I Disagree

ME: What's with the long stare?

CP: I'm ruminating. 

MICE ELF: Uh-oh. On what?

CP: Something someone wrote on a post I made the other week. It wasn't exactly related, but I find I can't let it go and that I ultimately disagree with it. 

ME: What was it?

CP: "The customer at the counter is more important than the one on the phone." 

MICE ELF: An immediate, knee-jerk response would be "what's wrong with that concept"? The person who entered the business is a priority. 

CP: Not necessarily. 

ME: Why not? They are here. They are present. 

CP: But the phone rang first. Yes, I can ring out their lone prescription, but for how many patients do I ignore the phone? All three in line? The drive-thru? 

MICE ELF: I'm going to argue "yes, the person is front is more important" but only because that's what people will say. 

CP: To which I will reply where do you draw the line? I got really good at ignoring a ringing phone thanks to the Culture of Virgin Suicides allowing 10 lines to ring with only 3 employees staffed. But that is not the point. If you are going to live by a policy, it has to applied equally at all times. IF you agree the patient in front of you is more important, then you MUST never answer a phone call while someone is in the store. Agree?

ME: Right. You cannot arbitrarily apply the rule. 

CP: BUT, there are two things people forget today: 

1. Our customers are PATIENTS because 

2. We are a HEALTHCARE PROFESSION. 

We just happen to practice our business in a retail setting. Imagine if your doctor had the same policy, or the hospital. The nurses would be checking in patients and checking out patients; they would not be answering phones from other offices, from pharmacies including yours, scheduling appointments, answering patient questions about their test results, or any of the other jobs with which they are tasked because "the customer at the window comes first", right?

ME: Right. 

MICE ELF: But they have multiple people. 

CP: True. And we do not. If I am working alone, or even with one technician, my prioritization and phone calls must operate differently. People are calling seeking medical advice, clarification on prescriptions, transfers, information. We don't take messages for the doctor so she can review them at lunch, or her designated time to approve refill requests, etc. WE ARE the professionals! WE have to answer those calls. Sure, many are refill requests and "do you have this in stock" queries, but many are not. The guy ringing up his Latanoprost Eye drop along with the bag of peanuts he gets every 4 weeks and I see in my store three days per week is NOT as important to me. He can wait. 

ME: What if the person at the counter has a question?

CP: It's always about balance. Remember how I wrote about Amoxicillin capsules and how pharmacists' views differ on subbing (tabs vs caps and how you don't get to pick and choose how you apply your rule)?

MICE ELF: Yes. 

CP: Same here. If you are going to say "the person in front of me took the time and effort to walk in to my store, he is more important, then you MUST 100% apply that to ALL people who walk in. If you do that, those who call with real healthcare questions and needs will be pushed aside. What if you miss the lady calling with heart attack symptoms? Your "customer" that doesn't need your well-trained, professional brain will cause you to waste your time because you're stuck on an antiquated notion of "well he's here". 

ME: I'm not going to say I disagree with you, but many will. 

CP: And they can. Keep in mind, I am talking about the absolutists. Those who say "the customer in front of me is more important" are flawed in their thinking. We are a profession. We are paid for our brains, not our ability to use a register. You can make the person in front of you a priority, but please, don't ignore the phone call. You can visibly see if that person needs your medical help, but the call is a mystery until you answer it. 

MICE ELF: While we're at it, can we address the "HOLD" that places use now instead of "such-and-such pharmacy/doctor, can you hold please?" when they DO answer the phone?

CP: It's annoying. I'd rather you let it ring. It doesn't allow you to prioritise calls. If I'm calling for a transfer, take my information, have the pharmacist fax it at her leisure, move on. Simple. But "hold" without providing an option is unnecessarily rude. 

ME: But at least they answered the phone. 

CP: And I'd be finding another provider. 

MICE ELF: Must be waiting on all those people who walked into the store. 

CP: Glad I wasn't having a stroke.