I thought after being forced to sling pills next to the singing fish a few years ago I could withstand anything, but the singing Band-Aid kid was soon to prove me wrong. Every time a person walked by the first-aid section they, and more importantly, me, were assaulted by the singing Band-Aid kid. A little black box sticking out from where the bandages were with a TV screen, activated by motion to show a 10 second commercial featuring the little snot nose singing brat. Hundreds of times a day I heard the jingle. I started to hear it at night as I tried to fall asleep. It was immune to scotch. I was going to crack.
Then one of George's kids walked by. One of the troops that I wholeheartedly support in finding another line of work.
"Jesus Christ that's annoying" he said.
"You're telling me. I've got a $20 dollar bounty on that things head" The idea of actually offering a bounty came to me just that second. I was desperate, I knew this boy could kill things, and I wouldn't get fired if I could get him to do my dirty work while he was doing my country's.
He didn't disappoint. The vandal-proof black box didn't stand a chance against someone used to taking on IED's. I promptly handed over a Jackson for a job well done. I'd much rather be paying him to kill virtual people than real ones.
Passive-Aggressive revenge on your soulless corporate employer doesn't have to involve hiring hit men though:
There's the pill strike. Every single pill that hits the floor gets thrown away. Those of you not in the profession may not realize that dropped pills almost always get picked up and put in your vial. You may also not realize that some of the ones I chuck away depending on how I feel about my employer at the moment are easily worth a buck or two each, but what kind of organization is going to tell me I have to sell floor pills to customers? And I am a serious klutz. Corpo-pharmacy pays dearly during a pill strike. Of course individual pill strike exceptions can be made based on customer behavior.
Then there's the customer service is #1 maneuver. What happens when someone comes in who needs 5 tablets of a product that comes in bottles of 100, is crazy expensive, and will most assuredly never produce a prescription at this store ever again? If my employer is sending love and happy feelings my way, I call around to see if someplace in town might have some on their shelves, a win-win for everyone. The day after a decision is made to drown me in pointless paperwork though, I happily order it in for next day delivery, and corpo-pharmacy now has paid $500 for the privilege of filling one prescription.
It's all about happy customers though, right boss?.....:) Customer service is always top priority. Definitely higher than remembering to keep track of the pills you spotted a customer to tide them over until their doctor could authorize a refill of their prescription. Expensive pills.
Don't get me started on forgetting to keep track of products taken off the shelf for store use. And taking the most expensive products.
It pays you to keep me happy boss. Literally. Put that Band-Aid kid back on the shelf at your peril.
8 comments:
Oh god, we've got one of those bandaid things too. I was considering a well-placed bit of tape over the electric eye, but I like your idea better.
I worked at W~Mart during the dancing baby craze. They decided to use the dancing baby video on loop to draw attention to the new W~Mart brand vitamins.
I was praying for someone to
"accidentally" bump into the display with their cart sending the TV crashing down. It never happened, we had to listen to that thing for well over a month.
Our pharmacy manager freaked out if we tried to turn it off. He was afraid corporate would be pissed if they came in and it was off.
I still can't listen to that Uga Chucka song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2W4EBoQmWPs
Imagine that all day, everyday.
Mythbusters has proven that the 5 second rule isn't really true... if you drop a dry object into something wet or really filthy, it's just as dirty/germy after 2 seconds as 30. If you drop it on a dry surface, it picks up practically nothing. Pick those up off the floor and into the vial they go.
Having a vial of Hepsera (over 700 bucks for 30 tabs) open on the shelf also wasn't on my boss's agenda... poor patient has to order them in lots of 30...
JustATech
Hmm, is that why my local neighborhood pharmacy couldn't sell me a couple of days worth of Emsam when I switched health insurance companies and had to pay out of pocket until the new benefits kicked in? For the record, I didn't question it, or take my frustration out on the pharmacist. I may be a crazy customer, but I have nothing but respect for my pharmacist. I was just curious because none of my other meds were a problem, but they're mostly generics and all are a lot less expensive than the Emsam. I could see not wanting to take 2 out of a box of 30 if there's no guarantee I'll really come back for the rest. Or maybe my pharmacist really does hate me ;-)
Love your blog!
absa-freakin'-loutely awesome! a bounty what a genius you are :) I shall have to try this the next time WAG decides to torture me with some "convienently" located but horribly annoying advertising device.
I always put the pills back in the bottle off the floor, whether it be HCTZ or some Prograf. I don't care the cost, the customers get theirs for demanding to make me check sale prices on crap or freaking out because "this generic Wellbutrin doesn't work like the brand, I want the brand, and want to pay the generic copay cause I am cheap and want my shit at a discount because I am depressed and suicidal". So take that you punks...get a life and some sunshine for your depression!!! HAHAHAHAH!!!
Annoying advertisement displays we don't have. What we DO have this year are 4ft high snowmen and Santas made from paper-wrapped boxes taped together. I have convienently placed one of each on the counter in front of me so they almost completely block me from customer view. I also conviently spilled $500 worth of medication down the sink last week. I really did trip, I just wasn't so quick about making sure the bottle didn't fall.
walgreens makes you put all the dropped or broken tablets in a 40dram vial and send it with your returns as "waste medication". but yes if they fall on the floor and you're being an ass, or i just don't like the way you looked at me, those pills are going in your vial.
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