That thing called customer service...

I had a remarkable experience today,
a truly remarkable experience...but I have to tell you what led up to it first.

Four days ago my six year old daughter came into my room in the middle of the night with a raging fever.

She slept pretty much non-stop for the next four days and her symptoms got much worse...prompting me to take her to urgent care, who then sent me on to the ER. It was over six hours later when Abby was finally discharged from the ER with three prescriptions and strict instructions that if the Zofran didn't help her keep her other medicines down, we would have to admit her to the hospital for IV fluids and antibiotics. She is a very sick little girl right now.

Now, Zofran is a very expensive medication and one that I was afraid the pharmacy might not have in stock. I have a pharmacy I like to go to because the people that work there are very helpful and have gone above and beyond for me in the past...but this pharmacy is a distance from my house, and an even greater distance from the hospital. I like this pharmacy so much that I have their number programmed into my cell phone, so I called to ask if they had these prescriptions in stock before I drove up there. The manager assured me they did and said he would see me when I got there. It was 5:30.

When I got to the pharmacy it was 6:10. The pharmacy was closed. I was floored...and I was devestated...if I didn't get this medication I would have to admit my daughter to the hospital, something neither of us wanted to do. I walked back to the pharmacy in a slight daze...I had JUST talked to the manager on the phone and he said NOTHING about them closing soon. I got back there and the manager was cleaning up and closing up the register so I asked him if there was a Fry's pharmacy (I can only go to certain pharmacies with my insurance) that was open past 6PM. He told me that the one next door to the hospital (that I had JUST LEFT) was.

I nearly cried.

In frustration I cried out to him, "I JUST called you to see if you had the prescriptions I needed, WHY didn't you tell me you were about to close before I drove all the way up here?!?"

His response is the remarkable part. He replied to me, "Oh! It's you! I'm so glad you came back here...I waited to see if you would come..." He opened the gate to the pharmacy area and let me in. He filled my prescriptions, including, once again, going out of his way to deal with my insurance company that required a prior authorization for the Zofran and didn't want to cover it. He made sure they understood that this medicine was for a sick little girl who just got out of the hospital. (They ended up covering it) He walked out to the OTC medicine area and made sure I found the right kind of cough medicine. He did all this with a smile and willingness that put me at ease in an already stressful situation. HE understands the meaning of customer service in a world that doesn't take the time for others much anymore. I, for one, am extremely grateful.

I will take the time to drive to that store again, despite the fact that I have one just a few minutes from my house.

Why?

Because in a crazy fast paced world of uncertainty a little kindness, and some great customer service, goes a long way!!