I have prescriptions that I have refilled at Walgreens (hereinafter referred to as "WG") every month: my generic synthroid, my heartburn medication and my anti-depressant. Occasionally, I'll have to have an anti-biotic filled and even recently got an Rx for ClaritanD, which my onc sent to them right there while I was watching him in the exam room. I leave the big time stuff: Xeloda, Neupogen and Marinol, up to the real pharmacy at UAMS.
I never received a notification from WG regarding the ClaritanD being ready. A couple of weeks go by and I never go pick up that Rx. Allergies are the least of my health issues...persistent heartburn is a MUCH issue to me. The time rolls around and, as I do each month, I use my smartphone to scan in and send my Rx refills and it gets received by WG. Then: Nothing. Finally 3 days later, I get a call that my Rx is ready for pick up. YAY for me!!! I had just taken my last heartburn pill, and here's where it gets REALLY frustrating...
I drop off Christian at school yesterday and go by WG at 8:23am. The pharmacy is closed. At least the drive thru is. Well, (and here's a secret about me) I don't brush my teeth before taking him to school. I mean, what's the point? I'm just going to come home, drink coffee, then shower and brush my teeth. I don't have to actually TALK to anyone (although as I write this, I realize why I probably no longer get kisses from Christian in the morning. Not really, I still get kisses: if I request them.) And as for that cop that pulled me over the other day---well, he got what he deserved. So, I ain't driving around, parking, and actually going into WG to get my meds, I figure I'll just come back later...though I was irritated that they weren't open.
So, last night, it's back to WG at about 7:40-7:45. I sit in the drive thru line for 15 minutes while TWO people get served before me...TWO!!! Unreal. The lady in line in front of me was able to smoke an entire cigarette while she waited. I even turned off my car so WG wouldn't force me to unnecessarily increase my carbon footprint.
Then, it's finally my turn. Yay for me again (and Christian, who was way more patient than I at this point)!!! I promptly send her my debit card to speed up the process. She speaks. I give her my name and she tells me to hang on (like I wasn't already doing that). She comes back to tell me she, um, has ONE prescription ready, ONE!!! It's the generic synthroid. I tell her I'm supposed to have at least two ready. She 'ummmms' again and I wait. She comes back to inform me that they are working on my heart burn med. At this point she asks me to pull around. And here's how this goes down:
WG Employee (hereinafter referred to as "WGE"): We are working on the Omeprazole, if you could just pull ar--
Me: No. That's not happening. Just give me what you have ready and I'll be back tomorrow to pick up the other.
WGE: Um...ok...hold on...
ME: What time does your pharmacy drive thru open anyway?
WGE...**asks another employee their hours of operation** We open at 8am.
ME: Well, I was here at 8:23 this morning and you weren't open. So maybe you need call who ever opens tomorrow morning and remind them of that. I'll be back at 8:10am.
WGE: Ummmm.....ok.....what's your address?
Me: I'm not giving you my address where other people can hear where I live. (Plus, they never have it correct anyway---I've been told numerous time they had updated it, but apparently whoever makes their system software is an idiot or, quite possibly, high, or quite possibly, and overpaid prankster.)
WGE: What is your birthday?
I give her that info, I get my med and I shake heads with the guy in the lane across from me (again)...and I leave.
Sometimes, I go inside Walgreens to pick up my Rxs and what WG must not understand is that the pharmacy is the core of their business and when they lose that customer they also lose the sale of the ever important 'impulse buy'...the sodas, the new eye shadow, or candy bar. Over time that stuff adds up. Also, if I'm not going there to get my prescription refills, I'm also not stopping in for that single item I need either--the toilet paper, the birthday card, ext...instead, I'll be doing that at my new pharmacy.
But what do they care? They don't. That's how the customer service got so bad to begin with. I use the WG located on Hwy. 5 in Bryant. This didn't all start last night...it ended. Another problem I have with that WG is one guy who works behind the counter and who, EVERY time, looks frazzled and overworked....even if the pharmacy is desolate. He comes across as put out, by this (former) customer at least, by wiping non-existent sweat from his brow and sighing and sighing and sighing. Several times they have either not notified my meds were ready only to have put them back on the shelf when I finally go in of my own accord or they do send me a notification and my meds aren't actually ready. I call bullshit on that.
There you have it. Good riddance, Walgreens.
This hits one of my pet peeves, so I'll comment (nice blog btw; why haven't I ever seen it??).
ReplyDelete1. I have Express Scripts (ESI) as my Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM), through my employer. This means I have to use them. Walgreens and ESI had a falling out because of WG starting their own PBM. They stopped taking ESI, so I moved down the street to CVS (here in Houston, wherever you find a WG, you will also find a CVS). CVS is not much better than WG, fwiw.
2. Because WG is much closer (walking distance) to my house, when WG decided to accept ESI again, I took some scripts over there. After having them a full 48 hours, when I pulled into the drive-thru, they said, "Oh, we only take CERTAIN ESI plans--and yours isn't one of them." So FU, WG!
3. Here in Houston, ALL of the pharmacies have asian pharmacists, all. You will see the occasional Indian/Pakistani, but 99% must be asian. Nothing wrong with asians, I have no prejudice there--except, I would say that, whoever works the WINDOW needs to speak at least some basic English. The Indians/Paki's do a somewhat better job of this generally, but there are a couple of people at my CVS that, if they're there, I suddenly remember an "emergency" and pull on through. I know I won't be able to understand them at all, nor they me.
I love our Houston melting pot, the mix of cultures is cool and refreshing (after the black/white culture of Arkansas and the all-white culture of Minnesota and Tennessee), but I do think if you're going to have somebody working with the public, they should have to speak at least a reasonable amount of English.
Kathy, you are a hoot! I haven't laughed so much in I don't rem when.....YOU GO GIRL... And I'm gonna work really hard to not get you upset.... Lol and love you bunches!
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