Monday, August 22, 2011

Dominica: where customer service comes first

Today, I needed some pain killers. For a change I tried a chemist I don't usually frequent because it has all the air of a Soviet-era supermarket - long rows of half-empty shelves of pretty much the same thing. But strangely enough, it does specialise in cooking oil - massive quantities of it - and standing fans.  Let's call it The Old (Bonnie Prince) Charlie Pharmacy.

As usual, there seems to be more assistants than customers. One comes up to me, and I begin to say that I'm looking for pain-killers, only to realise I'm right next to a shelf of them. A long row, with 4 shelves, all edged with 3 brands of paracetamol. "I'm actually looking for Aspirin," I say, and she directs me over to where prescriptions are fulfilled. The desk however is empty.

"Hello?" I ask, and shortly a woman comes out. "I'd like some Aspirin", I say, and she asks what strength? What do you have? Well what do you want, she replies? Hmm, how about 200mg?

"81ms" she says. I am taken aback. "That's rather a strange quantity". "Low dosage" she explains.

"How do you usually take it" she then asked. My mind spins - 'Standing up'? 'With a glass of water'? I decide to come at it from a different angle: "I have a stinking headache and just want some pain-killers. Can I buy $5 worth of your Aspirin?" She disappears for a couple of minutes.

And then, it was like a light going on in a kitchen at night - three woman suddenly appear from nowhere to deal with the order. Labels are printed and the order is  placed on a shelf by the original woman, then another woman picks up the order from the shelf and processes the payment. I pay, and get my order.

But as I walk out, slightly dazed, I realise the bag I was given contains something other than my prized painkillers. A roll-on. I spin around and show the woman, fearing I've got someone else's prescription. She smiles and shows me that in addition to the roll-on, there is indeed a packet of 81ms Aspirin. "The roll-on's for you. A token," she says. A wave of relief washes over me.

And the roll-on? Blushing Pink scented. I had to laugh.