Walgreens — Local services in Wheeling Township

LONG POST ...

This place is very hit or miss when it comes to my experiences with the pharmacy staff there. To clarify, they are definitely more on the "miss" side of that equation ... and when they miss ... it's by a lonnnnnnng shot!

Last week, I had a script called in that apparently wasn't covered by insurance. Walgreens said that they would send the info back to my doctor to have them do some sort of a "pre-authorization" on it and would then call us to let us know when ready. Now, this was a script to help my Dad's appetite ... he's been barely eating for about seven weeks ... we were really praying it might help a little.

I called a few days later (after I made sure my doctor gave them whatever info they needed) and lo and behold ... it would be ready for pickup in an hour; I stopped a couple of other places to make sure they had ample time. I get there and they looked a little baffled and said they they were out of this script ... muy no! They said they tried calling back to tell me they didn't have it but there was no message or missed calls.

Thankfully, the slightly-Indian looking tech offered to call other stores but told me I might be waiting a while since they don't have a store-to-store communication system. So, she calls the pharmacy direct (just the same as you or I would call a store) and it took about 8 minutes to get her call answered. Indeed the new store had my script in-stock!!! Fortune smiled upon me ... or so I thought! I asked which location she called so I could head over.

TECH: "It's the one in Arlington Heights."

ME: "Oh, pardon me, I haven't lived in Illinois for over 15 years, I'm not familiar with new locations?"

TECH: "It's at Dundee and Arlington Heights Road, across from Buffalo Grove high school."

ME: "Oh, duhh, that's the high school I attended!"

I bounced (or maybe sauntered) on out and headed over to the NEW store. The new store needed another hour to get the script ready, totally understandable! I gave them enough time and when I shuffled my butt on in (this is almost 8:30 PM... stores close at 9:00 pm) and was all smiles as I get to the pharmacy counter. I gave the tech my info and watched her face do a lot of squinting and looking back at the Pharmacist in back of store. Super-friendly and kind little blonde tech tells me that her store didn't get any orders for my script BUT she would see if they had enough in-stock to make things a little easier on me. If course, her store only had a handful (I needed 120 pills). She looked up the original order sent from Palatine/A.H. Road store to the store that had it in stock. Well, the store that DID have it in stock and waiting for me to pick it up was at Dundee and Hicks Roads ... in Palatine. Nowhere near my alma mater or their cruel old fitness test "12-Minute Mile" distance away.

By this time, it's pretty close to 8:45 and I am sweating out being able to get this pills that night. I maniacally speed (... er ... drove the speed limit over)'to the Palatine store and THANKFULLY they had it and were still actually doing business at their drive-in window. I think the tech thought I was some sort of crazed lunatic as I thanked her about 50 times!!! Finally got the pills and went home and drank wine to calm me down a little bit. I mean, I was probably going to drink wine even if my "2019 Pharmacy Tour" hadn't kicked off that very evening. At least, the 2019 Tour gave me an actual reason to drink even if I never really needed one before!

NOTE: Indeed, I AM a crazed lunatic but I swallow it down while in public. It's very rare that the crazy rises to the surface and spills...

Not surprised why Share Price is at an all-time low of $33.00 - I've been shopping at this store for 30 yrs. I spend $4K a year at this store and have decided, not to return to Walgreen's anymore after my last experience. I went to pick up a $150 Western Union transfer, the manager asked me to come to Photo. He went to the process, I confirmed the sender, amount, etc and signed. Then the manager told me my transaction has been declined. I asked for an explanation. He said, "It's declined, I don't know" Then he asked me to come to the main register, as he said, "There's not enough money in Photo". ???? I was confused and asked I thought it was "declined". He said, "let's go back to Photo". He walked me back there, re-did the process and printed up a receipt saying "declined". He then said, "there's nothing I can do". I then checked the transfer again, electronically and it was confirmed and I showed it to the Manager. He dismissed it, saying- "that's between you and Western Union". I went down the street to Tony's Fresh Market and had the transfer pickup done with no issues. Thank you, Tony's for saving the day. Save the hassle, and go elsewhere- Walgreens'...

Visited this Walgreens after my wife was given a very hard time over the phone about a refund of an order pick up for a prescription that they marked picked up by door dash if all people. When I asked Leo the “manager” how to get a refund he instantly talked fast and over talked me as he did my wife on the phone. Not answering any of my questions that I had asked him I used a profanity in my sentence and he told me I was being hostile and he would have me escorted out of “his” store. As I laughed and told him to call the cops his employee Osvaldo was apologizing as he realized his “manager” Leo is an absolute tool. Walgreens, please do better in training your managers and actually train them on how to handle customers and transactions, and instead of over talking them and fast talking , give them customer service and how to treat women with some respect. And btw the officer laughed at the “manager” Leo for lying. Do better Leo. This review is being sent to Tracey Brown and every corporate manager as well. Makes sense why your stock is tanking with idiots like this...