The Catbird Seat

Something about me and the Walgreens drive-thru. I don’t know what it is.

Because of the recurrence of interesting things happening in the Walgreens drive-thru when I work, I thought I would just start a new series.

To read the first [recorded] interesting story, which from here forward will be referred to as “Walgreens Drive-Thru Story #1″ CLICK HERE.

For Story #2, read on…

A few weeks ago, I was working in the notorious Green Springs Store (#6034) on a Saturday.

We constantly struggle with delivering good customer service to our drive-thru customers, so I thought I would try and model good service to our techs.

Since I am unable to actually work the drive-thru because of my position (physical, not employment-wise) in the pharmacy, one of the few ways that I could demonstrate proper drive-thru service is by acknowledging the customer within 5 seconds of the time they pull up to the window.

It must be noted at this point that the Walgreens drive-thru has a pressure-sensitive (I think) trigger that signals the pharmacy employees when someone drives up (by a beeping sound). There is no need for a customer to push the “Call” button to signal their presence. Most people don’t know this.

Back to the story.

The drive-thru signal sounds, and I quickly pick up the phone receiver to Lane 1 and say politely, “Someone will be with you in just a minute!”

Response: “qpwoeifhzjbv[987ry libjv” (something unintelligible.)

Out of sight of the customer, I simply shrug and hang up the receiver.

I wait a moment or two before realizing that the tech that should be attending to this customer is tied up with another problem.

I decide to get additional information from the customer as to the nature of their need, so that when the tech is finished, she won’t have to question the customer further. So I say, (still sweetly) “Are you picking up, or dropping off?”

Response: “caundswoiern” (still unintelligible)

Me: “I’m sorry, could you repeat that?”

Response: “conaodnown” (still unintelligible)

At this point I was really tempted to “hand off” the problem to the tech who should have been taking care of this all along [no, I’m not bitter at all. grin.], but since I had made the commitment to model good drive-thru service, I felt compelled to take care of the matter properly.

So I went over to the window, where I saw a very determined-looking, but pleasant, Hispanic man in his 40’s bearing a smile with four gold front teeth (all on the top), an open wallet full of cash and a one-word answer for my earlier question that I repeated to him once I arrived at the window:

“Condon.”

Me: “I beg your pardon?”

Response (expectantly): “CON-DON.”

Me: “You want to buy conDOMS here? At the drive-thru?”

Response: fierce nodding.

Me: “I’m sorry, sir. You’ll have to come inside the store to buy condoms.”

Response: “No condons here?”

Me: (complete with motions) “No sir. You must come inside.”

Geez louise.

Can you imagine the questions I would have to ask, had I agreed to his request? (considering that Walgreens carries probably 50 different types of condoms!)

Ribbed?

Latex or natural lambskin? (Just the thought of the answer I might get by asking that one makes me laugh out loud.)

Lubricated or non-lubricated?

Do you need extra-large, or will the regular size be sufficient? (again, more laughing just at the thought.)

Pack of 3 or economy size box?

I could go on and on.

And, just as an aside, how desperately do you need them to use the drive-thru? I mean, really. It couldn’t wait the 3 minutes it would take to come inside the store? Sheesh.

And I thought the drive-thru liquor/beer stores were bad. Just imagine if the whole drive-thru concept took off in the “adult” market.

On second thought, don’t imagine that.

I will tell you that I probably won’t roll my eyes anymore when someone merely asks for over-the-counter Tylenol from the drive-thru.

In fact, out of sheer gratitude that they’re not asking for condoms, I might just go and get it for them. (grin.)

Filed under: General, Catbird, Random Thoughts, Workin' Mom on June 27th, 2007