Do you want help from a nice person, an efficient person or a person who is both nice and efficient?
Our local medical lab used to zip us through at almost breakneck speed. Some insurance rules changed and slowed things down a bit but we did not mind. However, as the receptionist became accustomed to blaming the slowdown on the government rules, she started taking advantage.
She gets very chatty with people she knows. She asks about kids and grandkids as she checks people in. It is nice that she takes an interest but it is at the expense of others waiting to get out the door and not spend the day listening to her tales of her ten month old child.
This morning this receptionist arrived after 8:00. The doors were open and five of us were waiting, but by her arriving late, she had to get settled and fix the answering machine and turn the computer on, etc., so it was after 8:15 before she started signing us in. By this time the number waiting had doubled.
One of the lab techs was also late and wandered in carrying her breakfast. We had to wonder if she was going to eat before she started taking our blood.
It was 8:35 am when Ron came looking for me. I loudly explained all the delays. Finally it was my turn.
The lab tech very cheerily asked me how I was. My response: "Tired. Tired of waiting."
Tech: "Oh it's like this every morning because people are fasting and everyone arrives early so we get behind." (Notice how this long wait is suddenly my fault?)
Me: "You would not get behind if the staff arrived on time. I would have been out of here 15 minutes ago if you had been set up at 8:00."
She then politely informed me that they also had a lab facility across the street.
OH thats rich...lets not take responsability for our own actions..I find less and less ppl do that these days..It seems to be so much easier to blame tardiness and inefficiency on everyone or everything else. It CAN'T be their fault lol. Besides, in the case, it't only the patrons who suffer.
ReplyDeleteI think I'd ask to speak to the manager - or the owner of the lab - or doctor in charge.
ReplyDeleteWhen I have to go and have blood drawn (every 4 months), sometimes I have to wait 20-30 mins., even though there is no one or only a few others in the lab. I wonder what they are doing between patients!
I get around the long wait by staying up late, sleeping late and going to the lab late. After all the other fasters are done, I come wandering in and there is nobody there. You really should call the lab home office and tell them you are going to go to a different lab if their people don't start drawing patients on time.
ReplyDeleteI guess there was a good reason we had to be "on" at 7:15am for our 7:30 patients! (dental office)
ReplyDeleteJudy and Moon, I will receive a survey sheet in a week or so and will have my opportunity to vent at that time. By then I will have calmed down so maybe this post will help me remember my angst. Kacey, I knew going early would put me with the other fasters and I expected to wait, I just didn't expect the "wait" to be greater because of the staff. My survival expectation without my morning caffine is not very good. JeanMac, I never was employed any place that did not expect me to be at the office at least 30 minutes ahead of opening time. I'm sure these folks were not with the company program.
ReplyDeleteThis very type of situation is why I advocate for the invention and use of RAYGUNS! Not happy with the level of service??? POOF! Evaporated!
ReplyDeleteI will never understand this. I work in CONSTRUCTION, and if I ever treated a client like this, I WOULD BE FIRED.
ReplyDeleteNO QUESTION.
When they pointed out the lab across the street, I would have asked if they belonged to the same medical group.
If the answer was 'no', I would have thanked them and left.