Transcript of an actual phone call …
Me: hello?
Caller: calling from specialty pharmacy and after we verify my identity … I’m calling to help you refill your prescription of Xeloda since you are due to receive it. Do you want to pick it up or have it delivered?
Me: ok, great, I’ll be at the cancer center tomorrow for an infusion, so I can pick it up then.
Caller: oh, let me check to see if we have it in stock …
On hold for 5 minutes during which my husband and I might have poked fun at the situation wherein someone called me and didn’t already know this info.
Caller: sorry about the wait, we do have it in stock but I just ran it through insurance and you can’t have it until next week. I’ll call you back then to arrange for another time.
My husband says my standards are often too high, that I expect too much from people. Is it too much to ask that a caller have certain bits of information available to them before they pick up the phone!?
No Half Measures 
What a waste of time. Hopefully they learn from this incident.
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I’m continually astonished at the inefficiency!
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No it’s not too much to ask. It’s reasonable, not to mention professional.
I recently called to schedule a mammogram at the place where I go every year. After I gave my identifying information (name, DOB), the rep asked me when was my last mammogram. I said “it was done at your facility, don’t you have a record of that?” Here was his reply: “If you know the date then I won’t have to look it up.” So I replied “well let me pull out my 2021 calendar and look it up for you”. And he actually waited while I did! 🙄
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Maybe Abigail came chime in on this…but something I’ve sensed/felt lately with ‘customer service’ (define that how you might) has really suffered/fallen to the wayside in recent history. I gave healthcare providers a lot of slack/grace b/c of all the pressures they were dealing with in the pandemic. But I’ve really noticed an ‘I can’t be bothered’ mentality.
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I have definitely noticed a decline generally, yes. I really try to be patient but when I get call after call like this, I’m just done.
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Oh my heavens. That’s awful! I’m so sorry. I usually have my portal open when I’m scheduling so that these issues can be addressed but since my last appointment is was usually last week, it’s a little easier.
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Hours! I feel like I spend HOURS on the phone with people who have no idea what they are doing! So much so that when someone knows their stuff and helps me, I am astonished and have to tell them so! My favorite is when their doctors are reviewing a specialist’s order to see if they’ll cover it. They sent me to a specialist for a reason! It’s crazy-making for sure. I’m sorry!
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Soooooo crazy making!! I’ve had so many of these calls that I do have a hard time having patience with all the time sucks. I often ask, do you think I want to just waste all my time on these things? We all have much better things to do …
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Amen!
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That’s weird. It seems like it wastes the caller’s time, and even if they’re not interested in your time, it’s strange that they would create a make-work project for themselves
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So true!!! Clearly working off a list without checking details.
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Un – believable! You are exactly right.
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Definitely head-scratching behavior. One of my favorites is our cable company. You have to go through the 1-800 number to get someone to come out to your house when you have a problem. When the local person came out and created a worse situation, I couldn’t get the technician or a substitute back for 10 days. I went to speak to the local office because that seemed unsatisfactory, but the manager in the back would not come out to the counter to talk to me. I then called the 1-800 number again to voice my frustration and ask the operator to connect me to the customer service department. After she tried to connect me to numerous people that never picked up, she said she needed to speak to her supervisor. She came back ten minutes later and said, “I apologize sir, but I don’t think we have one of those.” (This is a huge company!) What? 🤣
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I’ve had these experiences too!! I hate these big companies with the crazy call centers. Insurance companies are nearly as bad …
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LOL, literally. I would say welcome to my life, but you are obviously already living it! Specialty pharmacy recently called me and said I had to speak with the pharmacist before they would release my Neulasta shot. Then put me on hold for 15 minutes before the pharmacist picked up. The pharmacist then proceeded to tell me I didn’t need to speak with him. What the BLEEP, BLEEP, BLEEP1
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Oh man, I’m so sorry you dealt with that too. These crazy “rules” that make no sense and are usually a result of people not thinking and/or using empathy just wear on us all. As if we didn’t already have so much to deal with. Sending love and hugs to you, my friend.
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I don’t understand – if they have it why can’t they give it to you?
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Exactly. Ridiculous insurance company won’t process the payment until Monday. 🤷🏻♀️
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I’m pretty sure the neighbours heard my sigh. Seriously, what is wrong with people sometimes?
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I wonder this regularly, especially when the person at the losing end is those of us who are captive to the health care system. It’s mind boggling.
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I have had so many of these calls …… sure I have time to answer the same 5 questions so you can get me to the right person!! Why aren’t you the right person? You called me!! Great post Abigail!!
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Right!? So weird!! ❤️
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