It's all about the Customer Service people!

Jeez! This world is sorely lacking for Customer Service skills! Everywhere I turn, I get very frustrated over this. Maybe my new retirement "life's work" should be in teaching others what customer service means. I mean, jeez!

What has got me all in a bother this time? My doctor's office! Am I a captive audience? Can I go to another doctor and tell this one to take a flying leap? Yes. Will I? Probably not. I mean, it took a while to find one who could actually figure out what my problem was and now that it's gone, do I really want to find a new doctor? And it's not the doctor I'm frustrated with; it's his staff! Technically I can still blame him though since he's the "boss" and also he's the one who told me to call the staff! Although it was many months ago when he said that.

This saga is all over a couple of prescriptions. My previous doctor had prescribed them so the new doc said to give him a call when I needed to refill them. Sounds simple huh? That's what I thought too.

Well, I called last week, or was it the week before? You lose track of time when you are looking through a haze of frustration. Anyway, I called them and asked the staff (nurse) to check with him about refilling the prescriptions. I gave her the name of the medications and the name and phone # of my drug store. Sounds easy right? And did I mention that I was using a new pharmacy for these two prescriptions? That will be a key factor in this saga.

A couple days later I get a call from said nurse asking for the strengths of the prescriptions. Huh? You haven't called them in yet? And doesn't the dr know what strengths I should be on? Apparently not and since I was using a new pharmacy, they didn't have any record of them. (the before mentioned factor) At the time of this call, I was in the check out line of the grocery store and of course did not have said prescriptions with me, which meant I'd have to call them back! When do you close? 5 PM. It's 5:00 now, on the Thursday before July 4th! Are you open tomorrow? No, we're not. SO, I'll have to call you back on Monday then! Thanks anyway!

So said Monday rolls around and I have lots to do. While on my way to my first appointed place, I remember I needed to call the Dr office. Of course I don't have said prescriptions with me, so I decide to use the old pharmacy which has all the pertinent information. Problem solved. Right? Wrong!

I call the nurse and tell her my plan. Phone number? Huh? Phone number of the old pharmacy. I'm sorry but I am driving and did not think to look up the phone number but it's the Kroger grocery store, the largest one in town, the one where most people get prescriptions filled. Surely you have that number taped to the wall by your phone? Nope, we have to have a number to call the prescription in so why don't you give us a call back when you have the number? Mam, I'm sorry but I am driving and won't be able to look this number up for some time. And I really need these prescriptions before I go out of town this week. I also realize that you'll be going above and beyond for a customer if you look up this number but would you please do this for me, just this once? No.

No? No? Not I'm sorry but I really can't do that; just NO!!!

Ok, I won't say that I threw the phone across the car and I won't say that I said a few words my Mama would have disapproved of, and I won't say anything about the status of said Nurse's soul when she passes on to the great beyond.

I will say that 24 hours later, I called back to give said Nurse the necessary info but she was late for work this morning and I'll have to call back when she gets in! (Sigh) When will that be? We're not sure. So how do I know when to call back? Just keep trying. (Sigh)

Yes, I am going to start marketing myself as a Customer Service professional, give motivational speeches and teach Customer Service concepts to John Q public and their staff! But I guess they have to give a damn before they'd hire anyone to teach them that giving a damn can make or break their business.

Am I the only one who cares? Maybe I'm the only one who gives a damn. Hmm...think I'll explore this further.

Stay tuned...

PS. I did get the said nurse on the phone this morning, 2 hrs after they opened and 2 days before I fly out of town. Let's hope she is faster with calling the prescriptions in and the pharmacy fills them pronto. But they would have to give a damn to do that wouldn't they? (Sigh)