That b**** can kiss my A**!!!
This is just a suggestion, but if anyone reading this is a receptionist in a dentist’s office, here’s how NOT to reply to a patient:
Bitchy Office Person: “HI!! I was calling to ask you why you hadn’t made your promised payment this month!” (With a note of contempt, you could tell she wanted to call me a deadbeat)
Me: (walking out of room so my kids don’t overhear) “I know, I owed you a payment on June 21, but that was the same day I found out my Mother-in-Law died, and I went up North with my husband to make her cremation and funeral arrangements. When we got back home, I wasn’t really thinking about bills, and then we went back up North for five more days. When we got home, we found out my husband’s Grandmother died, and then my Father went to the hospital with internal bleeding, and then I found out my Father-in-law needed major surgery. I wrote all of this in a letter that I mailed three days ago, addressed to The Office of Dr. Blah Blah, didn’t you get it?”
B.O.P.: “No, we didn’t get anything”. (No other comment, no expression of sympathy or condolence).
Me: “I know I owe you $172.00, which I don’t have right now, but I’ll send you something as soon as I can until it’s paid off.”
B.O.P.: (LAUGHING. That’s right, I said LAUGHING) “Okay then! Haha! Thanks!” (click)
What the holy fuck?? I am just incensed at that reaction. I’m sure she’s heard lots of excuses why people can’t pay their bills, but that is just unbelievable.
I’m thinking about sending a letter addressed directly to the dentist, letting her know exactly what just happened. I’m tempted not to even pay the bill, but the dentist did provide a service for which she deserves payment. She does, however, need to know about the phone call, and that we are changing dentists immediately. Which we needed to do anyway because of new insurance, but still.
I’ll let myself calm down a little before I compose the letter, lest I fill it with more expletives than a civilized person should use.
And again, what the fuck?? And also, biiiiiiiitchhhhh.
Here’s hoping the gods of irony knock all her caps loose.
At the very least! What bugs me the most is that we have been patients of this dentist for something like 10 years. This lady knows me, she knows I pay my bills. We’ve had conversations, you know?
KICK.HER.ASS.
or i will
Oh my God. That is horrible! If I were you, I would definitely send a letter of complaint, switch dentists, and then send Jennster to kick her ass.
Jennster-There will be a written kicking of her ass, I promise. She needs a sensitivity workshop STAT!
M.O.T.R.-Check, check and CHECK.
I agree with everbody else. Geez. It’s not that hard to fake a little compassion when you’re at work, is it? Definitely talk to just the dentist.
I’d be so tempted to fling poopy diapers at her (can you tell what I’ve been doing so far today?) or something equally childish. Or show up with photos of the deceased and surgery procedures to make her really uncomfortable. Argh, I think the heat’s getting to me.
I bet the dentist has no idea this happened. I have had to deal with a lot of doctors and their office staff and generally the doctor has no idea when they are being rude/not passing along messages. I told one doctor I was thinking of changing doctors even though I loved him because his office staff was not working out for me. He thanked me for bringing it to his attention. The woman was fired shortly after and a letter was sent to all the patients informing them of this. I would love to think I really am this powerful, but in reality I bet I was one of many that took the time to tell the doctor what the people representing his office were doing. I’m sorry she was so shitty! There is no excuse for that!
Yeah, I’d definitely speak to the dentist about that. Totally uncalled for, in my opinion. Keep us posted on what transpires, okay?
Bring the address with you, we’ll all have a few drinks at BlogHer and then work on a letter to your dentist together.
But seriously, most doctors don’t have any idea how their office runs, and if they receive a letter from a patient alerting them to a problem in the office, along with a “I am considering transferring to a different practice” they really pay attention.
oops, I essentially repeated what Tori just said. I need to read more carefully!
At any rate, we can still get drunk and write the letter.
customer service seems to be gone, along with compassion. I collect late payments for my husband’s business and still believe every sad excuse I hear. Hope I always do. after my dad died, my mom called their health insurance company to get her premium adjusted. After being transferred 3 times, she got a young woman and informed her that my dad had passed away. Her reaction? “so, what do you want ME to do about it?” I want to Suburbanize* her.
*run her over with my Suburban : )
Found your blog through somebody else’s blog that I can’t remember because everyone is high on linking love after blogher.
That is so horrible. You should defintely write the letter and change dentists.