Went for COVID testing. Got there early, but left after 45 minutes without getting tested.
Problems, in order of occurrence:
1) Different CVS locations work differently, so you have to look around to figure it out. This one used a fixed booth in the parking lot, but the designated parking spots aren't noticeable if there are already cars in them, because the signs are in front of them. Better signage would be appreciated, but not a big deal.
2) The video guide CVS sends says they call you with instructions when you get there. I did not get such a call, unless you count the one I got 35 minutes after my appointment time when they realized people weren't arriving because
3) apparently they won't help or contact anybody not in the two designated parking spaces, which might be reasonable, except one of the cars at some point had jumper cables hooked up to the other and they were both there for over half an hour after my appointment time; not sure why it took half an hour for a jump, but eventually they were able to leave.
4) Having gotten no call, I got out of my car to try and get their attention from a distance to find out their plan. They stopped coming out of the booth, so no luck.
5) I tried calling the store's listed phone number to find out their plan. They forward COVID questions to some help line, who of course wouldn't know, and said I'd have to ask at the store. That's why I had called the store's number, we're not supposed to go in. Oh well.
6) 35 minutes after my appointment, I finally get a call from them. The spots are still blocked. They said they only just realized people weren't showing up because of the cars blocking the spaces. If they watch the spaces, how could it possibly take that long to realize why new cars aren't coming?
7) While getting my confirmation number for the person who called me, one of the spaces opens up and quickly gets taken. The person on the phone says it's ok because that person was here before me. I had not told her what car I'm in, and I had seen that car come in after I had been here a few minutes, so I asked how she could possibly conclude that without knowing when I got there. It was because they had been in a parking spot more noticeable so she had seen them when they pulled in. I didn't care too much if they took somebody who was there almost as long as me, but didn't appreciate being lied to about who was there first.
8) Before the other spot had opened, some a-hole came in the lot fresh and put their blinker on to take one of the spots. By this point there are several cars of people waiting. The only way to sit there with your blinker on is to physically block other people in their spaces who were there longer than you, so it's completely horrible social behavior. When the spot opens, they get it, despite having just shown up. I called the testing person back hoping they'd do something about it, but they said they have no control, and if I keep waiting they'll help me eventually.
After all this, they said me and my insurance wouldn't be billed if I leave, so I canceled my appointment and told them I'd file a complaint if they billed anyway after saying they wouldn't. I didn't feel like waiting all day as they give testing spots to whoever fights their way to the front of the line. I know there were individual things not CVS's fault, like a car breaking down, but there was a whole sequence of poor responses to that situation. A few poor responses I'd forgive, but when they lied to me and turned it into a free-for-all of potential COVID patients they had built up in the parking lot fighting to get to the top of the heap, I didn't really want to give them my business anymore. read more
