Specsavers Advance Plus Aid Broke

Hearing Aids
#1

Hi my dad got fitted with specsavers Advance plus hearing aids and they failed after weeks, the right one wasn’t holding a charge after 4 days, and now the left has gone as well.
After the right one was failing I contacted the audiologist who BTW has been polite and helpful so no problems there, and he said he would order a new unit, not sure if he meant both right and left, immaterial now cause both are gone.

Our order first time round came quick this one seems to be taking longer, and if they’ve only ordered one, then it’s going to be even longer, so I’m going to phone up tomorrow, but I’m thinking now should I go straight to the manager, also do you think it would be cheeky or prosumtios to ask for some kind of discount or good will gesture, these aren’t cheap over a thousand pound, and they’ve failed within weeks, so it doesn’t bode well for longevity either.

Lastly I’m hoping that we haven’t unknowingly caused the damage, because we were advised by the audiologist to pick up some (EAROL) spray because my dad had some wax, the spray was used by my dad at night when the hearing aids were removed, then they were placed back in his ear next morning, so if the spray has affected them then you shouldn’t have been told to use it in the first place, and there is nothing in the care section saying not to use sprays, so as far as I’m concerned the blame isn’t on us.

I am however apprehensive mentioning this to the manager, in case they try to put the blame solely in our court, and try to wriggle out, so if anyone knows that it’s not good to use these sprays, then we know for future.

My last and final question is there alternatives to specsavers, before going for these we really knew nothing about them, my dad had NHS made ones but they weren’t very good, and I don’t think they were comfortable either, so if there is other options just as good in the same price bracket it would be good to know, Thanks.

#2

Surely someone can give some advice please?

#3

Yes that’s unfortunate, not offen do you get both HAs giving up around the same time.

Sounds like just one, at the time you only told him about the left side giving up.

Good idea, you need to tell them ASAP, so the quicker you mention the right side the quicker he can order.

Actually I do, remember no one knows exactly what the issue is, so I would think it’s a bit rich to start asking for discounts so soon, I mean if it had happened a few times, you’d be within your rights to ask for something
(rebate?)

Again you don’t know exactly what has happened to them, so I wouldn’t get cut up about this just yet, I’m not exactly sure which model you have, but Specsavers sell rebranded Phonaks and Signia, both of which are very good brands in the industry.

Don’t worry, this most likely hasn’t done any damage, I mean if you sprayed the entire HA, sure you’d do damage, but as you say you followed the instructions/directions for using the EAROL.

Hold up, don’t go getting all defensive straight away, just let everything play out.

Again don’t say anything unless your asked! I just don’t think they have anything to “wiggle” out of in the first place.

Yes sure there is, Costco, NHS are also available, even tho your dad has tried NHS before, the latest models with a good audiologist and I’m sure he’ll get a much better experience.
Remember HAs are not a one size fit all, it takes time to find ones you are happy with, so you can’t always just go on the price alone.

Free trials at Costco,so he can trial a few different options over a period of time.Your in the UK so I’ll tag @Zebras hopefully she can help more then me.

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#4

Just a caveat about the last statement. You have to pay Costco up front first, but if you return the aids after 90 days (I think here in the UK), then you get a refund - minus any custom fitting cost (I believe).

Yes - there is the NHS, Boots, Costco and independent audiologists.

Don’t discount the NHS. Yes, they have technology that is slightly older, but it’s free - includes REM (at least at my local hospital), and you could end up with something that gives you a similar hearing performance to a top of the line device. That is my experience. What you may not get is a direct bluetooth device.

#5

They shouldn’t have failed like that: assuming it isn’t just oily wax blocking the receivers - you don’t mention if you changed the wax guard.

It sounds like a battery/charging problem; I’m assuming the charger is being used correctly.

Specsavers are likely to tell you where to get off the bus if you hit them with a request for a reduction. You might not know, but it’s a franchise, so all the costs of the company get met before the Audiologist/Local branch franchisee gets paid. The prices are set nationally. Any discount will come directly out the local guy’s pocket.

#6

Thanks for the in depth answer, so it appears by everyone’s posts so far the advice is not to jump the gun so I wont lol, and I call back the audiologist, who said was polite and helpful, I’m not bashing NHS because not everyone is fortunate enough, to buy there own, fortunately my dad is.

I just recently found out after getting the hearing aids, that specsavers to a service fitting NHS ones as well, only in England though, we’re in Scotland, but we get free prescriptions so can’t have it all lol.

Speaking from my dads experience though, he struggled a little changing the batteries he has AMD, macular degeneration, and lost sight in his left eye, and he did find them a little uncomfortable in the ear, also we’ve waited over three month on one repair for his left ear, so we thought why not try specsavers, and they’re recharchable so no more messing with batteries.

So when the new ones started failing he was gutted, and so was I for him, he did find them better than NHS, and we got the one just up from the standard, and they were good for more sounds, eg group conversations, and that would be good for Christmas.

So I’m taking all the good advice I will stay calm, but I have to admit, we definitely thought that EAROL spray had something to do with it, and that’s part of the reason why I came on here to see if anyone had a similar experience, and also as I said it was recommended by the audiologist so we thought we were doing the right thing, but when both had went we were miffed as to what had gone wrong.

They are charging it appears because when placed back in the pod, they are orange to start with then they turn green, so then you think they’re all set to go, but they’re dead lol, so I particularly thought the EAROL had damaged them, or was blocking them in some way, so that’s the story and I hope that answers some of the questions in the posts above, and I appreciate the help.

#7

If it’s not a charging issue like you said, it’ll be the receiver flooded with oily wax.

Should be easy to rectify in house.

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#8

THis might be a daft question - but if the aids are receiver in canal have you changed the wax guards just in case they are blocked with Earol/wax and thus not emitting sound.

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#9

Another maybe daft question, is the charging unit okay?

#10

Yep it is a daft question, just joking, no the charging pod is fine, as far as I know because the lights turn green, I spoke to the audiologist today, and he has the replacement hearing aid for the right, and for the left he doesn’t think it’s a big problem, he just thinks it’s blocked with wax, as um bongo mentioned above, and we managed to get an appointment for tomorrow.

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#11

If your dad is still in the 90 day return period with Specsavers, you could always return them, and try Costco, if you are in or near Glasgow. I purchased my Kirkland KS10’s there, had nothing but great service.

#12

Hi yes hes well within it, I think it’s a hundred days, we were in today, simple fix for the left, they just put a new receiver on them, and the new right one was charged up ready to go.

You’re lucky if we were in the office 5 mins lol, so it’s all good, just now and he’s hearing fine, so the TV is back down to a normal level as apposed to a cinema lol, what price were yours if you don’t mind me asking? As I said they’re easier for him to get on with, being rechargeable and no messing with batteries so fingers crossed lol.

#13

I paid £1150 at Costco in Glasgow, and I find them excellent. Most thorough testing and fitting I have encountered so far, having tried a number of the large retailers.

#14

Thanks I’ll have a wee look on there website, think my dads were roughly that price, maybe a bit cheaper, we’re inbetween Glasgow and Edinburgh, but think the Edinburgh one is closer.

#15

For what it’s worth, I’m in UK and I have used Amplifon for about twelve years and I’m happy with them.

#16

The only Costco hearing centre for Scotland is in Glasgow.

#17

Oh right I just assumed because there was a Costco in Edinburgh, they would do at as well, do they have a website? As I said he’s quite happy so far but he did say there quite low on the phone, I have to repeat myself, the NHS ones were the same but I can vaguely remember the audiologist saying something about mono sound or something when he first got fitted with his NHS ones.

He’s on the auto setting just now till he gets used to them, with the specsavers ones, as someone said they’re rebranded by specsavers and they’re the advance plus ones, and the make is signia, the phonak were more expensive, so can something be done with these newer types when your on the phone?

#18

@steviegocelts

If these are Bluetooth Aids then yes just ask for the automatic hearing aid program that is used when on a phone for the gain to be raised a bit.

No there are hardly any hearing aid centres in the UK for Costco.

Website, Google will come up with that. Just be sure it’s the UK site.

#19

Hi little update from the last time I was on my dad’s hearing aids have been going good, however I’ve got a question for some reason his left wax guard blocked after just one week, I changed it but I never changed the ear bud, because there was no signs of damage I just gave it a little clean and put it back on, a week later the wax guard was blocked again so I changed it again but this time I changed the ear bud as well, two months later it’s still going.

Is this just a mad coincidence, really doesn’t make sense lol, I was advised by the Specsavers audiologist only to change the earbuds if they were showing signs of damage, so it’s a bit confusing, should both of them be changed at the same time because the ear buds are quite expensive, and if you had to change them every time the wax guard blocks, you would go through them really quickly, Thanks.

#20

I just make sure the hole of the dome where the sound comes through is clear and I re use. You do need a pin tho to make sure the hole is clear. I’ve never had an issue otherwise.