training new associates( this will only help the company in the long run)

Pros

It's slightly better than nothing...ok, I learned to make glasses. I also received a free pair of nice shades.

Cons

Horrible culture
Low pay for frontline
Ridiculous expectations
No training
Blame game is required!
Frontline employees cry when RDO brings RVP

The problems at LC are spread through the org. like a cancer. Most of the bad decisions come from the top down. It's clear that the executives don't know what to do to bring in business, so they try anything. If you go off "script" and try some creativity - you're not brand right. Too bad the brand right people are driving the company into the ground.

Some RVPs are VERY brand culture.

One region in the south had nearly 5 region managers in the last 6 years. How many southern RDOs, GMs and employees have to get hacked before someone realizes, the problem is higher up? Other regions turned over too. People hold their breath all day when she and the entourage come to a store. Employees lie about how things are going. The poor GM and RDO must endure interrogations and cynicism. Unfortunately, she appears to be part of the guard that is winning the culture war. From what I hear,(employees transfer from other regions) it's only slightly better in other parts of the country.

Advice to Senior Management

It's not too late. I found stacks of training manuals and videos at my store collecting dust. Apparently, GMs used to get trained and so did the frontline sales people. You need to train and develop quality associates.

Tell your RVPs to stop looking for people to blame and fire. I promise, if a manager isn't constantly blaming frontline employees and terminating them they're screwed. I understand being accountable and getting rid of dead weight but this is overkill. Turnover actually costs money!

Let the RDOs and GMs get a little creative. My GM wanted to invite school children to tour the lab and have their eyes examed but she was to scared to say anything b/c the last person to suggest something creative got canned b/c 'he wasn't getting it.'

Also, close the pay gap between RVP, RDO and GM. We know RDOs make six figures. GMs make 40 - 50k, then it goes down from there. C'mon, take 30k off the RDOs and RVPs and spread the money into some type of bonus or incentive plan for the frontline employees! 70k(and a car) is still plenty!

Pros

Job security and fun environment

Cons

pay and no time fro breaks

Advice to Senior Management

SPUD is not an effective tool to deal with people. Only robots that don't need bathroom breaks or food can work with those hours!

Pros

Best in the business of making glasses.

Cons

Accountability for years of eroded business is pushed downward. Big company woes - appeal to shareholders is #1. No longer a growth company and fun has all but disappeared.

Advice to Senior Management

Squeeze harder to get more bonus...not much left but the rind. Grab the cash and move on!

Pros

It's nice to help people see, the technical aspect can be very interesting. At the store level, great people to work with.

Cons

Recently it is just poor decision after poor decision. They thought forcing a cultural shift would save them, then they thought they could rewind the clock to 1999 with "1 Hour Now" without the hours or economy to support it. Now they've taken away even more hours and more recently, management vacations to support "Hot Christmas." Lab equipment is old and barely kept together, the situation only made worse by the limited hours. Make no mistake, Lenscrafters is a sinking ship.

Advice to Senior Management

Less micromanagement. Your managers are in the store for a reason. Your job should primarily be that of a support system. Less blaming of frontline associates. Things are always our fault and always our responsibility to fix.