I work the front desk of a doctor's office. It's a small private practice in a fairly small town that has been in business for 33 years. Dr. B is a great doctor and a great guy, and many of his patients have been seeing him for years; some of them even used to work for him, like the antagonist of this story, Angie.
Angie worked for the doctor 30 years ago when she was a teenager, and has been a patient of his off and on ever since. In the last three years she's had a run of bad luck. Her husband has a list of medical problems as long as my arm, including complications from a couple of botched surgeries. He is in constant pain and cannot get around without a walker. He has the body of a 90 year old man, and he's only 42 years old. She's his primary caregiver, and she has her own medical problems to deal with on top of that. They are both on Worker's Comp.
Angie believes her history with Dr. B gives her special privileges. When she calls for an appointment, she insists that it be during a time when there are no other patients so that she can have the doctor's undivided attention, yet half the time she doesn't show up and doesn't call to cancel. She criticizes the way we run the office like she could do it better (as if nothing has changed over the last 30 years). Any paperwork she needs from us, she needs RIGHT NOW, as in we must make it our top priority.
But enough backstory. On to the part where the title of the thread comes in...
Angie called me and told me that she was faxing over some papers for the doctor to sign, and could I please fax them back right away? I said OK. Later I realized that the fax wasn't working and nothing I did could get it going. I intended to call her but I forgot.
The next day she called and asked about the fax.
Her: Hi, did you get my fax?
Me: No, sorry, the fax machine isn't working.
Her (freaking out a little): WHAT?? Why didn't you call me??
Me (irritated): I'm sorry, but we were really busy yesterday. I had a lot to do and I forgot.
Her (huffy): Well, I would have appreciated a phone call.
Me (getting kinda snotty): I'm sorry, but I was really busy! You're not our only patient, you know!
Her (huffy): I don't appreciate your attitude. Remember, you work for us!
Oh, you did NOT just say that!
Me (pissed off): I do not work for you, Angie! Let's get that straight right now!
Her (huffy): You wouldn't have a job if it wasn't for patients!
At this point I just bit my tongue. Angie and her husband are on Worker's Comp, so she's not paying anything out of pocket; for all the demands she has made on Dr. B's time, he has yet to receive a dime. However, instead of pointing this out, I let her rant a little more before saying "whatever, goodbye," and hanging up.
I told Dr. B what happened and he said don't worry about it, because as much as he likes her, she's starting to wear him down. Case in point: she sent him a looong text on his mobile (lots of his longtime patients have his private number) about how she didn't like my attitude and that she realized she wasn't his only patient and she would make sure he gets paid.
So, while Angie has given him the proper acknowledgment, she has given me the cold shoulder. Later that day she walked into the office long enough to throw an envelope on my counter, say "make sure he gets this," and walk out.
I realize that I am not blameless here. I sympathize with her and don't pretend to know what she is going through, but she needs to understand that we are running a business, and it does not revolve around her. We cannot let her make her problems our problems. That said, the next time I talk to her I'll be nothing but nice...unless she gives me any shit, at which point the gloves are coming off.
Angie worked for the doctor 30 years ago when she was a teenager, and has been a patient of his off and on ever since. In the last three years she's had a run of bad luck. Her husband has a list of medical problems as long as my arm, including complications from a couple of botched surgeries. He is in constant pain and cannot get around without a walker. He has the body of a 90 year old man, and he's only 42 years old. She's his primary caregiver, and she has her own medical problems to deal with on top of that. They are both on Worker's Comp.
Angie believes her history with Dr. B gives her special privileges. When she calls for an appointment, she insists that it be during a time when there are no other patients so that she can have the doctor's undivided attention, yet half the time she doesn't show up and doesn't call to cancel. She criticizes the way we run the office like she could do it better (as if nothing has changed over the last 30 years). Any paperwork she needs from us, she needs RIGHT NOW, as in we must make it our top priority.
But enough backstory. On to the part where the title of the thread comes in...
Angie called me and told me that she was faxing over some papers for the doctor to sign, and could I please fax them back right away? I said OK. Later I realized that the fax wasn't working and nothing I did could get it going. I intended to call her but I forgot.
The next day she called and asked about the fax.
Her: Hi, did you get my fax?
Me: No, sorry, the fax machine isn't working.
Her (freaking out a little): WHAT?? Why didn't you call me??
Me (irritated): I'm sorry, but we were really busy yesterday. I had a lot to do and I forgot.
Her (huffy): Well, I would have appreciated a phone call.
Me (getting kinda snotty): I'm sorry, but I was really busy! You're not our only patient, you know!
Her (huffy): I don't appreciate your attitude. Remember, you work for us!
Oh, you did NOT just say that!
Me (pissed off): I do not work for you, Angie! Let's get that straight right now!
Her (huffy): You wouldn't have a job if it wasn't for patients!
At this point I just bit my tongue. Angie and her husband are on Worker's Comp, so she's not paying anything out of pocket; for all the demands she has made on Dr. B's time, he has yet to receive a dime. However, instead of pointing this out, I let her rant a little more before saying "whatever, goodbye," and hanging up.
I told Dr. B what happened and he said don't worry about it, because as much as he likes her, she's starting to wear him down. Case in point: she sent him a looong text on his mobile (lots of his longtime patients have his private number) about how she didn't like my attitude and that she realized she wasn't his only patient and she would make sure he gets paid.
So, while Angie has given him the proper acknowledgment, she has given me the cold shoulder. Later that day she walked into the office long enough to throw an envelope on my counter, say "make sure he gets this," and walk out.
I realize that I am not blameless here. I sympathize with her and don't pretend to know what she is going through, but she needs to understand that we are running a business, and it does not revolve around her. We cannot let her make her problems our problems. That said, the next time I talk to her I'll be nothing but nice...unless she gives me any shit, at which point the gloves are coming off.
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