Does Your Pharmacy Have the Same Problem as Cleburne’s Walgreen Pharmacy?

As I rounded the corner to head down the aisle to the pharmacy, I saw the dreaded sight – a line that extended across the aisle I was on and across part of the next aisle. So, I changed my course and moved over to that aisle so I could intercept the line and find my place at the end. Once in line I realized it would probably not be as bad as I first though because there were only four people in front of me – for some reason they decided to keep a safe distance of about 4 ft. between them.

You know how it is when you submit to “the line.” Our senses start taking in everything in our surrounding – probably inherited this from our ancestors who wanted to make sure there were no mountain lines or rattlesnakes close by where they were waiting in line for a drink of water. This makes us really good at spotting potential threats – and I did. Over to the left there were four people sitting in chairs waiting on prescriptions and outside the drive thru window there were two cars. We were all looking toward one spot – and that spot was occupied by one young woman. There were ten of us all looking at her!

I quickly noticed that she was looking somewhere too – back in the pharmacy where there were three or four other Walgreen employees staying business and making sure they made no eye contact with us.

After about 25 or more minutes standing in line, I made it to her – provided the usual stuff – name, address, DOB. She went over and picked up a bag and handed it to me and told me to put my info in the system. When she told me the price I asked her if that was correct, it was only about half what it was supposed to be – and then it happened. She looked in the bag and there was only one bottle. Then she went back to the computer and clicked and said – they only filled one prescription. With a strained forced smile she said – “Would you like wait for us to fill it – in about another 30 minutes?”

That’s when I decided this Walgreen pharmacy has a problem. A problem is an existing situation that fails to meet values and expectations.” So I analyzed the situation and came up with the following options for what the problem is:

(1) Customers are less important than other things.

(2) Employees that interact with customers are too expensive to hire.

(3) Too many customers show at once.

(4) Too many customers show up at the wrong time.

After cogitating on this highly important situation I reached this conclusion – This Walgreen Pharmacy must have too many customers!

What do you think? Got any suggestions?

The Country Cogitator

PS        I feel a little better now.