CVS or Walmart?

[pharmacystudent1011]

Just got an offer for Pharmacy Manager at Walmart. I have been PIC at CVS for couple years now. Salary is a little lower at walmart and driving time to Walmart is about 40 mins while driving time to CVS is about 5 mins. I am having a dilemna between the 2. What are the pros and cons of the 2? Any suggestions for Walmart or CVS? Thank you in advance.

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[JustFillIt]

I absolutely hate these “terrible retail vs. terrible retail” questions..

They are both terrible and the horrifying quality of life that awaits you is deplorable. That’s all that can be said about it. They are both terrible and not even worth comparing.

You have been a pic at cvs for 2 years? You should know this.

Mods can we open a sub forum with the intent to tease out the differences between Walgreens vs cvs vs Walmart vs Kroger?

They are all horrible and until greed is removed from the equation they will remain horrible

 

[WVUPharm2007]

They all suck. If one is closer to home and pays more, I'd just go with that one.

 

[VA77]

Stick with devil you know...literally

 

[owlegrad]

Does the Walmart have a drive-through?

How many scripts per tech hour?

 

[deleted562805]

Just got an offer for Pharmacy Manager at Walmart. I have been PIC at CVS for couple years now. Salary is a little lower at walmart and driving time to Walmart is about 40 mins while driving time to CVS is about 5 mins. I am having a dilemna between the 2. What are the pros and cons of the 2? Any suggestions for Walmart or CVS? Thank you in advance.

The salary is lower for pharmacy manager. Did you check how many scripts they fill at Walmart. If Walmart is less volume, go with Walmart. If they are about the same, stick with CVS.

If you get pharmacy manager at Costco or Sam’s club, then make the switch.

 

[deleted562805]

Does the Walmart have a drive-through?

How many scripts per tech hour?

Yeah, Walmart neighborhood market pharmacy has a drive through. Supercenter Walmart probably does not

 

[pharmacystudent1011]

Walmart does 800/week less than my current CVS. And no drive through at Walmart

 

[deleted562805]

Walmart does 800/week less than my current CVS. And no drive through at Walmart

Then I would take the Walmart job. How much less is Walmart salary compared to the CVS $69/hr? If it is not by much, go with Walmart. Do you hate your current situation? Do you hate the environment in CVS? That’s big question

 

[pharmacystudent1011]

I did the math and turn out I would be making 5k/year less with Walmart including all the benefits and PTO

 

[johnpharm01]

I absolutely hate these “terrible retail vs. terrible retail” questions..

They are both terrible and the horrifying quality of life that awaits you is deplorable. That’s all that can be said about it. They are both terrible and not even worth comparing.

You have been a pic at cvs for 2 years? You should know this.

Mods can we open a sub forum with the intent to tease out the differences between Walgreens vs cvs vs Walmart vs Kroger?

They are all horrible and until greed is removed from the equation they will remain horrible

I love your response. Truth is there is little difference, yet pharmacists make it sound like they are world's apart. A sad state of affairs.

 

[rxkrafted]

I wouldnt leave your current position if you are comfortable there.
Think about what would happen if you hated the store at Walmart... Now, you are getting a paycut and wasting an extra 70mins(round-trip) every time you go to work.

 

[Chrish]

Walmart provides most help out of all retails. But managers have too much **** to deal with these days. You do get a nice bonus though. Most managers get 10-15k and sometimes 20k depending on their metric.

 

[pharmacystudent1011]

Walmart provides most help out of all retails. But managers have too much **** to deal with these days. You do get a nice bonus though. Most managers get 10-15k and sometimes 20k depending on their metric.

What kind of extra things do pharmacy manager at Walmart have to do?

 

[quickpic007]

Just got an offer for Pharmacy Manager at Walmart. I have been PIC at CVS for couple years now. Salary is a little lower at walmart and driving time to Walmart is about 40 mins while driving time to CVS is about 5 mins. I am having a dilemna between the 2. What are the pros and cons of the 2? Any suggestions for Walmart or CVS? Thank you in advance.

I have worked both. Walmart miles and miles easier. If your offer is close to CVS it is good and rare (WM has been low balling lots of manager candidates I hear, in my region I know I am 10 more/hr than some newly hired managers and I am just staff)

Walmart managers have TONS of compliance in my opinion, but so does any PIC.

Corp culture is so much more pleasant at WM as well. Strict but fair in this area so far. No threats over ridiculous BS like Carepass.

Then again you might get a store with expert techs and staff that work the system and offload all their work and leave you holding the bag.

I absolutely hate these “terrible retail vs. terrible retail” questions..

They are both terrible and the horrifying quality of life that awaits you is deplorable. That’s all that can be said about it. They are both terrible and not even worth comparing.

You have been a pic at cvs for 2 years? You should know this.

Mods can we open a sub forum with the intent to tease out the differences between Walgreens vs cvs vs Walmart vs Kroger?

They are all horrible and until greed is removed from the equation they will remain horrible

Have you worked at both? Other than overnight or California stores, I don't really see CVS being anywhere as tolerable as WM

 

[Sine Cura]

Unless you absolutely hate your CVS location and workload and middling manager, stick to CVS

Minimal commute > 40-minute commute.

If there is a Walmart opening, you really have to question why there's an opening these days.

 

[ValeRx]

Turd toast or **** sandwich?

 

[projektreverb]

If there is a Walmart opening, you really have to question why there's an opening these days.

Can you expand on this?

 

[Chrish]

It’s probably a ****ty store no one wants to touch..

Anyways 40 minutes of commute is too much. No way to justify it unless you are ready to quit your current job.

 

[Ladyg228]

Maybe scout out the store and see what kind of techs you would be working with. Your pharmacy crew will make or break your day. Go with the option that will give you the highest quality of life.

 

[johnpharm01]

Maybe scout out the store and see what kind of techs you would be working with. Your pharmacy crew will make or break your day. Go with the option that will give you the highest quality of life.

What's "scout out" mean? Hang out in the parking lot and stop people as the come out asking if they work in pharmacy? If op takes the job won't they do what they are asked, after all op is a pharmacist and the manager?

And why look at all if ok has a job 5 mins from home? Burn out is my guess.

 

[NorthTexasPharmacist]

Went from CVS/Target to independent. Took a $3/hr pay cut even though I was a staff at CVS and am PIC now. This has been the best thing that happened in my life. I would not trade this position for anything. LEAVE CVS NOW. lol. Anything, literally anything would be better than CVS. You really have to think about the quality of life as you get older. How much longer can you stand to hear "ONE PHARMACY CALL"..."TWO PHARMACY CALLS"... "FIVE PHARMACY CALLS" before you end up shooting yourself and then shoot your coworkers?

 

[RxPreceptor]

Agreed with others..."stick with the devil you know". I think a lot of people underestimate the travel/mileage expenses of having that extensive of a commute (not just gasoline but cost of maintenance of automobile) and fatigue factor of having to make a 40min drive to work both ways.

 

[Sine Cura]

Don't you guys wonder what happened to soze?

Grass isn't always greener~ Walmart just fixed their dumb-**** attendance waiver policy (people been calling out like crazy over the past 6 months and you could not be fired for poor attendance per se)

Also 5 minutes from my workplace is still run down with various pockets of homeless encampments with occasional street walkers, so it matters if that 5 min is in a good area.

 

[pharmacystudent1011]

Only rph at CVS doing 500rx today and crap load of flu shots with only 2 techs all days. 2 techs morning 2 techs nights. I was doing production 90% of the time while 1 tech stuck at drive thru and the other tech at pick up and putting in flu shots and pull drugs for me to count. Walmart it is!

 

[quickpic007]

Don't you guys wonder what happened to soze?

Grass isn't always greener~ Walmart just fixed their dumb-**** attendance waiver policy (people been calling out like crazy over the past 6 months and you could not be fired for poor attendance per se)

Also 5 minutes from my workplace is still run down with various pockets of homeless encampments with occasional street walkers, so it matters if that 5 min is in a good area.

What happen? I seen Manager jobs posted in his area, was thinking maybe he hit the lottery and retired. Or promoted to customer by MHWD?

Hood walmart is usually better in my experience than mid/upper mid areas. Or maybe I just enjoy practicing my urban vernacular once in a while.

 

[projektreverb]

What happen? I seen Manager jobs posted in his area, was thinking maybe he hit the lottery and retired. Or promoted to customer by MHWD?

Hood walmart is usually better in my experience than mid/upper mid areas. Or maybe I just enjoy practicing my urban vernacular once in a while.

If I’m not mistaken he talked about moving to Florida before he was canned from SDN. I felt bad for the guy, he appeared genuinely stressed out.

 

[Sine Cura]

sozetone wasn't canned from SDN

If Walmart HR policies weren't so limp-wristed (see bull**** attendance policy waiver for the last 6 months) my position wouldn't be so bad. Also most Walmart pharmacits are horrible.

Basically if you have to drink Monster drinks every day to "handle" lolwork you suck

 

[projektreverb]

sozetone wasn't canned from SDN

What ever happened to him?

 

[Sine Cura]

I will let him speak for himself
Couldn't find him on Workday but not sure long-term LOA or whatever (hey I recommended it) wipes people off the board

 

[Sine Cura]

Only rph at CVS doing 500rx today and crap load of flu shots with only 2 techs all days. 2 techs morning 2 techs nights. I was doing production 90% of the time while 1 tech stuck at drive thru and the other tech at pick up and putting in flu shots and pull drugs for me to count. Walmart it is!

If you jump from CVS to Walmart don't be surprised if you're working with people who act like they work at the sloth DMV (from the movie Zootopia), like can't type more than 10/hr, fill 30/hr max uninterrupted (hint that's slow as ****)



I even do that hand thing like the armadillo

 

[ranger99rx]

The bonus is good- last year I got a bit over 23k. Our average sold rx 1300/week, have about 175 to 195 techs hours/week (mostly 190’s during flu season.) If your DM is aggressive then he/she will expect your staff pharmacist to pull their weight also. This year we have each manager hosting a zoom call every other week to develop our staff pharmacists and we expect them to run the pharmacy like pic when they are on duty (meaning no boxes/mail unopened, all compliance stuff will be done if due on days they are on duty). So far the staffs are doing what is expected. No such thing as refusing to host a flu event, wellness event, or not pushing shot. All techs are trained to do everything, not just super techs. Some will be more efficient than other but with practice they will get the job done. You can always transfer to a closer store when it available.

 

[NorthTexasPharmacist]

The bonus is good- last year I got a bit over 23k. Our average sold rx 1300/week, have about 175 to 195 techs hours/week (mostly 190’s during flu season.) If your DM is aggressive then he/she will expect your staff pharmacist to pull their weight also. This year we have each manager hosting a zoom call every other week to develop our staff pharmacists and we expect them to run the pharmacy like pic when they are on duty (meaning no boxes/mail unopened, all compliance stuff will be done if due on days they are on duty). So far the staffs are doing what is expected. No such thing as refusing to host a flu event, wellness event, or not pushing shot. All techs are trained to do everything, not just super techs. Some will be more efficient than other but with practice they will get the job done. You can always transfer to a closer store when it available.

This is what I hated about working for a big corporation. DMs get a huge amount of bonus based on their districts performance which is why all DMs push for metrics. All their patient care talk is such a BS, they just want their money lol.

 

[wetvet]

What's "scout out" mean? Hang out in the parking lot and stop people as the come out asking if they work in pharmacy? If op takes the job won't they do what they are asked, after all op is a pharmacist and the manager?

And why look at all if ok has a job 5 mins from home? Burn out is my guess.

The term "scout out" has been around since the 'cowboy-Indian' days. I would go into the store as a store customer, not for a Rx, during peak work times to observe how the team works together. During the interview for the position I would ask about how long this team has been working together and how much experience do they have, Trying to fine out about turnover of staff.

 

[aqb]

All their patient care talk is such a BS, they just want their money lol.

This so much. Whenever my DL talks about we’re doing this to help patients live a better life blah blah it’s hard to keep a straight face.

I overheard a conference call pushing flu shots the other week, and the DL made every PIC say why they’re proud of being a pharmacist and how that’s gotta help them maximize flu shot goals LOL. I threw up a little

 

[johnpharm01]

The term "scout out" has been around since the 'cowboy-Indian' days. I would go into the store as a store customer, not for a Rx, during peak work times to observe how the team works together. During the interview for the position I would ask about how long this team has been working together and how much experience do they have, Trying to fine out about turnover of staff.

I know what it means generally. I just think it's dumb. Outside of driving to the store to get a feel for the commute and neighborhood, you won't know what it's like until you work there. But then again all retail is very similar, the game is the same.

 

[johnpharm01]

This so much. Whenever my DL talks about we’re doing this to help patients live a better life blah blah it’s hard to keep a straight face.

I overheard a conference call pushing flu shots the other week, and the DL made every PIC say why they’re proud of being a pharmacist and how that’s gotta help them maximize flu shot goals LOL. I threw up a little

I was shopping at the local walmart yesterday for some windshield wiper blades when an employee asked me from a distance if I wanted a flu shot. Felt weird and inappropriate.

 

[JustFillIt]

I was shopping at the local walmart yesterday for some windshield wiper blades when an employee asked me from a distance if I wanted a flu shot. Felt weird and inappropriate.

Why is this more weird or inappropriate than any other sales pitch?

 

[Sine Cura]

Walmart is encouraging staff to hawk flu shots during their in-store flu shot events.

I think outside with a canopy tent would be better going into the fall (aside from the entire west coast being on fire) but it is what it is

 

[johnpharm01]

Why is this more weird or inappropriate than any other sales pitch?

Because I was in the auto department far removed from the pharmacy, I would think that the more appropriate question would be to ask if I needed help finding something. Walmart offers a lot of services, I have never had them solicit me for a haircut, check cashing, etc.

 

[Sine Cura]

Uh we were expected to harass customers entering the store to do basic screening and immunizations so that expectation of employees is not new

 

[Chrish]

I have seen market directors complaining to managers about staff pharmacists who were running the event and didn’t “engage” with enough customers who were passing by their table. Conversation went as far as writing them up for it..

 

[johnpharm01]

I have seen market directors complaining to managers about staff pharmacists who were running the event and didn’t “engage” with enough customers who were passing by their table. Conversation went as far as writing them up for it..

I wouldn't be surprised other chains do the same. I for myself don't care when healthcare becomes just a sales pitch. I would be more likely to get one if they did not ask. I can honestly say the only other time someone has sold me on healthcare was a vet trying to get my dog's dew claws removed. I didn't go back.i get the feeling they put profit before patients.

I would have been happier if they told me there was a short wait for background checks and asked if I wanted to buy a gun, although Wal-Mart's gun selection is beyond weak.

 

[Farmgurl20]

Uh we were expected to harass customers entering the store to do basic screening and immunizations so that expectation of employees is not new

at 3 letter, they hired seperate pharmacist to do shots and once they aren’t doing it they stand in near by aisle and ask people around for shots.

 

[Farmgurl20]

I was shopping at the local walmart yesterday for some windshield wiper blades when an employee asked me from a distance if I wanted a flu shot. Felt weird and inappropriate.

lol this is happening at cvs too.

 

[Chrish]

Tbh I am a pretty pro-vaccine guy and giving vaccine is few times when I feel I am genuinely helping someone as a pharmacist.

I don’t mind if I have to do sales speech to convince someone because I know it’s good for them. However, issue happens when it becomes all about number and we get penalized for not meeting imaginary goal when I know I am trying pretty hard.

 

[Sine Cura]

Are these goals imaginary? One store gets 1400 flu shots for the "season" (week 28 to the "end") and they sell like 1.2k/week (1700 30d equiv). Another store does 4k scripts a week (not 30d equiv) and their goal is 900. That's FAF

"Props" to stores that can push out 100+ flu shots in a week early Sept without trying (no clinics no nothing) but that shouldn't be considered a baseline to meet. And actually if the annual eval criteria hold up "leading change" is only 10% of your eval so what's more important to your eval, NPS (50%) or immunizations?

 

[hye345]

As someone who used to work at CVS (5 minute commute), who now works at Walmart (45 minute commute), I think I’m getting a CVS nostalgia... then again, maybe it’s all this COVID isolation

But in all seriousness, I can honestly say that when your in the thick of it, it all comes down to your crew, and the support from above. Both of which can change on a dime. Sure, the computer system or workflow may be different, but you do it long enough, you will get used to it.

Much more difficult to adjust to, however, are crappy coworkers. The poster who talked about Walmart staff (pharmacist and techs) being slow definitely has a point. Maybe it’s just my store, but a lot of the workers aren’t exactly efficient. I’d trade 2-3 of my current workers for one of my old techs at CVS.

Also, keep in mind that as pharmacy manager at Walmart, not only will you have to deal with headaches from market director, but also with members of front-store management. Yes, there are more than one. No, it’s actually more horrible than it sounds.

 

[Sine Cura]

Walmart pharmacy culture does not discourage laziness and incompetence especially in California because you can get away with that ****. These "temporary" tech and pharmacist positions are actually a good idea because you can see if people can hack it.

Also **** dip**** store mgmt. I don't go ****ing around pretending I know anything about merchandising or CAP so don't mess with my ****

 

[Ladyg228]

I know what it means generally. I just think it's dumb. Outside of driving to the store to get a feel for the commute and neighborhood, you won't know what it's like until you work there. But then again all retail is very similar, the game is the same.

You can watch the pharmacy for 15 minutes during prime hours to get a sense of what kind of people you are working with.

1. Are the technicians picking the phone?
2. Are the techs administering vaccines?
3. Do you have more than 1 PharmD on site?
4. How many patients are waiting?
5. Ask for counseling from the pharmacist, how long does that take?
6. How many techs are you allotted?
7. Interact with the tech, can they address questions or do they automatically send you to the pharmacist?
etc....

There is alot you can gauge in 15 minutes. It doesn't necessarily paint an exact picture of what to expect but at least if you see red flags within those 15 minutes, you know to run for the hills.