Last week I posed the question, “too stupid to work?” Today, after a conversation with my Doctor’s office, I wonder how some people can manage to get up in the morning or navigate their way to work let alone hold down a job.
Following a hunch, I phoned the office to double check they had filled the prescription.
Good thing.
“You called in a prescription? For what?” Pause. “For Prozac?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know who you spoke with?
“The person that answered the phone when I called last week Wednesday.”
“Ok. Let me check with the nurse. Did you want us to call this into the Pharmacy or where you gonna stop by the office and pick it up from us?”
“No, when I called last week I specifically stated that I wanted a three month supply via mail and provided a website per the Doctor’s instruction.”
Subtext: If I wanted a one month supply from CVS I would have phoned in the refill and saved myself this whole annoying process.
“Ok, well I have to check and see who took this.”
“Great, my insurance expires on Friday so I really need to get this taken care of.”
A few hours later, they call back. “Hi Alyssa we have the prescription. Do you have a phone number for us to call this in?”
Oy vey…
“No, I wanted a three month supply I provided a website last Wednesday.”
“Well it would be much easier if you had a number to the Pharmacy. We are not members of that website and it will take a few days.”
“I do not have a few days. My insurance ends on Friday.”
“It would be really helpful if you could just give us the number for the Pharmacy.”
“I don’t know it.” Pause. “I called this in on Wednesday of last week. Why…Can I please speak to you office manager?”
Unphased, “I will have her call you back.”
Five minutes go by.
“Hi Alyssa, this is the Doctor’s office. The website you provided is for the patient not the doctor. We tried calling the number on the site and that is for patients only too.”
“Why are you just dealing with this now? I called this in last week.”
“We just got the prescription late yesterday afternoon.”
“But, I called on Wednesday.”
“The Doctor was unavailable Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.”
Ok, I assert “unavailable” means we forgot. Please refer back to my original conversation from this morning.
I respond, “Here is what you are going to do. You are going to call Blue Cross/Blue Shield. You can find the number on my insurance card, which you made a copy of in my file. And you are going to call them and figure out how to get three months of my prescription the drug I take to for anxiety. If you had called me about this problem last week I would have been more than happy to assist you. I called in to double check on this because I didn’t trust the ability of the person who answered the phone. So you go do that and call me back to confirm that this is done.
Never did any of the people I spoke to say any variation of the word sorry. They deflected blame to the Doctor for being unavailable to me for providing the wrong website. In fact if they even alluded to an apology, or a comprehension as to why I was upset, I might not be writing this blog. Not only did they not understand they wanted me to solve their screw up.
Sadly, they didn’t posses enough pride to call Blue Cross/Blue Shield to avoid 1) looking completely incompetent and 2) irritating an already high stung patient.
In business, as in all of life, please do not make your screw up my problem. Rub two brain cells together and THINK to find a solution. Also, when you do err say you are sorry.
Showing posts with label Blue Cross Blue Shield. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blue Cross Blue Shield. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Too Stupid for a Job?
Some people are too stupid to deserve jobs.
Monday, while once it became evident my haircut would turn into a spa day; I attempted to cross a few items of my “To Do” list. Mainly, have my doctor order a three-month prescription by mail for my Prozac. I didn’t have any of my insurance information with me so I set out to call 411 for the number for Blue Cross Blue Shield of California.
“City and State Please?”
“Blue Cross Blue Shield of California.”
“City and State Please?”
“The State is California.”
“It would be really helpful if you knew the City. Is it Los Angeles or perhaps San Francisco?”
“I don’t know what city. It is a 1-800 number.”
At this point I resisted the temptation to say, my mail comes from a P.O. Box in Chino but I doubt they answer calls there. Truthfully I, mistakenly, thought that any BCBS of CA number would ultimately get me what I needed. Sure it may take a few transfers but that was the price I had to pay for leaving the house unprepared.
“Ok I think I found it. Is it Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield?”
“No it is Blue Cross Blue Shield of California.”
“Ok, I think I found the number for Member Services.”
“Thanks.”
A few rings later I hear a message, “Thank-You for calling Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Member Services. If you are a Member please press….”
Ok, first of all I am not a member yet I must ask the question, “How many non-members are calling this number that they have a touch tone option?”
After hitting 0 a few thousand times I get transferred to a human.
“Hi, I think I have the wrong number. I am insured by Blue Cross Blue Shield of California.”
“Not a problem let me transfer you.”
Undaunted as I knew it would involve a transfer or two; until, alas, I get disconnected.
Luckily, I had the number sent to my phone via text. Repeat steps above and I get transferred again as well as being provided the number.
Back to the phone tree from Hell. I press the number for Pharmacy. I provide all of my pertinent information and the woman cannot find me in the system.
“I am insured by Blue Cross Blue Shield of California, I might have the wrong number.”
“Oh no, we handle Blue Cross Blue Shield of California. Let me double check the spelling of your name. PYKSP….
‘No.” I proceed to spell it slower. “D as in David, Y as in Yes….”
“No, no not mouse. House. H-O-U-S-E. Like were people live.”
Again, I tell her I think I have the wrong number. She assures me I do not.
Frustrated, and sitting in the chair to get my hair done, I say, “Can you just give me the website for me to get prescriptions by mail.”
“Oh, for that info you need to talk to our ‘Prescriptions By Mail Department.”
Transferred again.
After waiting on hold for five minutes I hang up. During my pedicure, I call again. I navigate the phone tree to be informed by a boy in the “Prescriptions by Mail Department” that I have phoned Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and they have no data on Blue Cross Blue Shield of California Members. Nor does he have the number for BCBS of CA…. Great 20 minutes of my life I will never get back.
I would not be so irritated except I stated at least three times that I didn’t think I had the right number.
The following day, I called the correct number and got the information I needed with ease. I never have a problem when I ring my actual insurance provider.
I then call my doctor’s office.
On hold, again.
“Hi, I am calling because the doctor told me when I had a website for my prescriptions by mail you could fill it that way. I am calling because I need a script refilled and I’d like a three months allotment.”
I then commence to spell my name a few times.
“What do you need refilled?”
“Prozac.”
“Ok, so you need your Prozac refilled?”
“Uh…yes that is what I need.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Good and I want to make sure we do prescriptions by mail so I can get three months worth.”
“Do you know how many milligrams a day you take?”
I answer the question but really shouldn’t that be in my medical chart?
“40. So do you want that website to order by mail?”
Ok, so did you want us to call this into CVS?”
If I wanted to pick up one month’s worth from CVS I would have phoned in the refill myself. Nor would I have said AT LEAST three times that I wanted to order by mail.
I hung up the phone and called my mom when I began the conversation with, “Some people are just too stupid to have jobs.”
I know this may seem harsh. I also want you to know that it once took me 20 minutes to get a script called into my pharmacy with the same bimbo. I believe in being nice to people in customer service; however, when your job is on the phones and either do not listen or know the scope of your company it is unacceptable. Don’t waste my time and I will not waste yours.
Recently, I have also had some great customer service from Verizon and Staples. That does not make for a good blog.
Let me know your thoughts? Am I unreasonable or are there people too stupid to be employed?
Monday, while once it became evident my haircut would turn into a spa day; I attempted to cross a few items of my “To Do” list. Mainly, have my doctor order a three-month prescription by mail for my Prozac. I didn’t have any of my insurance information with me so I set out to call 411 for the number for Blue Cross Blue Shield of California.
“City and State Please?”
“Blue Cross Blue Shield of California.”
“City and State Please?”
“The State is California.”
“It would be really helpful if you knew the City. Is it Los Angeles or perhaps San Francisco?”
“I don’t know what city. It is a 1-800 number.”
At this point I resisted the temptation to say, my mail comes from a P.O. Box in Chino but I doubt they answer calls there. Truthfully I, mistakenly, thought that any BCBS of CA number would ultimately get me what I needed. Sure it may take a few transfers but that was the price I had to pay for leaving the house unprepared.
“Ok I think I found it. Is it Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield?”
“No it is Blue Cross Blue Shield of California.”
“Ok, I think I found the number for Member Services.”
“Thanks.”
A few rings later I hear a message, “Thank-You for calling Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Member Services. If you are a Member please press….”
Ok, first of all I am not a member yet I must ask the question, “How many non-members are calling this number that they have a touch tone option?”
After hitting 0 a few thousand times I get transferred to a human.
“Hi, I think I have the wrong number. I am insured by Blue Cross Blue Shield of California.”
“Not a problem let me transfer you.”
Undaunted as I knew it would involve a transfer or two; until, alas, I get disconnected.
Luckily, I had the number sent to my phone via text. Repeat steps above and I get transferred again as well as being provided the number.
Back to the phone tree from Hell. I press the number for Pharmacy. I provide all of my pertinent information and the woman cannot find me in the system.
“I am insured by Blue Cross Blue Shield of California, I might have the wrong number.”
“Oh no, we handle Blue Cross Blue Shield of California. Let me double check the spelling of your name. PYKSP….
‘No.” I proceed to spell it slower. “D as in David, Y as in Yes….”
“No, no not mouse. House. H-O-U-S-E. Like were people live.”
Again, I tell her I think I have the wrong number. She assures me I do not.
Frustrated, and sitting in the chair to get my hair done, I say, “Can you just give me the website for me to get prescriptions by mail.”
“Oh, for that info you need to talk to our ‘Prescriptions By Mail Department.”
Transferred again.
After waiting on hold for five minutes I hang up. During my pedicure, I call again. I navigate the phone tree to be informed by a boy in the “Prescriptions by Mail Department” that I have phoned Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and they have no data on Blue Cross Blue Shield of California Members. Nor does he have the number for BCBS of CA…. Great 20 minutes of my life I will never get back.
I would not be so irritated except I stated at least three times that I didn’t think I had the right number.
The following day, I called the correct number and got the information I needed with ease. I never have a problem when I ring my actual insurance provider.
I then call my doctor’s office.
On hold, again.
“Hi, I am calling because the doctor told me when I had a website for my prescriptions by mail you could fill it that way. I am calling because I need a script refilled and I’d like a three months allotment.”
I then commence to spell my name a few times.
“What do you need refilled?”
“Prozac.”
“Ok, so you need your Prozac refilled?”
“Uh…yes that is what I need.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Good and I want to make sure we do prescriptions by mail so I can get three months worth.”
“Do you know how many milligrams a day you take?”
I answer the question but really shouldn’t that be in my medical chart?
“40. So do you want that website to order by mail?”
Ok, so did you want us to call this into CVS?”
If I wanted to pick up one month’s worth from CVS I would have phoned in the refill myself. Nor would I have said AT LEAST three times that I wanted to order by mail.
I hung up the phone and called my mom when I began the conversation with, “Some people are just too stupid to have jobs.”
I know this may seem harsh. I also want you to know that it once took me 20 minutes to get a script called into my pharmacy with the same bimbo. I believe in being nice to people in customer service; however, when your job is on the phones and either do not listen or know the scope of your company it is unacceptable. Don’t waste my time and I will not waste yours.
Recently, I have also had some great customer service from Verizon and Staples. That does not make for a good blog.
Let me know your thoughts? Am I unreasonable or are there people too stupid to be employed?
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