CVS
reviews and complaints

A family member and I went to buy a Habbo Card from a CVS in Washington D.C., S.E. . After the puchase we went home to find the voucher code on the receipt but to our disapointment the clerk never scanned the card which meant we came home with a blank card that is useless even though the card was not paid for we are still disapointed with CVS and its unreliability to watch what they are doing

I am a regular customer of cvs for many years. I get my migraine medication there 2x a month for the last 10yrs (my medication cost $275.00 for 6 pills)! I frequently get money orders there and pay with my debit card. hence, a debit card is "cash" lately, everytime I go there it is a diff. story. must use cash, I was told, but this is a debit card, I responded, "no, must be cash, use our atm machine" crazy, why would I spend $5.00 in fees to take out $10.00? o. k. I was told the gov. won't let them take debit cards anymore because of "money laudering"? oh, really, well, my gov ss disbility check goies on that same "debit card"! I use it every where else, but now cvs won't take it! on top of that I purchased the debit card at cvs! it's their own "green dot"debit card. I refill it there, and use it to purchase other cvs products. the us post office, (another gov. agency) takes my debit card to purchase, stamps/money orders! you don't get more "government" than that!

I have worked for CVS since Sept. '08 as a pharmacy tech and all I have to say is that, from my experience, most pharmacy employees could care less about helping customers and are only concerned with satisfying their own needs. They enjoy working at production (the station where prescriptions are filled) and data entry (where prescriptions are dropped off) but God forbid they should help a customer at the registers or at drive-thru. They feel as though they're gods or something because they're handling drugs and then forget about our most important commitment, which is supposed to be customer service. They feel like they're too good to be operating a cash register and dealing with customers.
That's where I come into the picture. I get shafted every time I show up to work. I am stuck at the registers and at drive-thru for hours on end, day after day, because that is the least coveted position at the pharmacy and I am viewed as being too incompetent for technical work by the pharmacists. Hmmm...I wonder why that is? Maybe because I HARDLY EVER get the chance to work at production or data entry, thereby becoming less and less efficient at my job, while the others, being there all day every day, are getting better and faster. We are supposed to rotate around the pharmacy every few hours, but that doesn't really happen. And most of my co-workers are just terrible people, period.
The lead pharmacist is a [censored], the other one is a [censored] with a capital B, and the third is just a freak. I swear, they are some of the weirdest people I have every dealt with in my entire life. And some of the technicians are sooooo passive aggressive that I just want to lash out and punch them in the face. For example, here are some case scenarios on what I may experience in a typical work day:
1) I FINALLY get to production and I customer shows up (typical) and the other tech (who has been there all day) is busy with her finger up her butt. The pharmacist says to me, "Ben, I need you up front" while I'm in the middle of filling a prescription while the other tech is doing nothing at all (or will sometimes make herself look as though she's busy). As soon as I leave to help the customer, she'll take over, and when I finally get back to production the prescription has been filled.
2) At last, I get to data entry to enter a prescription that has been sent electronically, but lo and behold, someone pulls into drive-thru. Once again, I hear the pharmacist, "Ben, I need you at drive-thru" while the other technician is standing around, either texting on his cell phone or making himself look busy...I swear this "making yourself look busy" is a classic pharmacy tech ploy when they don't want to help a customer. I proceed to drive-thru and, much to my surprise, when I return he has finished entering the prescription.
3) I once again find myself in production (a rare sight) and there is a freshly entered prescription that needs to be filled. I try to print the label, but wait! It's already been printed at another printer by another tech (they're not supposed to do this). He knows I want to fill the prescription but is doing this to spite me and to gratify his own wants...mostly the latter.
4) There is a long line at drive-thru and one of my co-workers is there at the window (a sight for sore eyes). As soon as the car pulls away, he dashes from the window as fast as he can in order to avoid the next customer. Soon, the computerized male voice on the pharmacy phone's speakers announces "One Drive-up Call" and I am summoned to take over because he's too special to be working at a drive-thru window and proceeds to production.
The list goes on and on.
Also, most of my co-workers are buddies but they exclude me from their circle and never invite me to hang out with them. It's very rude of them to talk about going out after work or getting together on the weekend and not even asking me if I would like to join them. They're not obligated to invite me but it would be nice of them not talk about their get-togethers right in front of my face...it really hurts.
By the way, CVS employees are entitled to one 30 minute unpaid lunch break (who the hell has time to eat their lunch in 30 minutes?) or two paid 15 minute breaks, not both. I have actually lost some weight because of this and it is worsening my gastrointestinal problems because I have to practically inhale my food as opposed to chewing it thoroughly. The pay also SUCKS! I have actually increased my alcohol consumption because of all the stress I am dealing with. Sometimes I will go home craving a drink just to forget about my horrible day at work. As soon as I get nationally certified I am leaving this hell-on-earth called CVS.

The moral of this story is that CVS sucks. Wal-Mart is so much better.

Take care, everybody!

- Ben

Due to my financial situation {lost all insurance, low budget} while I had the money and with my Doctors
approval I tried to get my medicine filled. And the pharmacist Carl Griffin at this time was very disrespectful
toward me and my Doctor, and his staff. My Doctor authorized the refill, and he became very outraged with my son and I. And told me I could not get it filled over a week after I run out. I'm dealing with Chrons and IBS. I find this man to be hateful and non care of the customers, I';ve have witnesses and have heard many more complaints of this man. I would appreciate an appoligy and some being done. He has no business working with people with the attitude.

Pharmacist extremely rude on phone when I called with a question. The problem was basically a miscommunication/error on the pharmacy's behalf which he was unwilling to admit. I told him he needed some customer service training, to which he replied that he had numerous awards & plaques for his excellence in customer service...Hmmmmm...CVS must have very low standards! I'm transferring my scripts across the street to Walgreens! Bye, Bye CVS!

The first thing I want to say is I have read several of your complaints, not just about cvs but about walgreens and walmart pharmacies as well, and yes several of the stories are...horrifying. In fact, I, in most cases I thank my lucky stars not to be working with coworkers who are as rude as some of the pharmacists/techs you are describing. Some of you have had genuinely bad experiences.

But please, please keep in mind there is another side to the story. The person behind the counter is a human being too. I'm not saying you always have to be sugar sweet. You ARE the customer, and I agree, you DO come first, and my personal opinion is whatever pharmacy you are using, whether it be cvs, walgreens, walmart, whatever, has every obligation to do the very best they can to help you. If there is something wrong, please let them know. But, if the person behind the counter is going to calmly listen to your complaint and try to do something about it, please explain yourself as calmly as possible. (If they're rude to you, then I say have at 'em, or simply leave, because I agree, rude and impatient employees do not belong in a pharmacy). The person helping you is much more likely to do everything in their power to serve you, and follow through, as long as you don't get short or sarcastic, or personally insult them, or spit in their face (this has happened to me). This may seem like behavior 101, but as a pharmacy tech I know: there are days when we become punching bags.

I come home most days thinking I am masochistic, because I love my job, but I take a lot of abuse. And there is a simple explanation for this. I believe that my area of customer service is one of the toughest. If I worked in a restaurant, or at a movie rental store, or a grocery, the one advantage to being in any of those environments is that the customers who come in CHOOSE to be there and shop, spend their time and money, etc. Nobody wants to shovel out money for pills. Nobody wants to be sick. Let's face it, nobody relishes a trip to the pharmacy. It is something the doctor told them they have to do, and many times they have to do it because they are ill, get a bad diagnosis, whatever. When it comes right down to it, most of my customers hate the prospect of dealing with me before they've even met me. I'm another headache, a time waster and money drainer that they did not CHOOSE to deal with. I'm down one from the get go.

But this is why a high level of patience is required. I've been told I have this, but I don't know. Anyway, one thing I sympathize with about most of the complaints is lack of communication. If I see a problem with somebody's prescription, pa required, high price, no insurance applied, new insurance needed, etc, I call the number we have on their file. The customer NEEDS AND HAS A RIGHT TO KNOW what is going on. Communication is vital. Please help us; if you change phone numbers, let us know. I know it's not the first thing that comes to mind when you move, giving the pharmacy your phone number. But people get so angry with me when one of these situations arises and I didn't call them; my honest answer is I tried, but your current phone number is not on file with us. Oh yeah, that's right, you moved two weeks ago. But I should have found some other way. I am still called stupid, and the thing is I am not allowed to talk back. I cannot talk back to a customer, I personally believe this, customers do not deserve rudeness, no matter how rude they are to me. I sit and listen quietly and tell them that now that we are in this situation, here are our options. I will do whichever of these you like, just let me know. And it is so disheartening to me to hear the phrase, "Go blow your brains out, you incompetent bumbling fool, " worked subtly in to the response I get back. I got in to this profession out of a desire to help people, and they all hate me despite my efforts. I consider suicide on a regular basis, by the way.

Additionally, I know some of the things that happen are extremely frustrating. But I will say this: 90% of the time the employee you are talking to is not the one who dropped the ball and caused whatever error it may be. I can't tell you how many times I've been yelled at, cursed at, told very literally to go **** myself for something that happened when this is in fact the first time I've become aware of the situation. I apologize profusely to the person, I tell them I agree, this is inexcusable, I am going to make this right for you while you are standing here, I promise. But despite apologies, and despite the fact that I do resolve the problem while they are there, I am the one that has to take all the flack for somebody else's irresponsibility, I'm told that I should be fired, that I am overpaid (at $9.00/hr), that MY pharmacy always screws up (I am the farthest thing from the top of the totem pole by the way, I have no authority at all). I guess what I'm trying to say is, when something does go wrong with your rx, do not hesitate to say something to the pharmacy staff. But don't unleash unbridled and uncensored tongue lashings on the tech you bring the issue to (unless, of course, they are rude to you first- again I do not tolerate rudeness from fellow techs). Please. Please. Please. Because you are a human being, but so is the tech.

To wrap up, I guess (not that anybody will read this whole thing, I've just had a bad day and am feeling down on myself), there are terrible employees in pharmacies. I know. I've seen them. Some of my past coworkers have been awful at dealing with people. But some of us do want to help. I want to help. You will hate me, but you deserve service. I genuinely want to try to make your life easier, answer your questions, and get to know you as a customer. I swear if there is something I tell you I cannot do, it is because I will lose my job for it (write a fake prescription, fill a control early, give away free meds, don't laugh people ask me to do these things), not because I want to impose hardship. I come home every day basically depressed, borderline suicidal. I try and try and try, nobody thanks me when things go right, but they drill me for things that inconvenience them as if I personally stayed up all night trying to plan the best way to sabotage the prescription. I feel sometimes like I've got a bullseye on my forehead that says "Here's a pushover, get him." But I just have to accept the fact that maybe I did help somebody, even if they didn't thank me or even realize it themselves yet. And I have to wear a thick skin, and take it.

There are two sides to the counter. Your side. And my side.

Our dr wrote a prescription for 10 vials of Insulin for a 90 day supply. The company filled it for 7 vials. They used an old prescription order and said they would call the doc to verify the addtional needed vials. The doctor responded that indeed I need 10 vials for 98 units a nite plus insulin for adjusting according to my needs. The doctor responded and they never sent th eaddtional vials needed. NOW they say the dr called them back too late..even though they never said there was a cutoff date to call. So now they say to call the dr and get another prescription for NEXT time..SOO I dont have enuf insulin to last the 90 days and will have to go without..MY LIFE is NOT IMPORTANT to them at all..Thye refused to fill the prescription as written in the first place. UNBELIEVABLY POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE and UNETHICAL SERVICE! So my diabetess will go crazy and it is difficult to maintain with proper medicine, but without..just tell my 14 year old daughter daddy doesnt matter to BIG COMPANIES who care about PROFIT not PEOPLE!

CVS seems to give me problems all the time. I have experienced unpoliteness, rudeness and bad customer service on several occasions at the CVS located in Waukegan, IL. They have very unprofessional employees with little knowledge. They charged me twice last week. I called their manager Ed and explained to him. He refused to give me refund back and denying double charge on my card. According to the manager, it was voided on his side. My card shows 2 duplicate charges at the same time. I was told that one charge has been voided due to the cashiers mistake but it still went through. The store manager, Ed has no time to talk to me or look into this matter and said he's too busy. He advised me to file a complaint to contact my card. The process will take forever to resolve and I have to put all this effort to get my refund back because the cashier made a mistake. This is ridiculous. I am just going to stop shoppoing at CVS. I will eventually get my money back after all the paper work and compaint. It's time consuming for nothting.

pharmacy gave me someone else's med and couldn't find my med. Pharmacist said she filled mine so assume they gave it to someone else.
Is there a watch dog to report this to?

I purchased Excedrin and presented coupon printed from http://www.excedrin.com/offers. shtml directly, the cashier asked if it was copied. I said no that it was printed from internet. He called a manager Javed Khan, whom came and said that the coupon was copied since was not in color. I told him coupon prints from website does not have to be colored, depends on printer. Then he told me that I used copied $3 off CVS brand coupon (expired 1/17/2009) a month ago. I asked him if he has any receipt or proof that it was me and not someone else. He said that he was there when I used it. I told him that today is the first time I meet him. Also, if he was there then why did he allow the cashier take the "copied" coupon? The $3 off CVS brand coupons were in The Beacon newspapers which were free in front of CVS, why would I bother making copies. Not sure how many complaints against a manager before CVS fires him because this not the first time.