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I shouted at the pharmacy staff today and I feel really shit about it

290 replies

lboogy · 12/09/2019 19:32

I went to boots to buy some lemsip and calpol for me D.C. and DH who are sick with cold.

The rule about not selling more than 2 paracetamol items applies. I've got 2 packs of lemsip, calpol and one pack of cold and flu tablets. Fine. In the past the staff just do 2 transactions.

I get to the till which is long. They call another member of staff to help out. Lady on the beauty counter tells me to come to her for service. Scans the calpol and lemsip and says I can't buy anything else since I've exceeded my 2 paracetamol limit. I said just split the transaction in 2. She says no she can't do that. If I want more than 2, I need to go to the pharmacy. I said if I left the store or even left the queue and came back I'd be able to buy those items again. She's like, I don't make the rules.

Fuming, I walk to the pharmacy. Pharmacist isn't there. Waited for 7 minutes. Even more annoyed I go back to the original queue. New staff says can't buy more than 2. I politely asked her to do 2 transactions. Nope, can't do she says. Before I know it, I'm shouting at her about this ridiculous rule and how I've now been in 3 different queues / tills trying to buy some bloody lemsip.

Anyway, she refuses to serve me. Walks off😡

Now new staff at the till: I said I'll pay for these 2 lemsip and re queue. I paid and walked back to the pharmacy with my 2 other lemsips where the pharmacist or possibly manager is serving. She said she was really sorry the staff are allowed to split the transaction. She doesn't know why they didn't. At this point I started crying - I guess being ill and the stupid staff not using their brain plus finally being validated set me off.

Anyway, now I'm gone and I feel really shit for shouting at the staff. I remember being on the texting end of terrible customers and it's awful. I want to go back and apologise to the staff member but at the same time I'm pissed that 3 different people lacked the ability to use their brain over some bloody lemsip!

OP posts:
Soontobe60 · 13/09/2019 17:50

@1stmumma
You all need to get off ya high horses and stop acting like you haven't been annoyed at retail staff before or anyone else for that matter, whatever sector it is

Being annoyed yes, shouted at staff never. And I'd guess a huge majority of people are the same.

timshelthechoice · 13/09/2019 18:00

I feel sorry for pharmacy staff. I can only imagine the abuse they take. I ramble frequently with a friend who is an A&E doc and he can sometimes be quite down when we get going due to abuse people heap on him.

lilypoppet · 14/09/2019 07:03

Hey OP, you need to work in a shop for just one day. It will completely open your eyes to how it feels dealing with the public.

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Tonnerre · 14/09/2019 07:29

This is the dumbest rule there ever was.

@Hazza000, could you explain what exactly is dumb about a rule that has resulted in a 43% reduction in deaths from paracetamol overdoses?

ineedaholidaynow · 14/09/2019 07:43

Exactly Tonnerre, I don’t think it’s the rule that is dumb.

Aridane · 14/09/2019 11:20

for those needing regular doses daily long-term it should not be impossible for the GP to prescribe these - therefore bigger boxes. But most of the time they won't.Frustrating for that demographic

My mother has bulk prescriptions of paracetamol and as required have been able to purchase 100 paracetamol from the pharmacist after explaining the reason

Aridane · 14/09/2019 11:21

Thank you, jenni, for the very clear explanation

Aridane · 14/09/2019 11:23

I work in retail and have to deal with my fair share of arseholes.....i bite back though and will give as good as i get....if you'd got me op i guarantee you'd have left feeling more upset than me !!!

user - does that fly with your employers?

🐿

Aridane · 14/09/2019 11:24

Sorry- not sure where the 🐿 came from!!

Aridane · 14/09/2019 11:28

The OP has been defensive, but a lot of people are when unfairly attacked

I defensive but aggressive- you may not have seen here now deleted post telling posters to fuck right off

MutedUser · 14/09/2019 11:34

No one should have to take any abuse from anyone. I was lucky when I worked in retail any verbal abuse resulted in refusal of service . Trust me people aren’t so big and mighty when you simply refuse to serve them and they have a hour trip to the other nearest store.

BenWillbondsPants · 14/09/2019 12:40

I used to work in a little shop when I was in my teens. It was a real eye opener to discover how some people speak to you like shit. Then we got a new manager who made it very clear that any customer who was rude would not be served and my god she stuck to that. It became a really nice place to work after that.

myusernamewastakenbyme · 14/09/2019 17:58

@Aridane....i work alone so its my word against the customers.....im never rude first but if im sworn at or been rude too then yes i retaliate.

lilypoppet · 15/09/2019 10:57

We are not allowed to retaliate. It's horrible. Sometimes you have to just stand there and take it as a customer hurls abuse at you for something that is not your fault. Even having to pay 5p for a carrier bag can set someone off.

Mum2jenny · 15/09/2019 21:42

If you are hell bent on getting lots of paracetamol or other pain killers, just go around your local supermarkets and/ or pharmacies buying 2 packets from each. It isn’t rocket science and it avoids employees having to break the rules.

Have some consideration for the staff in supermarkets and pharmacies, they have to abide by the rules ( even if you think the rules are daft...)

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