Walgreens — Local services in New York

TLTR

⚠️Please do not waste your time in making an appointment for the COVID vaccine.⚠️

A few weeks ago, I made appointment through the Walgreens app for the COVID vaccine. The process was fairly easy. The app was set for both vaccine appointments with the dates and times. My first "appointment" went smooth - although the was no regards given to time of appointment. The "appointment" for the second shot did not go as smooth as the first. The "line" to check-in with someone at the COVID vaccine counter was loosely formed by previous customers. I joined to line awaiting my turn to check-in. A male person walks in asks the person behind me in line: "Is this where you go if you're getting the second shot?" The female person behind was unsure. The male goes to the counter and repeats his question. Apparently, the intake person tells the male person to wait "over there" (seated area) to be seen next. Now, with this is mind, there are several people waiting in line to be seen - some for the first dose, some for the second dose, some with appointments, and make walk-ins. Ergo, this person skipped all persons waiting to attended to by the permission of the intake person behind the counter. This did not sit right me as I am next to be serviced. As I get to the counter, the intake person tells me that I am not next and that the male person is ahead of me. I explained that I was actually standing in line with said "appointment" previous to the male person. The intake person and I exchanged heated words for less than a minute. There is an additional person behind the counter. He appeared to be the one to administer said. He decides to chime in and states: "But there are walk-ins." I told him to use that same energy to organize the "line" and not to interject, if he was not going to help. The intake person conceded. I was next to have the second shot - or so I thought. I waited an additional fifteen minutes. The tech comes out and - once again - calls for the male person who came in AFTER me. At this point, I made my way in search of a store manager. I explained the situation to the store manager. We walked back to the pharmacy area. Manager speaks with tech. Manager apologies. I accept. Tech apologies several times. I completed the vaccination. Why does it have to go to this level of absurdity? Several factors come to mind: (1) Although, the store located in an area of white-collar workers with median income ~$82,000 - it's predominately people of color, (2) alpha male energy thinking they can speak to someone any kind of way without regard, and (3) lack of effective communication skills.

The pharmacy techs need a bit more direction on how to organize the area for COVID vaccinations and working...

This story begins at 9:20 PM. I stood in line for 1 hour and 22 mins, got to the front of the line and they said I was never in the system despite me picking up medications there 2 times prior. I had spent approximately 10 mins refuting what they had said; eventually they finally "found" me and told me they would work on it and it'll take 2 hours to fill the prescription. 2 hours have passed and I made a somewhat wise decision to call the pharmacy before I waste my time walking there and waiting again, and I say somewhat wise because the phone call was just as bad. Alas, I was waiting for someone to pick up the phone for 30 minutes! Gave the representative the same information and lo and behold they cannot find anything under my name...perturbed by this, I calmly collect myself and re-explain EVERYTHING. "Ah! Okay, I see your prescription and I will work on it now." This rounds the call up to a whopping 45 minutes. As two hours slowly pass by I muster up the courage to call the forsaken wasteland which is aptly named Walgreens. Ive grown used to the machine prompts so I manage shave off time and get straight into the queue, it does me no good because I endure another 32 minute wait before someone decides maybe its not their heading ringing but the phone. You could only imagine what comes next so i'll save you the trouble and just let you know that the total call duration was 52 minutes. The end result was the pharmacist telling me to drop by in 20 mins to pick up my medication. I shambled off to the 9th circle of hell, where I was "pleasantly" greeted by the local crackhead asking me to cross their palms with silver in which I kindly did and still was cursed at. Finally I reached the pharmacy and got the attention of the pharmacist, he grabbed my medication and completed the transaction. This entire ordeal landed me at 4:50 AM!!!! 7 HOURS!! Consider yourself warned and get your...

Have been going to this place for couple years even though the service is slow, I never had a problem until now. I went for a flu shot , been getting them from other Walgreens locations for years. So after waiting online a bit like usual, I get to the counter hand them my Blue Cross / Blue Shield insurance card. They run it and tell me "It's not covered" I tell me that's impossible I've been getting shors for years from Walgreens. So you would think they would try to run it again , no she hands me the card back and says "you have to go to a doctor and get it." I couldn't believe it , I paid over $12,000 a year for my wife and I for insurance. I was numb.. I was getting the Brush off . So I left before i said something crazy. So driving home I call my insurance company they said it was covered. I then call Walgreens 1 800 number to find out what happened, they say I was cover and if for some reason your dont have insurance or a problem then can do it for $40 , which they never offererd. Now I know for sure they had a issue with me. My family and friends will never use a Walgreens again. Some people I've told this to said told get a lawyer, What they did was discriminating. I really hate...