We see this all the time. People asking for prices before you finish dispensing. Fair enough, if they are asking for a price check, I give them a price of each item BEFORE I dispense it. Their math is prolly crap so they make you ADD it up for them. I already gave you the price, can't you total it in ur head? That's what I do.... $13.45 + $8.95 = so you round it up $15+9 = about $24..... so easy.. but this is so hard for some ppl.
But most commonly, what annoys me is when they ask for the price WHILST you are dispensing. So you already got the script, and finished typing it out, the labels are printed and you are about to go to the shelf to get the meds when they suddenly ask you the price. This happened to me today.
I'm dispensing and the man goes: "How much is it altogether?"
Me: "I'll let you know when I'm finished." (I know the price but they should wait til its all finished and then I'll tell you the price at the sales counter).
Him waits.
I'm finished with dispensing and take it down to the sales counter.
Him: What's the price?
Me: I'll just scan it for you. (my hand is about to scan)
Him: I don't care what you do. Just tell me the price!
Me: (I stop) Well I need to scan it first before I can tell you the price ok?
I scan it......
Me: That's $11.20 thank you. (big sarcastic smile on my face)
Him: Well I don't have enough money. I don't want it.
Me: Ok fine. I'll delete it and give you back the prescription.
Him: That's why I wanted to know the price first. But you can't tell me the price.
Me: Yeh I can't. I can't tell you the price if I don't process it first .
Him: Isn't this covered on pension/concession?
Me: Yeh its $5.60 each.
Him: Then you charge me $11.20?!?!?!?! (so angry)
Me: Yeh $5.60 each... you are buying TWO things!!
I gave him back the script, shaking my head so he saw my reaction. He walks off.
There is a way for price check. But I usually like to do it before I start doing the scripts. Coz then that way I won't waste my time and labels and paper. But some ppl like to ask the price WHILST you are dispensing (already started and almost finished) because they want to get money ready first from their wallet. I like to do things step by step. After dispensing, i don't just collect money. I do some patient counselling BEFORE i take their money. You don't mix up the dispensing process with money collecting. It's at a different counter anyway. That's why I always say "I'll let you know when I'm finished." before telling them the price. Which is true, because how do you know the price if you don't scan it (from the customer's point of view) and what happens if they are getting other OTC items as well... the price would be different... also if there's a wholeeee heap of meds - 9 diff meds - all diff prices... how can you do that on top of ur head? You wouldn't want to waste ur time with a calculator and adding it up when one scan at the end will give you the same result. It's just a waste of time and inconvenient.
People should understand there is a step by step process.... that's just not pharmacies but every retail outlet. You get the TOTAL price at the point of sale/transaction... not during, not before. And noone should waste their time calculating it for you with a calculator before hand.
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