Okay! My patience with the staff at Walgreens at 1920 Riverside in Austin, Texas has run out. This is long complaint.
WARNING! Ask for a different pharmacist other than the only and current female pharmacist at that Walgreens at Riverside.
I have been going to this Walgreens for four years now. After COVID happened, I noticed the quality of their service went down, but it is down the street and I didn't want to go to the inconvenience of changing pharmacies, so I have stuck it out despite the poor service. Saturday, July 23, 2022, I picked up my medicine and noticed they shorted me. No big deal. I called and was actually surprised I did not have to wait long. In the past, I have been placed on hold two times in a row for over 30 minutes each time. My medication is for a month, so I was expecting three boxes, not one. I asked the pharmacist why. She said, "because that's the way the doctor wrote it." I told her the paper Walgreens provided along with the medication said "take twice for 30 days", meaning I should have 90 not 30. I asked again and she kept saying, "that's what it says." This started a back and forth exchange and with each back and forth, she was growing impatient. I read the directions over and over again to her and she repeated," I am reading what you are reading." I said "3 mg x 30 equals 90 to me. I know I can multiply." She then throws her 8 years of pharmacy school at me, "I went to pharmacy school for 8 years, I should know." That was the turning point. She began getting condescending. I asked her that if my supply says for 30 days, why am I missing so much. "Because that is what it says." My understanding of 3*30=90. On the paper, there was a field for quantity and and another field underneath for directions. The problem is quantity area needed to equal the directions amount and it didn't equal. Apparently, both numbers needed to be the same. However, prior to learning that, I asked if the doctor wrote the prescription wrong to which she replied, "I don't know." I was so confused. I didn't understand enough of the problem to even be able to share the problem with my doctor. Being the highly educated pharmacist she claimed to be, she could have done a better job at explaining the law. Nope, nope, nope. It was more preferable to be condescending, impatient, and rude. I will admit, towards the middle of our conversation, I also got impatient and rude. I even said, "why you have chosen to treat me like an ass is beyond me. If you had said that in the 1st minute I would have understood by law both numbers must match. See, as a customer, I don't know those technicalities. I have been taking this medication for over a year and never ran into this error with Walgreens." Then she had the nerve to say she had been saying that all along. I asked to speak with her supervisor and store manager. None were available and for me to call on Monday.
Normally, I could let this go, but at 56, I have never, never, never been talked to like that in a customer service situation. Yes, I have dealt with rude people who should not work among clients, but this was a first. I have even had my medicine thrown at me at the drive thru at CVS, but I could tell the girl didn't mean to. She was young and too busy texting to be bothered with questions. By the end of my experience with Jackie, we were both yelling at each other. I have no problem admitting when I am wrong. My pride isn't so fragile that I can't apologize. I have never had a hard time with apologies. But this was definitely a first for me. I guess I should be so lucky.
This pharmacist picked on the wrong person. Not because I have any power or I am all that and a bag of chips, but because I am not about to let this go this time with Walgreens. Yesterday was the straw that broke the camel's back. I will go beyond the store management with this complaint, because it was so over the top. I am certain this bothers me so much, because I have the patience of Job and this was the 1st time in my life I experienced this. I work with constituents and customers everyday. I have for over 30 years. I know how to deal with difficult customers. I once spent 40 minutes with a customer who couldn't understand why her pet chicken couldn't be allowed to board the bus as an emotional support animal. I truly hope this is the only time she has treated a customer like that. I can't imagine her doing that with others. Having a bad day will not fly with me. FYI, be leery of the current and only female pharmacist at Walgreens on Riverside in Austin, Texas in the event she tries that on you. I'm still in shock. I posted this on Nextdoor in my neighborhood. Apparently, I am not alone in this experience. read more
