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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Customer service is so shit these days!

117 replies

BlessYouToo · 02/12/2011 12:30

I had a dentist appointment this morning at 9.00am (terrible toothache) but DH's car broke down last night so I had to take him to work this morning.

Luckily the DS's had a school activity so started at 8.10 and we could drop DD at 8.15. DH's work is a 20 minute drive away and he had to be there at 9.00 but we got there at 8.45 and I knew I would not make it back for 9.00. As soon the dentists opened I rang them from the car and told them the situation and that I would be a little late. They said that they would not see me if I was more than 10 minutes late so I drove as quickly (but safely) as I could stressing all the way and got there at 9.15 as the traffic going in my direction was a nightmare as usual.

There was absolutely nothing I could do about it, I had rang them and informed them and DH's car situation was unforeseen.

I apologised profusely and told them that I did not mind waiting until there was a free slot (thought that as I was not there at 9.00 the dentist could have seen the next patient earlier so could have seen me later on) but the receptionist absolutely point blank said the dentist would not see me so I am left in agony until next Wednesday. Not sure if she even asked the dentist actually as we have been seeing him (whole family) regularly for 6 years and he is not usually an arse!

She also told me that they may charge me for the missed appointment! AIBU to think that this is completely unreasonable? They have me over a barrel as I can't change dentist because I probably will not find another NHS one which they well know.

I had a problem with Tesco last week where they basically accused me of fraud. I contacted the local store manager who was very apologetic and assured me it would be investigated and they would come back to me by Monday at the latest. A week later I have heard nothing so had to complain again this morning.

OP posts:
Kladdkaka · 02/12/2011 12:32

What about the person with the appointment after yours? Isn't it better customer service to make sure those who arrive on time are seen at the time they booked?

Original poster
BlessYouToo · 02/12/2011 12:33

I quite clearly stated that I did not mind waiting!

OP posts:
NinkyNonker · 02/12/2011 12:34

I think dentists are hugely over stretched, esp nhs ones so if you miss your appointment than you have the expect the next one. Sucks though yes.

AnyoneforTurps · 02/12/2011 12:34

YABU. You were probably the first appointment of the day so how could the dentist see someone else instead of you? The next patient probably wasn't there yet.

NoseyNooNoo · 02/12/2011 12:36

I think it sounds like you did everything you could. A bit of flexibility goes a long way and if you were willing to wait to be fitted in I don't see the problem.

YABU

Kladdkaka · 02/12/2011 12:36

Didn't mind waiting till when?

FlossieFromCrapstonVillas · 02/12/2011 12:39

I guess as you say, nhs dentists have you over a barrel. Do you have an emergency nhs dentist near you? I had to see one a couple if yes ago, if you're in pain they'll see you.

Kayano · 02/12/2011 12:43

YABU

There are usually lots of posters etc about late procedures. My doc if you are 14
Mins late you can wait and they can try and squeeze you in, 15 minutes late you can get
Lost lol

AnyoneforTurps · 02/12/2011 12:58

Private dentists charge you if you miss an appointment too. They lose income so that seems fair enough to me.

DoesNotGiveAFig · 02/12/2011 13:02

YABU, it's isn't your fault you were late, but it isn't theirs either. Go to the hospital and see the emergency dentist if it gets too unbearable.

cwtch4967 · 02/12/2011 13:12

YABU I'm afraid. It is your responsibility to get there on time when you make an appointment - if something goes wrong then they can't just magic up a free appointment for you. It's all very well saying you would wait but if all the appointments are full then that's that. NHS dentists are working at full stretch these days, having to wait is hard but it's not the dentist at fault.

Original poster
BlessYouToo · 02/12/2011 13:14

How would they have lost income Hmm? Honestly, most of you lot don't live in the same world as I do Hmm. Still do not understand how IABU!

OP posts:
ruddynorah · 02/12/2011 13:18

Lost income because they had an unpaid for appointment slot.Hmm

madcatlaydee · 02/12/2011 13:21

They lose income because you missed your appointment. You could argue that they wouldn't have lost money if they had fitted you in but then everyone else would have to wait longer to be seen because of you. Which is unreasonable.

FlossieFromCrapstonVillas · 02/12/2011 13:33

You were quite a lot late really, not just 5 mins. I suppose the way they're looking at things is they managed to fit you in because you're in pain (probably bumping the original 9am patient for you, so they'd have gone in late anyway) And when you didn't turn up on time, for whatever reason, that pissed them off.

Groovee · 02/12/2011 13:34

My dentist has a 24 hour cancellation policy. They need to cover themselves incase they don't fill the slot. They may not have any other slots for the rest of the day hence why they couldn't just fit you in. Why couldn't your dh have got a bus?

cwtch4967 · 02/12/2011 13:40

The dentist gets paid for the work he does, you didn't turn up for your appointment so he will not be paid. That is why there is a missed appointment charge. In your circumstances I would expect the dentist to waive the missed appointment fee as you had been in touch BUT THEY ARE NOT OBLIGED TO!
I would also not expect to be fitted in again that day.
Rubbing the receptionist up the wrong way is not the way to go about getting a missed appointment fee waived.

proudfoot · 02/12/2011 13:40

YABU

I'm not sure why you are surprised. The receptionist told you 10 min late was the absolute max, yet you are surprised you were not seen after being 15 min late? It is standard that dentists are very strict with appointment times and lateness so I don't know what you expected. It is annoying and not your fault, but dentists can't mess up everyone else's appts to squeeze a late comer in.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 02/12/2011 13:41

as a dental receptionist I despair when people actually shout at me to "see the next patient earlier"..as NOT EVERYONE ARRIVES EARLY FOR THEIR APPOINTMENTS, MOST PEOPLE ARRIVE ON TIME. So they usually aren't there earlier.

Phew, that's better.

carrielou2007 · 02/12/2011 13:41

yes, customer service is pretty rubbish these day but that is not what has happened here. You were late, you tried to get there, they told you if you were more than certain amount of time late then you would not be able to be seen yet you seem to think they are doing it to spite you!

I get this all the time at work, people turn up more than 20 mins late, often they have missed their appt and I have seen the next person and they expect me to just then make the rest of the clinic run late because they were late. Yes things happen, I will always try to fit people in the best I can but if I am totally booked and have no longish appt that I think I can squeeze someone else in then unless I hace the ability to change time what else can I do? To then be told your customer service is shit is very very rude.

YABVVVU but I hope that is due to the pain you are in and are not like this otherwise.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 02/12/2011 13:42

people also assume because they have phoned that they will definitely be seen, but sadly, phoning doesn't really mean anything unless the next patient arrives a good 20 minutes early for their appointment so you can be swapped around.

Think about it, seriously. YABU

Trills · 02/12/2011 13:43

YABU to say in general "customer service is so shit these days" - it's no more shit than usual.

FlossieFromCrapstonVillas · 02/12/2011 13:46

Lots of customers are shit these days. It evens out.

emsyj · 02/12/2011 13:46

If you are in pain then you should not have to wait until next Wednesday to see a dentist - did you tell them that you are in pain?

ThisIsANickname · 02/12/2011 13:56

Customer service is not about the answer you are given, but how they deliver whatever answer they give.

What I mean to say is that customer service is not about you getting your way. Customer service is about being thoughtful, attentive and solution orientated even if sometimes the solution given is not the one that's wanted.

Nothing about your post suggests that you received bad customer service from the dentist's office.