America's Best Contacts & Eyeglasses — Attraction in Pohatcong Township

The Phillipsburg, NJ location earned a special mention today!

Before my visit, I called to confirm my daughter and I still had current prescriptions. Spent quite a bit of time talking to the very friendly and professional woman on the other end of the phone. She was aware we’d be coming in shortly.

We arrived at the store, a receptionist (not the one I spoke to on the phone) said she would be with us in a moment. I told my daughter to go ahead and start looking at glasses to pick her new pair. The previously “busy” receptionist managed to make time to halt my daughter and say that there is to be “no browsing”. Clearly, this confuses me because how else can my daughter pick glasses if she cannot look at them? We are told we must have our temperatures checked in order to choose our glasses. I declined as I am uncomfortable with someone who is not a medical professional and therefore not bound by HIPAA performing ANY kind of medical screen on me and certainly not on my daughters. The receptionist insists; says it is in accordance with CDC guidelines. I continue to politely but firmly decline since I am well versed in current CDC guidelines and while they ENCOURAGE temperature checks for employees, they in no way, shape, or form mandate them for customers/patrons.

The receptionist insinuated that I am declining since my children are sick. I informed her that I am their mother and I certainly would not take them out in public if they had a fever, I simply have standards I am not willing to compromise. She says she will need to get her manager since she has never encountered this “problem” before. Fine, not an issue for me. Happy to discuss it with him. The manager, Nicholas Hetu, arrives from the back wearing a neck gaiter (see CDC website for direct, up-to-date guidelines on neck gaiters). He continues with the rhetoric that this is mandated by CDC guidelines and if we do not quietly submit we need to leave the premises. I once again explain to him that under no circumstances will I agree to someone who is not a medical professional performing any kind of medical exam on my children or myself. The harassment continued and I remained polite but firm in my stance. He finally informs me that he IS a licensed optician and therefore that should be acceptable to me. Sure! No problem I can meet in the middle there. Well - he proceeds to attempt to check our temperatures and struggles with the operation of the thermometer. So that was amusing.

Now that we’ve been “given permission” to browse as paying customers, we select our eyewear and head to the desk for measurements. Mr. Hetu (the manager, who made a very large fuss about CDC guidelines while wearing a neck gaiter - again, see CDC website directly) dons latex gloves to take the eye measurements for our glasses. No problem. Though perhaps inquiring as to whether the customer had a latex allergy would have been beneficial since the lack of inquiry could have led to quite the lawsuit.... but I digress. Measurements taken, receptionist we spoke with on the phone is setting us up for payment, and we observe Mr. Hetu helping another customer; touching all of his items, his desk, etc with the same gloves he just used for us. Now Mr. Hetu, if you are so concerned with the safety of your customers and you are determined to abide by “regulations” and “medical knowledge” I have quite a few medical textbooks for you to check out in your spare time - which you will no doubt have some more of after I give the corporate office a ring.

As a company, America’s Best should be far more accurate when instructing their employees to parrot “CDC Guidelines” which don’t exist, directly violating them themselves, having licensed professionals abusing PPE, and...

Exemplary customer service is an understatement! After my partner and I dealt with the horrible mismanaging of the Bethlehem location, we were advised to go to Phillipsburg. Boy are we glad that we made the trip! From being greeted originally by Hannah at the front desk, who had a casual conversation about different types of glasses and her recommendations, even offered to help me try on some pairs while waiting. She was very pleasant, upbeat and happy to greet customers. You just know that she loves what she does. She was able to accommodate several people signing in while delegating employees to handle things from tightening up glasses to getting contacts prepared. She juggled so much today and it was impressive!

Kat, the manager, is truly someone that goes above and beyond at the same time being able to effectively multitask with other employees and customers. Not only did she put both of us to ease with his glasses situation, she was able to get me into a great pair of Pairs. Furthermore, she explained every bit of the process of what did entail for the order, warranties and qualified me correctly without trying to upsell me on what was needed for my eyes given my type of work and what I do recreationally. Not only did she take the time to be attentive and empathetic, her personality and demeanor were bubbly and infectious.

As someone who has been in luxury retail management and is currently a corporate manager currently leading a team of 8 sales support analysts, I can spot a rare gem when I see one and Kat is definitely it. She is someone that should be in leadership of corporate training.

The employees seem to really enjoy working with each other because they are professional, and very personable and fun yet incredibly knowledgeable. Everyone there made the process so much more efficient and I wish other stores could model after how this location operates. Everyone there seems empowered to be a leader in some role and it shows because the customers seem to have been completely pleased around us today, even the customers had to wait.

We definitely appreciated being appreciated and thanked for their business. We look forward to our next pairs!

Keep up the great work over...

I bought glasses, had to pay for entire order before receiving them, ok. I was there on the 1st of the month and was told should be less than two weeks to receive glasses. I received no call so I called on the morning of the 15th to ask about the glasses. I was told by the lady on the phone oh, they’re in a drawer with a laugh, not funny. When I finally got to store to pick up my glasses I was told that the computer called my phone on the the 10th!?! No call in my phone log. Interesting how out of all the 10 or so employees around the location that nobody could actually call me to let me know that my order was ready. It’s almost like they want you to pay in advance and then not call. Strange business practice. The glasses are fine but they need to work on communication with customer. A robot phone call not great, why couldn’t they email to tell my glasses were ready. Can’t the computer email the customer? Staff was very friendly but Not sure if I will be a customer...