I'm taking my business elsewhere

As my blogging buddy mentioned, there are lots of choices in this pharmacy biz, all happy to take people's business....no matter how unsavory it may be.

The customers know this, and will often try to wield this, like an axe over your head to try to make you do things that you're either uncomfortable doing, unable to do for legal/ethical reasons, or just plain can't do because it would actually violate the laws of the universe.

Most commonly, I find the complaints are about price, but there are plenty of reasons I've had people threaten to move their business down the road.

• I won't do something illegal such as give out prescription medications without a prescription

• I won't do something unethical such as bill their insurance plan for their dog's medication

• I won't do something impossible such as warp their prescription out of the store they usually go to (that work sweet-assed bankers hours) and have it magically appear at mine so I can give them their medication (also...fyi....you already have your business elsewhere...you only came here cause you're in a jam...so acting like I owe you something is a pretty dick move)

So yeah...there's lots of things.  One of my true favourites is when I refuse to fill a medication for a potential substance of abuse ... lets say... sleeping pills ...   since they'd already received a 3month supply earlier this month.  The person will huff and puff and stomp their feet and turn blue and call me names....but I won't budge.

(Side note: Despite what people automatically think, I'm not just some asshole on a power trip....there are legitimate reasons to make sure people use their medications correctly and I'm not going to contribute to whatever is going wrong in their life that is causing this early refill.... maybe they're taking triple what the doctor directed because they're going through a rough spot right now, maybe they're selling it, maybe they're stockpiling it for a suicide attempt.... if they want to sit and talk about it, I'd love to see if I can help them out at all .... if they're going to be a complete shithead to me I'm gonna bounce em)

The next step is an insistence that we transfer their prescription elsewhere, or give it back to them.. Sure....that's no problem at all....just let me write on it that I refused to fill it, and document the exact circumstances.  You can head to that other store...and maybe have a little cooler head, and explain why it looks like you've gone through three months worth of sleeping pills in two weeks. There's a good chance that given the whole story they're not going to feel comfortable filling it either.....or maybe they will (see my upcoming post "Your Pharmacist is an Asshole")









Really though....my favourite are the threats over price.  "The grocery store or Wally-World down the street is cheaper, if you don't match their price I'm going there".  Ok.  Bye.

A threat to take your business elsewhere for pricing reasons requires a few things to be effective.

1.  Store A actually has to consider Store B their competition     - If I'm working at a small independent professional drug store, or a nationwide chain whose biggest selling point is their ridiculous convenience store hours, we don't even try to compete in $$$ with the big box stores.  We're both selling drugs but we're not in the same business.  Just like milk costs more at 7/11 cause you can get it at 3am.....drugs will often cost more at a store you can hit up at 11:55om than one that is staffed 9-9.
2.  The person you're talking to actually has to have to power to capitulate. - The drug price, dispensing fee and upcharge are all set and negotiated by head office, the government, and your insurance co... do you really think that I have the power to override it?
3. The person you're talking to actually gives a shit - seriously....I don't know you...you don't know me.  Don't read my name tag and address me by my first name and tell me how much business you bring in....you get 4 viagra tablets every 3 months..... (my dog fucks his favourite pillow more often than you're gettin it....) .... I don't owe you any favours...I work 2 shifts a month max at this store....just go away. 

Also.... 1a) if it's an urgent medical need....don't threaten to go elsewhere if you don't know they're open.  If you threaten to go to the grocery store and I know they're closed....I won't even put your stuff back on the shelf...I know you'll be back in however long the round trip takes....but you're still gonna wait the 20-30minutes as if I was doing it from scratch.

Oh....if you do take your business elsewhere because they're cheaper...and they forget to tell you a single goddamn thing about your medication....and now they're closed cause they work sweet hours (and I'm working until midnight, then turning around and working at 6:30 the next morning).... don't you fucking dare call me and ask me to counsel you over the phone for free.  You know that $2 you saved.....yeah...maybe that's part of what you were paying for here that you didn't get there....oh...and I'm open and they're not....maybe that's part of that outrageous price we were asking.  Better luck next time.  If you'd like to make an appointment, I'd love to have a private consultation with you.....$75/hr.