The pharmacist or the customer?
[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=By1ziWBzHPQ[/yt]
[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=By1ziWBzHPQ[/yt]
Who was the rude person
- Thread starter Miss Chicken
- Start date
I am on the side of the phamacist. The woman should have got all the phone before she reached the counter.
I was on a bus the other day when a young woman got on while texting. Instead of giving the driver her money straight away she expected him to wait until she finished her message. He told her off and she got all snotty about it. When she sat down next to friend a couple of seats behind me I heard her complain to her friend how rude the driver had been.
I was on a bus the other day when a young woman got on while texting. Instead of giving the driver her money straight away she expected him to wait until she finished her message. He told her off and she got all snotty about it. When she sat down next to friend a couple of seats behind me I heard her complain to her friend how rude the driver had been.
If an in progress phone conversation delays the in person interaction the person on the phone is being rude. This woman indicated she paused the phone conversation while she interacted with the pharmacist (called a chemist in some places). If that was the circustances it was the pharmasist that was being rude
The chemist had obviously made the prescription up and was waiting for the woman to end the phone call. I wouldn't stand at a counter of any store talking on the phone. If the call was important I would have walked out of the chemist shop and come back when the call was finished. As it is I usually go out and do something while the pharmacist is making the prescription up and come back 10 or 15 minutes later.
The interviewer was really smug.
Clearly the woman is full of it. If she gets this riled up over service at a pharmacy, then clearly her perspective is a bit screwy.
I asked my husband, since he's done retail pharmacy, "You ever have a patient for a consult who was on the phone? What did you do?" He said, "I told them, 'Any time you're ready to be off the phone. I'll be over here working.'"
If the meds can't be given without a consult, they can't be given out without a consult. However, it sounds like no consult was given, and for a new prescription, there should've been one--at least under CA law, where the pharmacist must consult on new prescription regardless of any doctor instructions, unless the patient waives it. My husband said doctors usually don't give instructions, may not be familiar with other meds used by the patient from other doctors (interactions), or discuss about side effects, as he did/does.
So I'd say the customer was rude. She stood there with her headphones on and talking and never made it clear that she was ready to proceed. True, the pharmacist could have told her to alert them she was ready, but the customer doesn't imply that she volunteered to do that, either. She just stayed talking and, likely, the pharmacist assumed she wasn't ready to end her conversation and listen up.
If the meds can't be given without a consult, they can't be given out without a consult. However, it sounds like no consult was given, and for a new prescription, there should've been one--at least under CA law, where the pharmacist must consult on new prescription regardless of any doctor instructions, unless the patient waives it. My husband said doctors usually don't give instructions, may not be familiar with other meds used by the patient from other doctors (interactions), or discuss about side effects, as he did/does.
So I'd say the customer was rude. She stood there with her headphones on and talking and never made it clear that she was ready to proceed. True, the pharmacist could have told her to alert them she was ready, but the customer doesn't imply that she volunteered to do that, either. She just stayed talking and, likely, the pharmacist assumed she wasn't ready to end her conversation and listen up.
Which is what I do when I need to interact with a customer who's playing on a mobile.
Put up a sign saying "Please end all phone conversations before approaching the counter for service" and stick to it.
I'm with the pharmacist on this one.
I'm with the pharmacist on this one.
That's a reasonable way to go. I've seen such signs in shops.
There's a sign at my pharmacy that says that prescription consultations cannot be given out while someone is on the phone due to privacy reasons. I suspect that this is the case here, even if it was a refill. Because they may still have to ask if she needs a consult/info on the medicine and she may still "yes" in which case they can't do anything while she is on the phone.
Further she is being WAITED ON by other human beings who deserve her entire, undivided, attention. Pharmacist side.
Maybe the pharmacist could've handled it better, maybe say they can't give it out without the consult or with her being on the phone. But, damn, lady. Get of your phone for two damn minutes to talk to another human being who is serving you.
Further she is being WAITED ON by other human beings who deserve her entire, undivided, attention. Pharmacist side.
Maybe the pharmacist could've handled it better, maybe say they can't give it out without the consult or with her being on the phone. But, damn, lady. Get of your phone for two damn minutes to talk to another human being who is serving you.
We can't know that, as we have only heard the customer's "I was nice and they were horrible!" version of events.
Definitely the customer here. How is the pharmacist to know that the conversation is over and the customer is going to give her undivided attention? The customer should have told her friend that she would call them back in a few minutes.
Sounds like the pharmacy needs a sign that says "Anyone who is on their cell phone will NOT be waited on".
Sounds like the pharmacy needs a sign that says "Anyone who is on their cell phone will NOT be waited on".
I watch too much Curb Your Enthusiasm, when I read that I instantly thought it would be about this-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HavF5f3VoA
"Doctor?... Pharmacist?"
Pretty sure my current pharmacy has a no-phones policy, but I don't generally use my phone in public so I haven't really noticed.
At my previous retail job I had to wait on them no matter what, but I would stand there quietly for 20 minutes holding up the line until they looked up and then say "and you're paying... how?"
My mother, who works at a different establishment, will also stare blankly ahead until either phone-person stops their conversation or the person behind them in line yells at them. Mom's co-worker responds to them as if the conversation is with her. Mixed results on that one.
At my previous retail job I had to wait on them no matter what, but I would stand there quietly for 20 minutes holding up the line until they looked up and then say "and you're paying... how?"
My mother, who works at a different establishment, will also stare blankly ahead until either phone-person stops their conversation or the person behind them in line yells at them. Mom's co-worker responds to them as if the conversation is with her. Mixed results on that one.
I can't stand it when a customer comes up to my counter and is talking on the phone, especially when they're using a Bluetooth headset and I have no idea at first if they're talking to me or the person on the phone. Other than the few people who just come up to the counter to buy an item or two, most of my interaction with customers involves either taking their order or bringing their order to them. When I first started, more than once I had tried to take an order while the customer was on the phone and details were left out, and when the order was picked up guess who get's blamed for it?
If I come up to a customer at the counter on the phone, I'll let them know I'll wait for them to be off before we engage. There's just too much involved to deal with someone with divided attention...not to mention its just really rude. The same goes for people answering a call mid-transaction just to have a 5 minute conversation about where they are and why they can't talk right now. Last time I checked, that's what voicemail is for.
If I come up to a customer at the counter on the phone, I'll let them know I'll wait for them to be off before we engage. There's just too much involved to deal with someone with divided attention...not to mention its just really rude. The same goes for people answering a call mid-transaction just to have a 5 minute conversation about where they are and why they can't talk right now. Last time I checked, that's what voicemail is for.
Her account of her behavior sounds a little saccharine, so I don't entirely believe her. That being said, when working registers (not in a pharmacy, though) I recognized that you need to tolerate people on the phone and you can generally do your job either way. So it really depends on whether any interaction was actually needed. If it was simply ringing up a transaction that didn't involve asking any questions, she probably should have just done that, so I side with the customer. If she had to ask questions for certain information, I would side with the pharmacist.
Without the other side of the story, it's hard to say.
Without the other side of the story, it's hard to say.
Could incidents like this be down to the fact that we've become so accomsted to mobile phones that at times we forget we are on a mobile. Do we treat it as a sort of extension of a land-line we would use at home and sort of tune out other people when we are out an about using our mobile phones.
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