PHARMACIST STEVE

I have often stated that we need to educate/train pt/customers on what they can reasonable expect from the Rx dept.  Remember, generally we are dealing with people with a fourth to sixth grade understanding level. Human nature and psychology .. strongly suggests that if you let people establish their own expectations.. their expectations will tend to move in the direction that at some point their expectations will become unrealistic… and all of sudden you have failed the customer’s expectations.. and then you have to deal with “The customer is always right” philosophy.  Because, collectively,that is what we have always been told.

Generally, corporate America has educated/trained the general public that complaints will get you more than just a plain “I’m sorry”.. and/or trying to correct whatever the customer is dissatisfied with.. The customer expects a credit and/or “gift card” to placate their dissatisfaction.

When this “buying off the customer” happens in front of other customers .. guess what some of the other customers are going to pick up on.. How to get something for nothing. By buying off the customer.. you have allowed that one “rotten apple” to start making other apples in the barrel to “go bad”

This week.. I have ran into a couple of examples .. where things just seem to be off the rails.. Time Warner cable took over the cable system (Insight) that we had for years.. Insight never really impressed me.. but since Time Warner has taken over the system.. Insight.. in hind sight.. seems like a damn good cable operator.

First part of this week.. picture is pixilating, DVR functions were not functioning.. AND MY INTERNET SERVICE was on the fritz. Repair man came out and after testing connection after connection.. it was determined that the in-line amplifier up on the pole.. was on its last leg and that he would send in a request to have it replaced.  In the ensuing days.. I didn’t sit and watch the pole wait for someone to show up.

Last night about 3-4P..it all started all over again..  I called Time Warner .. first it is a tech for the internet service.. wait for her to do her thing.. “your modem is OFF-LINE and your service has been intermittent for the last 7 days.. ” she tells me. Maybe that would explain why the modem has only two lights lit instead of the normal FIVE..  Then I have to talk to a tech for the cable.. come find out.. there was NO ORDER to replace the defective amplifier..

“I can someone out to repair that in 36 hrs..”…”I can give you credit for the service that you have missed out on..” At this point in time.. I am starting to become quite frustrated.. I told her that was unacceptable.. Nothing she can do.. there are no repair opening on the computer scheduling.. So she closes the call with “.. is there anything else I can help you with ?”.. I asked her.. is that a rhetorical questions.. ?  I guess I could have had VOIP phone service thru them.. and that would not have been working either !

Today was at the grocery store check out.. and the cashier was telling a story about a woman that wanted HER FIRED.. because she had dropped one of her apples.. the clerk had offered to get her another apple.. that was apparently not a sufficient offer to make up for a bruised apple… Another gift card seeker ?… This clerk – who either had a second job as a waitress or a previous job.. stated that people would eat the vast majority of their meal and then start complaining about the meal.

Some claim that we have a growing part of our population that are developing an “entitlement attitude”.. or is it that we believe that we are being lied to and “ripped off” by the government and corporate america that anything that we can “get back” .. we just deserve it ..and just “getting even”

Filed under: General Problems