UNC Hospital vs. Cracker Barrel
A little over a week ago, two things happened. I had occasion to call UNC Hospital's Patient Advocacy line because I was having trouble getting an appointment at a specific UNC clinic, and I left a pair of prescription glasses at the Cracker Barrel in Clemmons, NC.
The Patient Advocacy thing has been a total waste. I'm considerably more annoyed at them now than I was at the original UNC department I was having trouble with, who were at least very apologetic about the fact that they had to cancel a long-standing appointment and schedule it another month out. They, in fact, were the ones who suggested I call Patient Advocacy. PA, on the other hand, has NEVER called me back (although every time I call them, they promise to do so) and has acted like I'm kind of a nut that it bothers me. After a week of repeatedly calling them, they've been no help at all and won't even describe how their process works so that I can understand if they're likely to BE of any help or if they're just yanking my chain. It's really annoying.
The Cracker Barrel in Clemmons, on the other hand, searched for my glasses when I called them, offered to mail them back to me free of charge, and when the address I gave them got garbled in transmission, called me twice on my cell phone to ask me for the correct address. They've assured me that mailing my my glasses is a high priority, apologized that it's taken them this long (even though I'm the one who didn't call back to correct the address until today) and said they should be out to me by the end of the day.
Sadly, in terms of customer service, Cracker Barrel is kicking UNC Hospital's ass. I only wish CB could get me an earlier appointment but that's probably outside their mission parameters.
The Patient Advocacy thing has been a total waste. I'm considerably more annoyed at them now than I was at the original UNC department I was having trouble with, who were at least very apologetic about the fact that they had to cancel a long-standing appointment and schedule it another month out. They, in fact, were the ones who suggested I call Patient Advocacy. PA, on the other hand, has NEVER called me back (although every time I call them, they promise to do so) and has acted like I'm kind of a nut that it bothers me. After a week of repeatedly calling them, they've been no help at all and won't even describe how their process works so that I can understand if they're likely to BE of any help or if they're just yanking my chain. It's really annoying.
The Cracker Barrel in Clemmons, on the other hand, searched for my glasses when I called them, offered to mail them back to me free of charge, and when the address I gave them got garbled in transmission, called me twice on my cell phone to ask me for the correct address. They've assured me that mailing my my glasses is a high priority, apologized that it's taken them this long (even though I'm the one who didn't call back to correct the address until today) and said they should be out to me by the end of the day.
Sadly, in terms of customer service, Cracker Barrel is kicking UNC Hospital's ass. I only wish CB could get me an earlier appointment but that's probably outside their mission parameters.