The Customer Is Always Right

Lesson Today: The Customer is NOT ALWAYS RIGHT, but YOU CAN PRETEND THEY ARE :)



A principle of good business? Who knows? Sometimes, you have to pick your battles...

YAHOO REVIEW FOR HORIZON RIDGE PEDIATRICS (Mother's Clinic)

Advanced apology if this is too long... I write quite a bit, but this lady- wow, she takes the cake. Also, she was complaining, and we all know that emotions flow out like Niagra Falls.

POSTED BY ALIAS "CHANEL" (aka patient of my mother, Dr. F)
I am new mom with a son and met with Dr. Fernandez prior to giving birth and was comfortable in choosing her as my son pediatrician. I called when I got home from the hospital to ask the doctor a question about feedings, the receptionist was rude but I brushed it off as seeing maybe she was having a bad day. The doctor did call me later that evening. However on my second visit I was not impressed with office staff or the wait time. We waited almost 2 hours to be seen. At that time we scheduled a circumcision for the next week. I thought to myself maybe this is just a busy day. When I received a phone call from the receptionist to confirm my appointment I asked If my son would be seen right away or would there be another long wait. I was concerned about the wait due to the fact the doctor did not want him fed 30 minutes prior to the procedure. She replied that the doctor gets backed up due to walk-ins. I replied saying I did not know the doctor accepted walk-ins and my son would have to wait because of that. She said snidely that the doctor is not going to turn away sick children. I was completely taken aback because I certainly did not think doctor needed to refuse sick children. I was concerned about my son especially because he is a newborn and gets fussy if he is not fed. Not only that I was extremely nervous about the circumcision procedure. I felt that comment was offensive and argumentative. Then I receive a phone call from the office manager Rose, who was exactly the same way. I was under impression the matter was closed and did not need to go any further but I was wrong. The office manager was worse than receptionist, more argumentative and rude. I re-explained what happened and the longer the conversation went on the worse it got. I asked her what the other receptionist said she said she was told by Dr. Fernandez to call me back. At that point I made a decision I am not dealing with this miscommunication and unprofessionalism when it comes to my son. Finally I had to say to her this is not worth it because you are not understanding at all from a patient standpoint. She said your right and hung up abruptly. Basically I feel these are valid questions and concerns. If a front office staff cannot be courteous and customer service oriented then maybe they need reevaluate their staff. I liked the doctor but completely not comfortable with the front office staff. If it is true the office manager was told by the doctor to call me back, the doctor herself should have made the call instead of her rude office manager. I am not comfortable with the staff or the doctor. I certainly not going to take my son there especially when his health is involved.

MY RESPONSE: I guess I am a pseudo-ghostwriter for the clinic. I not a professional, but I must admit it is fun to respond to real people. :)

"At times, HRP gets so busy- that we do not stop to objectively evaluate how we are doing. There are no excuses for how we serviced you, but I hope you know that we are sincerely sorry. First off, HRP and staff will work on long wait time. Please remember, we only have one doctor at our office. Our office appointment policy honors ALL types of appointments, but often puts emergency "sick visits", or "walk-ins", ahead of "well visits" and standard circumcisions. We are confused why parents are not understanding of why sick children should not be seen first, rather than "well checks". However, we will take this input into consideration. We will attempt to adjust this policy, but in all due respect, our moral oath will be still come first- before pleasing every patient. Lastly, our staff has been repeatedly alerted of their lack of people skills. Thanks to your situation, amongst others, we see how customer service is very important to our patients. We will work on this weakness, thanks to your input."


I tried to avoid defensive remarks, but a few slipped in.

I guess in life, our feelings take precedence over the reality of the situation. As as business, we want money from the patient, and in return we feel obligated to please them in any shape or form. I guess that is the sacrifice one makes for "wanting" something from "the other". Yet, the act is never easy. I guess at the end of the day, it DOES matter who is right. You just have to keep it to yourself :)