CVS review: pharmacy service

I almost never write reviews online. Almost never. Except when I receive exceptional, or, in this case, exceptionally poor, service.

A few days ago, I went into CVS #9819 in Vacaville, CA, to pick up prescriptions that I was told would be ready by 5 p.m. The time was nearly 6 p.m., but the medications were not yet ready. The pharmacist had no explanation other than that they were busy. I asked to speak to the store manager to complain about this situation, but I was told that the pharmacist was the manager at the moment.

Then, this morning, I went into CVS to drop off a prescription. I was told it would take 45 minutes to fill, even though someone who dropped off a prescription AFTER me was told it would take 30 minutes to fill. Why should my earlier-received prescription take longer? So I asked to speak to the store manager, Jessica, who was actually present. She and I went to discuss with the pharmacist.

While we were discussing everything together, one of the pharmacy technicians began to go on and on about how -- when I was at CVS a few days previously -- I got "irate" at her about my medications not being ready. (While I may have spoken sternly on that occasion, I was by no means irate.) In other words, a CVS employee was trash-talking one of CVS's own customers right in front of him (yet not to him).

At the time, I ignored this technician's unprofessional and inappropriate behavior. But when I got home, I called up the pharmacist to see if the technician wanted to apologize for her lapse in judgment. The technician decided she did not want to apologize, because she thought she was right. (Isn't the customer supposed to be right?) I then asked to speak to Jessica, the store manager on the phone.

I stated to Jessica that "I'm sure you'll agree an employee should not speak about a customer that way while he's there." She responded affirmatively. Yet paradoxically, Jessica stood by her employee's refusal to apologize. Jessica told me that for me to have any resolution to the matter, I would need to call CVS's corporate offices and complain.

I am on hold with CVS corporate as I write this. But the problem remains that I'll have to go back to the same CVS later today to pick up the prescription that I had dropped off. Surely, the same technician will be there, and it seems likely, given it is a Sunday, that she'll be the only technician there.

Thus, in essence, CVS will be holding my prescription hostage.