Customer Service RIP

In this era of everything being high tech, why should we put up with a total lack of customer service?  I think we should have a funeral for customer service and just be done with it and agree that it is a thing of the past like the pay phone.

As I get older, the number of prescriptions I take continues to increase.  Every July I seem to have a problem when I refill one prescription.  The day after I place the order, I get a call from the company explaining why they cannot fill the prescription.  The pre-recorded message tells me they are going to send me a letter why they cannot refill Rx XYZ.  They never give you the name of the medication just the number.  How much harder would it be for them to give you the name and Rx number.  That makes may too much sense.  I got busy and forgot about it until I went to my doctor's office this morning.

I mentioned this call to the physician's assistant.  I was told to ask them to fax her the request for approval.  I go back and make the call to the number on the prescription bottle and am told they can't send the doctor the request, that the doctor has to call.  I feel like I am stuck in some kind of endless loop.

Aggravated, I call the doctor's office.  They tell me they don't have time to call the company to ask for a form.  I come home and call the company, again.  After I have to scream at them, they tell me it is a different department and I need to call a different too-free number.

So, already pissed-off, I call the new number.  They ask me questions such as my name, date of birth, Rx number, dosage, Dr.'s name, etc.  When we get to Dr.'s name, they cannot recognize it and ask for it again and again and again.  This is not helping calm me down in the least.  Since this is not working they ask if I know the Dr.'s DEA number.  Sure, everyone has that on the tip of their tongue.  So, I hang up and try again.  I finally get someoe who is willing to get off of their butt and help.  As I am recounting what has happened and she is apologizing over and over, I ask her why complaints like mine are not forwarded to management.  It would seem to me, if I were working her job, and people were calling me upset all the time, I wouldn't pass on the complaints.  Maybe they do and management just does not care.  I guess the companies just hope you will go away.

This is the state of customer service all over our country.  We get poor customer service, the companies continue to make obscene profits and CEOs get to take off each summer to visit their money in the Caymen Islands.

I am just tired of being jerked around by these companies.  Does anyone out there feel the same way as I do or is it just me?

Michael Kaynard is a local photographer living in West Ashley.  His photos can be seen at Kaynard Photography.  He can be reached at 843-412-2299 or mkaynard@gmail.com.