What is the problem with customer service at pharmacies? Do they have that many customers that it overloads their system, so they cannot deliver any kind of satisfactory customer service?

Case in point I recently moved, so I had to transfer several prescriptions that I take regularly. I've been a Wal-Mart pharmacy customer for over twenty years, and previously even worked at one of their local stores part-time. So I know most of their pharmacists and they know me. Naturally that's where I take my business. For many years I've bought monthly prescriptions, with the only changes being an address move, or insurance update or change.

Last week I go to the Wal-Mart pharmacy here in Victoria to get my two prescriptions transferred and refilled. Today I go to pick them up and the clerk tells me "I'm not in the system." Name...birthdate...nope, you're not there. "You'll have to go stand in that line over there." Pointing to the sign "drop off here." OK. Round one.

The clerk at this window tells me they lost my transfer somehow. Her co-worker tells me they got my birthdate wrong. Wow, really. I've only had my profile on your system for twenty years.

I tell them if they can just refill my prescriptions, I'll be a regular customer. And with no insurance, I'm paying full retail price, so they're really making some money off me. So they get on the phone and re-work my refills. I go browse the store for an hour.

I come back an hour later to stand in line again. Once at the counter, the clerk tells me "sorry, you're still not in the system. You'll have to go back and start over." I go back and stand in the first line. Under the "drop off" sign. Maybe that's what it really stands for. Customers who just "dropped off" the system. Round two.

Once at the counter, I tell the same clerk they still can't find me in the system. She blinks at the screen in front of her. "Oh!" she exclaims, "the system kicked out your refill because it won't pay under your insurance." I explain to her that I don't have insurance coverage, which is noted on my online profile, on their computer system. Yes, I will pay full retail price, however scary that is. Clerk says "Well OK, in that case, we will fill it for you. But we're out of the other formula, so you'll have to wait."

Wait? What have I been doing for a week? And another hour! SIGH...OK I've had enough. If you can't fill my order after a week, and you can't find me in your system after repeated attempts, then I guess I don't count as a customer.

You don't want my business? Fine, I'll go to Walgreens. Or whatever pharmacy that can just get it right the first time, without putting me through all this. You would think after twenty years, Wal-Mart would be able to accomodate my pharmacy needs as a long time customer. I play by their rules. I wait in line. I just want good customer service without having to go through undue duress or do without the medicine completely.

Is that too much to ask?