That little detail tells you about the patience of Susan Buffoon. When you do answer the phone, she immediately starts spitting out whatever Rx number she wants filled. You would think after hearing us ask her to repeat it every time that she would wait until we're ready to take the information.
No. That would make too much sense.
Today Susan Buffoon wants to know the status on the three eye drop medications that were called in for her. This is news to me so I go to the computer and look up her profile. Yep, sure enough, there are three eye drop medications filled, but they're at another Goofmart location not far from us. I tell her this information, then she gets snippy with me.
"I know that. I asked YOU last week to transfer them so I could pick them up at your location!"
I swear to you on a stack of bibles I never had any such conversation with her on this. Instead of arguing with her, I decide to avoid conflict.
"I will transfer them, but we'll have to order them. I can have them for you tomorrow," I tell her, politely, I might add.
"Forget about it! I'll just pick them up from the other store!"
<CLICK> She hung up on me.
A few days later the phone rings. I pick it up and hear ZERO being pressed repeatedly. Oh boy.
"Did YOU get those eye drops ready for me?
I'm startled, but I keep calm. I tell her that she told me she was going to pick them up at the other store just before she hung up on me. Then I ask her where she actually wants to pick up the eye medications.
"I'll pick them up at the other store."
<CLICK> She hung up on me again.
A few days later I come on shift in the middle of the day. I'm looking at the daily filled prescription list when I notice that there are three eye medications on order for the next day.
You guessed it. While I was gone, Susan Buffoon decided once again to transfer them to us and get them at our location.
Incidentally, the other Goofmart Pharmacy is three miles east of us.
It makes me laugh when I think about just how unpleasant some of my customers are. I say 'customers' because trying to call them 'patients' just doesn't work. The way people treat both me and my techs, despite jumping through every hoop and catering to pretty much their every whim, is deplorable. The way people expect to get everything they want, no thanks to corporate, sucks. That expectation leads to some pretty awful customers, ones that yell, scream and threaten until they get their way.
ReplyDeleteAnd god help you if you have to stand your ground on the basis of legality or just good ol' patient care. Corporate will just side with the customer regardless of the situation and just tell you to 'work harder and do better next time. You need to improve customer service.' No joke. Two weeks early with your oxy? No problem, just call and scream at someone at corporate and it'll get filled. For free. You 'didn't know' that your insurance changed and you want me to 'check the system' for your info because you're too lazy to give me your card? Sure, I'll tie someone up on the phone getting 'your' information because if I say 'no' you'll call corporate and somehow make it my fault. All while you stand at the register tapping the counter.
sigh......
The customer is NEVER right, especially in healthcare settings.
THIS is why I am the nicest customer you've ever had. I work in a medical clinic and we see enough. But what I see standing in line at my pharmacy makes me want to take my cane and start smacking those people upside the head. The problem? I don't have a cane, and I'm not old enough yet to get away with it... But I have plans....
ReplyDeleteMy usual comment - don't reward the bad behaviour. If you pick up the phone and all you can hear is the zero button being stabbed repeatedly, hang up. Repeat until she gets it.
ReplyDelete