I recently went to this Duane Reade to get a prescription filled. I started out at my local Duane Reade, but they didn't have the medication I needed in stock. They recommended I try the one on 3rd Avenue.
When I got there, there was a line of people waiting at the register for purchases and to pick up their precriptions. There was no one waiting at the window for the pharmacist (where you normally drop off a prescription or ask the pharmacist a question), so I patiently stand there. Several minutes pass, and I make eye-contact with one of the 2 pharmacists working behind the glass. She goes back to doing her thing, and I wait patiently once again. After several more minutes, the same woman turns to me and says, "Do you have a question?"
As I start to say, "Yes, I want to see if you have this medic - " she cuts me off and tells me I have to wait in the line at the register. A little annoyed that she couldn't just tell me if they had what I needed or not, I get in line behind 5 other people who are being helped by the non-pharmacist, Duane Reade cashier. Though this cashier was clearly in a hurry to take her break (as she was arguing with co-workers who had already clocked-out for their breaks, and telling them to "Wait for her to go to McDonald's"), her register skills did not express her desire to help customers quickly.
When I finally get to the front of the line (after the cashier had given up on her friends, and placed an order with them to bring back two 4-piece McNugget meals for her), she informed me that since I've never use this Duane Reade pharmacy before that I would have to fill-out all my personal information to be entered into the Duane Reade Pharmacy computer that apparently isn't networked or accessible to any other Duane Reade Pharmacy computer (that would make too much sense).
Finally, after giving this chick all my vital stats, she goes back to the same Pharmacist behind the window that I spoke to earlier, with my prescription in hand. After approximately 25 second, she comes back and tells me, "We're gonna have to order it for you, cause we dont have it,"
All I'm saying is, what happened to being able to talk to your pharmacist? A simple, "Hi! How can I help you?" would have had me in and out in under a minute. In stead, I had to suffer through inane bulls&!t for over 20 min!
Duane Reade needs to get their act together and remember that the people who walk up to the Pharmacy counter are very often there because they're in pain. A little compassion goes a long way.
In the end I brought my prescription to RiteAid on 30th and 2nd ave. They had just what I needed and were able to help me in a reasonable amount of time (even with only one Pharmacist, who was both filling prescriptions and running the register). Duane Reade has lost a pharmacy customer in me today. read more