Although I’ve always been an advocate for remaining loyal to your merchants who do right by you and earn that loyalty, I can’t ignore the siren’s call of saving money, especially on a regular basis.
Karen Yau at my local CVS has come to my rescue many times, providing great advice about over the counter remedies for ailments as well as dealing with persnickety regulations and exceptions with insurance providers. She takes good care of me!
Then there is Roza (whose Russian last name I can’t remember) who works the register in the Pharmacy, and who always remembers who I am and makes sure to have a personal moment with me. I like going to the CVS; I always feel special.
However, I have just switched insurance providers. And the Pharmacy-by-Mail option will save me a third of the cost of my regular prescriptions every three months (three months of pills for the price of two). I’ve used online pharmacies before, and they have worked fine. But, with my former insurance provider, only certain medications were subject to any discount, dealing with the online site wasn’t easy, and it was just so much easier to go through Karen and CVS.
The new insurance provider is very clear about the savings, the site is easy to navigate, and it is very tempting to take the money and enjoy. But what of loyalty? Initially, I felt badly that I would be taking business away from Karen. I would miss seeing her (albeit briefly) every month. However, I determined that CVS is unlikely to offer the same discount structure that the online pharmacy can provide. I was ready to succumb to the lure of saved money.
But then, before I made the switch, I had another prescription-related problem. Karen wasn’t working that day, but pharmacy technician Shawn Wolf spent the time to contact my doctor as well as the insurance company and straighten everything out. He kept checking in with me, keeping me informed of the status, and made sure that I was satisfied with the result.
I know I can’t get that kind of service online, so Karen, Shawn, and Roza will keep seeing me and fulfilling my prescription needs.
So this is a thank you to a great provider. This time, I’m choosing loyalty and customer experience over financial gain.
