Isn't That What Customer Service is All About?

Last week I went to a local pharmacy to have a"Let's talk."
prescription filled. As I approached the prescriptionAgain stone cold, icy silence followed by " Can I help
counter I noticed a sign beside the cash register thatyou?" If you can't beat them, join them so I too
said, " Let's Talk." Considering it an invitation I said inbecame cool, abrupt, assertive and said, " Mike Moore
a friendly, cheery voice, " OK let's talk." andDoctor Quinn/ asthma medication/ repeat required
proceeded to say " How are you today?" Theplease. She checked the computer and found that I
woman waiting on me was not amused. She lookeddid have 4 repeats left. I told her that I would be in
at me in frigid, non-responsive silence and finally saidat 10:00 a.m. the next day to pick it up and I left. I
cooly, " Can I help you?"know I shouldn't have responded in kind but I was
It didn't take a degree in nuclear physics to figure outticked off at the way a paying customer was being
that she was totally ignoring my humble attempt totreated.
be friendly so I too immediately responded to her icyI wanted to hand the woman my card and tell her
tone with one of my own. I gave her the informationthat I spoke to companies and organizations on
regarding my prescription and was told curtly that Icustomer relations and would be more that happy to
was at the wrong counter. I was at theconduct a seminar for their employees on the topic.
"PRESCRIPTION OUT" counter when I should be atBut I didn't.
theI'm not saying that dealing with the public is easy. It
" PRESCRIPTION IN " counter. How silly of me toisn't. In fact it can be very stressful but you can
make such a mistake. Maybe that's why she was soneutralize the stress with a simple smile and a bit of
unfriendly to me. I had committed a hugehumor. All these people needed to do when I
unforgivable sin in Pharmacy Land.responded to their invitation to talk was smile and
As I approached the proper counter I once againsay in a friendly tone, "OK. Let's talk. What can I do
saw the sign, " Let's Talk." and decided to give thefor you?"
place a second chance. I looked at the lady waitingSimple, easy, effective and it leaves your customer
on me and said once again in an upbeat and friendlywanting to return to do business with you. Isn't that
tone, " The other woman who waited on me wasn'twhat customer service is all about?
really in the mood to talk so I came down here. So