Taking verbal abuse

[museabuse]

Here's the story,
Rude customer yelling at tech. Pharmacist goes over to try and calm down situation. Customer says "I don't want that stupid n***** to wait on me". Customer does not calm down and continues racial slurs. Pharmacist tells customer to leave we don't help rude racists. Customer leaves and calls and begins yelling about how" the pharmacy was good until they hired that n***** why did you hire him!". pharmacist hangs up.
Customer calls corporate. Pharmacist gets call from DM, "don't ever hang up on customers again or you will be fired!". Pharmacist explains the racial slurs. DM says he doesn't care you have to take the abuse, and help customer, you can't hang up or ban people from pharmacy for being rude or racist.

Should the pharmacist contact HR or just get over it?

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[BanBidil]

Tell your DM to eff off. You are in charge. You don't have to take this abuse and you wont. If s/he tries to get fresh with you, sue. Call the the ethics line if it is CVS etc... get third parties involved.

Ask the customer where they want the prescription transferred to. Transfer it out. Never see that customer again.

 

[Dr Wario]

Tell your DM to eff off. You are in charge. You don't have to take this abuse and you wont. If s/he tries to get fresh with you, sue. Call the the ethics line if it is CVS etc... get third parties involved.

Ask the customer where they want the prescription transferred to. Transfer it out. Never see that customer again.

I totally agree, that case is a lock in a legal battle. You could probably go above your DM's head and get him/her into major trouble.

 

[nnguyenc]

sometimes you just gotta roll up your sleeves and say "meet me outside"
























then get on your hands and knees to beg for forgiveness
that way...you save face in front of your co-workers

 

[Sparda29]

Contact HR. You're not being paid enough to take abuse.

 

[npage148]

Call the police and have the person arrested for threatening a pharmacist (a felony) and fax the police report to the DM

 

[MountainPharmD]

Here's the story,
Rude customer yelling at tech. Pharmacist goes over to try and calm down situation. Customer says "I don't want that stupid n***** to wait on me". Customer does not calm down and continues racial slurs. Pharmacist tells customer to leave we don't help rude racists. Customer leaves and calls and begins yelling about how" the pharmacy was good until they hired that n***** why did you hire him!". pharmacist hangs up.
Customer calls corporate. Pharmacist gets call from DM, "don't ever hang up on customers again or you will be fired!". Pharmacist explains the racial slurs. DM says he doesn't care you have to take the abuse, and help customer, you can't hang up or ban people from pharmacy for being rude or racist.

Should the pharmacist contact HR or just get over it?

Contact HR immediately. Your companies harassment policy also covers customers. I would give them the customers name and an exact word for word account of what was said. I would also let them know what the DM said about having to accept the harrasment no matter what. The DM sounds like a first class a-hole. Let me guess.....CVS right?

 

[selo]

Here's the story,
Rude customer yelling at tech. Pharmacist goes over to try and calm down situation. Customer says "I don't want that stupid n***** to wait on me". Customer does not calm down and continues racial slurs. Pharmacist tells customer to leave we don't help rude racists. Customer leaves and calls and begins yelling about how" the pharmacy was good until they hired that n***** why did you hire him!". pharmacist hangs up.
Customer calls corporate. Pharmacist gets call from DM, "don't ever hang up on customers again or you will be fired!". Pharmacist explains the racial slurs. DM says he doesn't care you have to take the abuse, and help customer, you can't hang up or ban people from pharmacy for being rude or racist.

Should the pharmacist contact HR or just get over it?

while this did not happen to me, it really pissed me off. Putting myself on your shoes, i would definitely contact Hr. No law says that a pharmacist has to accept racial slurs from random customers. It is time to stand up , pharmacist. we can't accept this from cvs.

 

[museabuse]

while this did not happen to me, it really pissed me off. Putting myself on your shoes, i would definitely contact Hr. No law says that a pharmacist has to accept racial slurs from random customers. It is time to stand up , pharmacist. we can't accept this from cvs.

It wasn't me and it wasn't CVS. It was my college roomate asking me for advice. Right now there is no documentation of what was said in phone call. Friend was thinking of writing email to get response in writing. For example, "Let me make sure I understand, if a customer is unreasonable and using racial slurs I cannot tell them to leave or hang up on them.". Then if dm responds in email then go to HR. Right now it is just he said she said. My friend thinks the DM has it out for him and doesn't want to make waves without evidence.

 

[Rockinacoustic]

Should the pharmacist contact HR or just get over it?

Is this a serious question? If I were the tech and my pharmacist turned a blind eye to the situation I'd be reporting him and the DM to HR.

 

[Sparda29]

If I was a less patient person, I would have used a taser on the guy, called the police and had him arrested saying he was being threatening towards the pharmacy staff.

 

[genesis09]

My RxS told me if any one swears at you or calls you names, the person is gone. No one should have to take such abuse.

 

[Doctor M]

In all my years that i worked at CVS, or even vix drug emporium when i was an intern, i got yelled at at least once per day. Today, having my own shop, i have never been scorned, yelled at, or anything. funny...

 

[MountainPharmD]

In all my years that i worked at CVS, or even vix drug emporium when i was an intern, i got yelled at at least once per day. Today, having my own shop, i have never been scorned, yelled at, or anything. funny...

More like awesome. Doctor M are still doing well? How are the expansion plans going?

 

[Old Timer]

I can't believe the story told here was communicated to the DM and the DM said you have to take it. If you have an African American tech and a customer uses racial slurs, that is a hostile work environment and the employer has a duty to protect the worker from that abuse.

In the future, whenever a ***** like that is in the store call the DM in advance and let him have your side up front. It's his job to protect you and your staff.


I once had a guy call me a f***in @sshole and said he was going to report me. I said make sure when you call corporate make sure you include that you called my a f***in @sshole because I'll make sure they know how you acted out. Sure enough he called my boss and didn't mention that he used profanity. Since my boss knew in advance what happened and that my version of events was more likely to be the truth, they guy didn't get anywhere.

 

[whatbout2morrow]

It wasn't me and it wasn't CVS. It was my college roomate asking me for advice. Right now there is no documentation of what was said in phone call. Friend was thinking of writing email to get response in writing. For example, "Let me make sure I understand, if a customer is unreasonable and using racial slurs I cannot tell them to leave or hang up on them.". Then if dm responds in email then go to HR. Right now it is just he said she said. My friend thinks the DM has it out for him and doesn't want to make waves without evidence.

I doubt the DM will put something like that in writing without consulting the proper resources. Even if he said something else on the phone, what he sends back in writing will probably be what stands as his word. He probably will even say that he said the same thing in the phone call. It will be as if the whole thing never happened. However, you guys will have it in writing that it is ok to ask that customer to use a different pharmacy.

Even with the "he said she said" situation, I'd call HR directly. After a good coaching and counseling from his superiors, the DM will probably have a new opinion on how to handle such a situation, but I would not be surprised if he tries to make life a living hell for the pharmacist.

I only see one of these two possibilities in this matter.

 

[whatbout2morrow]

I can't believe the story told here was communicated to the DM and the DM said you have to take it. If you have an African American tech and a customer uses racial slurs, that is a hostile work environment and the employer has a duty to protect the worker from that abuse.

In the future, whenever a ***** like that is in the store call the DM in advance and let him have your side up front. It's his job to protect you and your staff.


I once had a guy call me a f***in @sshole and said he was going to report me. I said make sure when you call corporate make sure you include that you called my a f***in @sshole because I'll make sure they know how you acted out. Sure enough he called my boss and didn't mention that he used profanity. Since my boss knew in advance what happened and that my version of events was more likely to be the truth, they guy didn't get anywhere.

I guess it would depend on the DM also. If he's the type that has his pharmacists' back, this probably would be the scenario. But if you have the DM who doesn't mind his pharmacists being abused for the sake of his personal gains and potential to move up the corporate chain, I doubt the scenario would be the same.

 

[rph3664]

In all my years that i worked at CVS, or even vix drug emporium when i was an intern, i got yelled at at least once per day. Today, having my own shop, i have never been scorned, yelled at, or anything. funny...

Probably because people know they aren't going to get anything in exchange for acting out. If this DM was like many other DMs, or store managers for that matter, the pharmacy staff was probably asked what they might have done to the customer to make the customer act that way.

😡

 

[MountainPharmD]

Probably because people know they aren't going to get anything in exchange for acting out. If this DM was like many other DMs, or store managers for that matter, the pharmacy staff was probably asked what they might have done to the customer to make the customer act that way.

😡

It sounds like you have worked at my store before! Your description above is the norm I am afraid. I do not know how many times I have heard this from my managers. Here is a typical statement embellished of course from my manager. "Well MountainPharmD, I know the customer used profaniting and threatened to kill you all because he did not like the way you said Hi. However, I think the real issue we need to focus on is what did you do to cause the customer to act that way and how will you change to provide better customer service in the future? "

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

I work for CVS and my pharmacy supervisor and DM told me to tell any customers who use profanity and racial slurs to never come back again. The fact is these customers are not good for business and they would rather lose that one customer than an entire family because the pharmacy is rated R.

Also, if the DM is from CVS, be sure to call the CVS ethic line. The HR business partner will take care of it. Even if the company gives the DM the benefit of the doubt this time, several complaints from different employees will quickly put that DM into a troubled position.

 

[Old Timer]

It sounds like you have worked at my store before! Your description above is the norm I am afraid. I do not know how many times I have heard this from my managers. Here is a typical statement embellished of course from my manager. "Well MountainPharmD, I know the customer used profaniting and threatened to kill you all because he did not like the way you said Hi. However, I think the real issue we need to focus on is what did you do to cause the customer to act that way and how will you change to provide better customer service in the future? "

Dude, you need to come here & work with me. If anybody tried that in my district, both my DM and Supervisor would tell them to not let the door hit them in the ass. Now if you have a series of customer complaints against you, that's something different. Even corporate triages the complaints. All complaints are sent to the field management, but when the customer is obviously loony tunes they send it as an FYI as opposed to a complaint that needs addressing.

 

[WhiteSnows]

I am not a pharmacist yet so I can't really speak for anybody else. I think people get sick all the time and they seem to get angry at anybody who is on their ways. On the other hand, it is hard for pharmacists to accept that attitude from a customer, but I think it will be beneficial if we act emphatically. What I mean is that we should act more to the problem instead of acting to emotion. We should help the customer to resolve the problem they have instead of yelling back to them. It is hard to do this, but that if you can do this, you have a whole world with you. If you can't, you are in trouble.

 

[Tinkerbell22]

I am not a pharmacist yet so I can't really speak for anybody else. I think people get sick all the time and they seem to get angry at anybody who is on their ways. On the other hand, it is hard for pharmacists to accept that attitude from a customer, but I think it will be beneficial if we act emphatically. What I mean is that we should act more to the problem instead of acting to emotion. We should help the customer to resolve the problem they have instead of yelling back to them. It is hard to do this, but that if you can do this, you have a whole world with you. If you can't, you are in trouble.

Um, the customer wasn't just yelling and upset at their wait time or prescription cost or insurance problem... they were upset because they are a racist d-bag. people don't just become racist when they're sick. that behavior doesn't deserve a reward.

 

[GamecockPharmD]

One thing I refuse to tolerate is disrespect. I've banned people from my store. I had a guy threaten to jump over the counter and beat my ass. I banned him from the store. I would definitely go to HR over that DM's attitude. We gotta start having some backbone as pharmacists. There is no excuse for anyone having to tolerate that kind of work environment. The ******* is probably on Medicaid and your tax dollars are paying for his meds anyway. **** him. Send him on his way and tell him to never come back. Then tell your DM to **** off.

 

[MountainPharmD]

One thing I refuse to tolerate is disrespect. I've banned people from my store. I had a guy threaten to jump over the counter and beat my ass. I banned him from the store. I would definitely go to HR over that DM's attitude. We gotta start having some backbone as pharmacists. There is no excuse for anyone having to tolerate that kind of work environment. The ******* is probably on Medicaid and your tax dollars are paying for his meds anyway. **** him. Send him on his way and tell him to never come back. Then tell your DM to **** off.

Then update your resume because you won't have a job any more.

 

[GamecockPharmD]

Then update your resume because you won't have a job any more.

I've already updated it. I'm looking for a hospital job. So far I've gotten away with banning people. I'm in the ghetto and no one wants my job. There's been so much turnover at that store it's ridiculous. I won't lose this job, I'm just trying to get rid of it without losing any income. Really tough clientele. 90% at least are on Medicaid. I've been robbed once at another location in my city. I don't know how I haven't been robbed at this store yet. I have never seen so many prescriptions for Percocet, Xanax, Vicodin, etc. We go through CIIs so fast I have trouble keeping them stocked. I've pretty much lost all faith in humanity working at this place. If we have people like this contaminating the gene pool then mankind is in serious trouble. That may sound really mean. I'm not knocking everyone on Medicaid. Some people really need it, disabled etc. But I'm tired of seeing people pull up in my drive-thru rolling on dubs with their nails done bitching about a $3.40 co-pay.

 

[Old Timer]

There is no way any customer is going to threaten or verbally abuse any of my employees. Once they use profanity or racial slurs that's it. I can tell you at CVS they take racial discrimination seriously. They don't tolerate a hostile work environment and calling a black person by the N word is about as hostile as gets w/o firearms. There is no corporate would NOT back you up on that.

 

[johnep34]

In the UK, to call someone by the slang name for a particular race is a criminal offence under The Race Relations Act. Huge damages have been paid.
johnep

 

[CUpharmD2013]

I am not a pharmacist yet so I can't really speak for anybody else. I think people get sick all the time and they seem to get angry at anybody who is on their ways. On the other hand, it is hard for pharmacists to accept that attitude from a customer, but I think it will be beneficial if we act emphatically. What I mean is that we should act more to the problem instead of acting to emotion. We should help the customer to resolve the problem they have instead of yelling back to them. It is hard to do this, but that if you can do this, you have a whole world with you. If you can't, you are in trouble.

I think the word you're looking for here is empathetically. And no, I am not empathetic for someone who uses profanity, threats, or racial slurs.

 

[rph3664]

I am not a pharmacist yet so I can't really speak for anybody else. I think people get sick all the time and they seem to get angry at anybody who is on their ways. On the other hand, it is hard for pharmacists to accept that attitude from a customer, but I think it will be beneficial if we act emphatically. What I mean is that we should act more to the problem instead of acting to emotion. We should help the customer to resolve the problem they have instead of yelling back to them. It is hard to do this, but that if you can do this, you have a whole world with you. If you can't, you are in trouble.

People who are genuinely ill rarely cause trouble. It's the walking well, or drug seekers, who cause most of the problems.