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February 2011 Moms
OMG! Very Rude OB receptionist! Long...but need advice. What to do??? (THE UPDATE
Well, ladies!! Thanks so much for the feedback. I decided to call the office and speak with the office manager and she was the nicest. I made sure that I complimented the practice and let her know that I'd referred four people there. Also, that I've always had the best service there and really love them. Interestingly enough, when we arrived for our appt the next day (DH cancelled his dental appt.) the receptionist was not at the desk. The office manager came to meet us and apologized again. We had a great visit and got to see the bambino! It's so cute, it doesn't look like a mini snowman any more (LOL)!! I feel better about the whole thing and I believe I handled it well.
Best wishes to you mommies and the babies on the way!!
Today, my husband and I went to an 8:30 appt. at my OB's office. This was to be my first of montly appt's until my 36th week. We show up, 15 minutes early, and they're two women at the front desk. One motions us to come over. I then say, "Good morning...my name is _____________ and I have an 8:30 with Dr. so and so." She then gives us a strange look and then asks me to spell my last name. I proceed with spelling and she gets it all wrong three times. We finally get it straight and she says, "Hmm...I can't find anything." What's your date of birth...I give it to her. She then proceeds with..."are you a first time patient?" "No, l I've been coming here for five years. However, this is my first baby." Her: "Well, is this your first baby visit?" I say, "no, I had my first ultrasound almost a month ago." She then says..."so this isn't your first visit." My husband chimes in and says, "NO, she's already past her first trimester." He's getting PO'd at his point. After all that she then says what she should've said from the start, "Well Dr. ____ is not in the office today. Do you have your appointment card? I said, "maybe...let me look." Indeed I did have my card and as I pulled it out...I immediately said, "sorry...it's tommorrow...I made a BIG mistake." She sits there and looks at me like I'm a dumb you know what. Then my husband says, "well, I have a dentist appointment tommorrow and I was hoping to find out what goes on at these monthly visits today. I don't want to miss one, but I need to determine if I should reschedule my cleaning tommorrow. Do you mind telling us what to expect." She then says, "Well, you are whom???" Can you believe she asked who my husband was. No, this guy who's been standing beside me......answering questions.....is a stranger. What nut!! He gave her the most awful look. Then she says, " I don't know what goes on." I WAS SHOCKED. I couldn't believe she didn't offer a solution...or say let me go ask a nurse. My husband's Italian blood was about to explode!! He says, "Well, is there a nurse I can speak with then?" She says, "Well, I would....have to pull your file." He loudly and madly says, "I guess you're going to have to do that then!!!" Take in mind there was NO ONE in the office. No one waiting...no other patients...nothing. I then hear her talking to a nurse, I couldn't hear what she was saying, but their was some giggling on her end and then she comes back out. Then proceeds to tell us it's a basic weight in, urine check, blood pressure and tummy check. I say thank you...my husband starts to turn away. Then we leave. Tommorrow at my real appointment, I'm thinking of mentioning this to my OB. What would you guys do??
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Re: OMG! Very Rude OB receptionist! Long...but need advice. What to do??? (THE UPDATE
I wouldn't mention it to your OB because it is not your OBs responsibility to reprimand anyone at the front desk. If anything talk to the head nurse about it.
I would just call in and ask to speak to a supervisor or manager of the receptionists, whoever that may be. That way you speak directly with the person that will be taking care of the situation.
I agree. Your OB won't have much of a say in how the front office is run. I would definitley call and ask to talk to the office manager. I wouldn't let her off the hook because her behavior was completely inappropriate, but the person who will have way more control is the office manager.
So I recently had a similar problem but won't go into the details but I will say that I was ready to leave the practice over it.
I faxed a 2 page letter to my OB letting her know about what had happened and why I was unhappy. She was very thankful for the feedback and made it very clear that her sucess and reputation not only are based on her dealings with the patient but also her office staffs interaction as well. She said that she wants to know when things aren't going well because she is in with patients all day and doesn't see these things happening. I would let her know and I would also let the office manager know (if there is one.)
In defense of the receptionist I hate when someone other than the patient starts to get involved. Technically unless you are the patient I am not required to tell you anything or to discuss what goes on.
While I register patients and make their appts I could not tell you what goes on behind the doors. If the patient asks me I would try to find out from the nurse if one is available.
I'm not sure if you have a difficult last name but normally I ask for a patient's ins card or driver's license so that I am sure I spell it correctly. I also give my ins card rather than tell people the spelling, my maiden name was a little tricky.
If the woman was very nasty/rude I would mention it but this seems like an annoyance but not something I would bring up.
I would mention it to your OB. She may not have been able to tell you what goes on since she's the receptionist and not a nurse or dr. She could have been more polite and helpful though!
I hope you have a good appointment tomorrow.
Being PG has nothing to do with it and, IMO, just because someone is PG doesn't mean people have to treat me them any different. Yes growing a human being is pretty spectacular but doesn't make you any different then someone who isn't. Not trying to rag on you, it just one of my pregnancy pet peeves.
Hi Quiro - wow, this is a story that makes me glad my husband doesn't get as pissy as I do when confronted with poor customer service. ;-) I think you were remarkably polite considering the situation!
I'm the type of person that would instantly think of speaking to a supervisor about poor customer service. However, you have to weigh that with the idea that you'll be seeing this woman for the next several months. If you mention something to the doctor, for sure it will get back to her, and it may be that she'll take offense and continue to provide you with poor service, leading to stress every time you enter the place.
I would suggest giving her another chance tomorrow. Be nice, even make a small joke about how you're "back so soon" or whatever. See how she responds. Perhaps she feels badly that she wasn't on the ball with you and your husband, and she'll appreciate the second chance. If not, I'd still give it another month or so before you've got the green light from me to mention something to the doctor.
Good luck at your appointment!
I wouldn't use this as a reason to not tell her boss. Because if she continues to provide poor service, then maybe someone needs to put her out of her misery and fire her. I would hope if her boss confronts her, it would put her butt into shape. If not, like I said it is time for her to go.
Personally, I am not sure what I would do if someone acted like that to me. I am not the type to flip out and make a scene. The part that gets me would be the fact that she didn't want to find someone to help you, and the giggling behind the curtain. That would annoy me more than anything. That said, I think your DH needs to control his temper. I find that there are only rare circumstances where getting that angry actually does something. I would probably wait it out. If she is rude again, go to her boss. In this instance, I think your DH may have been part of the problem and not the solution. See what happens tomorrow (well, today, I guess)
I just don't think that this receptionist's rudeness was a fire-able offense. I also don't think that complaining is likely to get her to change her behavior. Thus, I feel it's better not to complain about someone who in all probability will be the face she sees for the rest of her prenatal appointments. Complaining can make you feel good momentarily but it might make things worse in the long run.
And believe me, I'm not a passive person! But from an objective, outsider standpoint, I don't think it's worth saying something, at least not yet.
Really? So if you ran an office and you had a receptionist that was rude to your patients, you would keep them on? A lot of patients would leave based on crappy customer service. I would. Now, I get one time, because everyone has their days. But like I said at the end of my post, if this happens on more than one occasion, it is definitely time to complain. If others are complaining too, then I am sure she will get what is coming to her.