Tuesday, February 3, 2015

No Sense of Direction

One time a couple of years ago I was filling a prescription.  You can hear me drag the little pills across the plastic tray.  I'm concentrating because this is hard work. A man walks up to the pharmacy, stares at me directly through the glass... he can see I'm counting, but you remember, this is Snootyville and he's more important than the sick child waiting for her medication.

Mr. Can'tWait: "Hey buddy, where's the Benedryl?"

 Me:  "Hello.  Would you like me to show you?  It's right in front of you."

(Our corporation has some how muddled the idea of "customer service" and says that good customer service is NOT directly answering the customer's question.  Instead, you must have a proper greeting and offer to take them to item).

 Mr. Can'tWait turns around 180 degrees, then looks in all directions. He's in the aisle and there is nothing there in front of him.

 Me:  "No, turn around, it is right in front of the pharmacy."

 Mr. Can'tWait (and I'm being serious here) does a 360 degree turn. You forgot to say Simon-Say. I rush to the door because this guy is obviously voted for the wrong guy in the last election or has been drinking. He's still staring at the empty aisle when I get to him and turn him around to show him the Benedryl.

I still laugh about that one.
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3 comments:

  1. AnonymousFebruary 3, 2015 at 11:28 AM

    I say "look at me.....now look down". That usually does it!

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousFebruary 4, 2015 at 4:56 AM

    A new Walgreens in the city where I live has removed the line of view from the public. The pharmacists are behind a wall. No more watched-pot-never-boils customers staring and pacing. Everything old is new again.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousFebruary 4, 2015 at 12:44 PM

    I actually once witnessed a grown woman approach a grocery store employee and just start loudly barking "JELLO JELLO JELLO JELLO JELLO JELLO" at him. He finally interrupts her and says "Aisle _, halfway down on the left" She walks off without another word and he goes back to work. I was stunned but cannot figure out if I am more stunned by her behaviour or by his lack of reaction ... almost as if this was not surprising to him at all, that it might happen often enough to be routine! I saw her later in the store chatting away on a cell phone using complete sentences and a civil volume so I know it was not something you can chalk up to an inability to communicate typically.

    Same store, several months later I notice a man approach an employee and say nothing except "Jello" - it was not said as in a question, it was a statement - a declaration of JELLO!!! This time the employee pointed to a shelf (the dude was maybe 3 feet away) and said "Its right there." The dude replies "Can you show me, I can't see it." He has not even turned his head in the direction the employee pointed. The employee gets up from stocking a bottom shelf and without any attitude or rancor, walks over to the shelf and says "Here it is."

    What is it with Jello? Why can't people treat store employees like human beings?

    ReplyDelete

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