Their Knowledge Is A Bit Patchy
(I am selling a customer nicotine patches to help them quit smoking.)
Customer: “So, can I still smoke when I’m wearing the patches? Someone said I can.”
Me: *head-desks internally*
Not Buying It? Yeah, I’m Not Buying That
(I am a pharmacy technician. At the pharmacy where I work, we have those special shopping carts for small children, shaped like cars. I’m helping a family — a mom, teenage daughter, and a preschool girl, roughly four or five — with one such cart. They have a few items to ring out besides their prescriptions. I notice the little girl is holding something in her hands. Thinking it’s a toy her mom promised to buy her, I point it out to her sister.)
Me: *pointing at the girl* “Are you buying that, as well?”
Sister: “Buying… Oh, where did you get that?! May I see that? Thank you. We’re just going to put that over here.” *puts it on the counter, clearly not buying it*
(It was a bottle of shampoo, by the way. On closer inspection, the sister pulled out — I kid you not — over twenty more bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and other hair care products. The little girl must’ve grabbed everything when they drove through the beauty section. The sister was apologetic and everything, just glad I said something, as some of the stuff was really pricey, and everything in her car easily came out to over $100. The kid’s going to have really expensive tastes when she grows up!)
Knows How To Push Your Buttons By Not Knowing How To Push Buttons
(We keep certain cold medicines in a locked case due to high theft and due to teenagers using them to get high. There’s a button right next to said case, clearly labeled, to press for assistance. Pressing the button sends out a message over the PA system for a front store associate to come unlock the case and bring the items to the till. It’s a Sunday morning when this happens.)
Customer #1: “Hi, your medicine case is locked; can you come unlock it for me?”
Me: “We don’t have the keys to unlock it. You just press the button and someone will come get it.”
Customer #1: “Where? I can’t find it!”
(I start to walk out of the pharmacy to show her, when she finds it and hits the button. About ten minutes later, another customer walks up.)
Customer #2: “Hey, can you guys unlock the case?”
Me: “No, but there’s a button you can press and someone with the keys can unlock it.”
(Not even five minutes later, the button sounds.)
Me: “It’s not even nine yet.”
Possibly Hoping For Telepathic Texts
(I work as a pharmacy technician at one a major pharmacy chains. Recently, store management has been pushing for the pharmacy employees to try and get customers to sign up for text message alerts when their prescription is ready for pick up.)
Me: *having gone through most of the transaction* “Do you get cell phone text alerts when your scripts are ready?”
Customer: “No.”
Me: “Would you like to?”
Customer: “Sure!”
Me: “All right, what cell number should we have in our system for us to text to?”
Customer: “Oh, I don’t have a cell phone.”
Me: “Then… you can’t receive text messages.”
(Sadly, this exchange has happened at least five times!)
Is There A Prescription For Stupidity?
(I’m a pharmacy tech at a chain pharmacy. I’m working the drive-thru. A truck pulls up blaring loud metal music, and the driver is smoking. He does not turn down the music like most people do when at the window, and I’m having a hard time hearing him.)
Customer: “I’m trying to get one prescription. I need the [Brand Antibiotic], but NOT the–” *indecipherable due to the music*
Me: “I’m sorry, which one do you want?”
Customer: *a little louder* “The [Brand Antibiotic].”
(I take down his information into the computer. I have to re-ask several times because of the music, which he still hasn’t turned down. He’s also still smoking, and flicking ash out of the window, ON MY SIDE.)
Me: “There’s only one prescription here.”
Customer: “What?”
Me: *louder* There’s only one prescription.”
Customer: “Is it the [Brand Antibiotic]?”
Me: *still loud* “I will check with the pharmacist.”
(I grab the script, which is NOT an antibiotic. I’ve shut the window to keep the smoke from getting in; the music is loud enough to be heard on the other end of the pharmacy. The pharmacist confirms this is not an antibiotic, but is a specially requested one he’d been calling to transfer over from a different pharmacy.)
Me: “Sir, this is the only one we have.”
(I show him the prescription, so he can see what it is.)
Customer: “Ok, I’ll take it.”
(I finish up the transaction; he pays and drives away. About ten minutes later, he’s back in my lane, blaring the same loud music.)
Customer: “This isn’t the one I requested. I specifically told you NOT to give me this prescription. Where’s the one that the doctor transferred over?”
Me: “This is the only one that was called in.”
Customer: “I’m not taking this prescription anymore. Why was this called in? I want to speak to the manager.”
(The manager is busy. He’s been listening to the customer and is fed up with him. I use this time to double check his profile. There’s still no record of an antibiotic being called in before, during, or after the transaction.)
Me: “Sir, nothing else has been called in.”
Customer: “I don’t want this one. I told you I didn’t want this one.”
(I apologize at least twice, and return his medication, and he drives away, with my ears ringing.)
Manager: “So what happened with [Customer]?”
(I explained the ordeal, and he was obviously annoyed at the customer’s behavior. Less than a half hour later, we received a call from an associate of the customer. The pharmacist, who had had enough of the guy, took the call personally and explained what happened. Still not sure if the guy has gotten the antibiotic yet…)