Walgreens — Local services in Los Altos

This is more complicated. As a doctor, there is stuff you don't know about insurance companies these days. This is actually a combo of 4-5 stars for the staff, 2 stars for the Walgreens making choices about staffing matrix/policies, 1 star for the customers who expect pharmacy staff to work miracles/be cashiers/don't understand that the doctors make mistakes, and 0 stars for insurance. The pharmacists are really doing their best, and I've had so much kindness from them going above and beyond. The main solution: Walgreens hires one extra "customer service rep" where we wait for them to solve problems on the side, unblocking the counter. The staff there is overworked, with too many prescriptions ordered and not enough techs. The pharmacists increasingly have to call doctors in person all day long to clarify prescriptions, check interactions, address polypharmacy, and now be responsible/liable for controlled substance misuse. Customers: don't use pharmacy staff as a check out counter! Don't be rude when you are frustrated, get angry at insurance! Walgreens: without a customer service rep who can trouble shoot the problems insurance companies/customers have to the SIDE of the main line, everyone is rightfully frustrated. Two lines are NOT enough. Also, the idea that the app offers me pick up in 4 hours, I defer to 24 hours, and the Rx is not ready for 48 hours is bad. The lines of 6+ people all the time are bad. Get a separate line for vaccines. Walgreens policy of not filling the Rx when there is an insurance question (which I resolve that at the counter and then have to wait 20-30 min to fill): really frustrating. Walgreens: get a tech to answer phones so we don't have to wait in line to talk to that "customer service rep" about insurance issues. The only reason all staff doesn't get 5 stars is that some less trained staff will tell me and my patients what's wrong, and I know that's not the actual problem (like that there aren't any other prescriptions ready, when it turns out they were just in the wrong box, and I am back in line 5 minutes later; or " We are waiting on your prescriber to approve the medication" when Walgreens corporate has a policy to request to change from a 30 day to a 90-day, and so they don't fill the 30-day that I ordered without a fax...

I have been to a lot of,Walgreens in my life time.I had to do some shopping at the Los Altos store on 3rd street, could not believe how helpful Lovejit & Chris, to me I felt like,I had known them for years we talked about life, I needed help in the photo department,Chris was so on,I needed help with finding other items,Lovejit was on as she cleaned each cashier counter, She reminded me of me how clean she was being & paying full attention to all my request for help with a smile, What a team they all were, All I got to say is God Bless this store these worker really no how to respect customers,Please give these 2 people some attention at this store who ever is in charge of higher management. Thank you,Walgreen for hiring this crew of very professional people. Customer Ron Duette the best Walgreens in all the Bay Area to...

UPDATE: In addition to the slow service, their continued errors (Ex: wrong prescription coverage dates) and refusal to answer the phone warrant additional negative feedback. After being on hold for 30 mins, they continue to pick up and put you on hold again before finally just disconnecting my call. I cannot get their error corrected without their help, but they will not respond to help. Unbelievable.

The pharmacy wait is insufferably long. There are over 10 people in line, and clerks seem to move like molasses. I will be looking for a different pharmacy as there always seem to be issues that require me to call to clear a prescription without any reason and there is perpetually a very, very slow, long line any time of day every day. I'd advise you look elsewhere for your...