How do you handle times when customer wait times are longer than normal, and customers become uneasy or even mad?

"In my current position working in a large retail pharmacy, we can get very backed up at times. When I am working the front register, communication is very key for me both between my coworkers and with the patients. As I process each customer, I let them know the wait time before the pharmacist will be able to speak with them and I ask them to wait to the side. At the same time, I am communicating with our tech that is processing orders. It is a smooth process that keeps things flowing nicely. If I notice customers becoming irritated, I announce a wait time for those at the back of the line based on my best judgement."

"Customer service is something that I take very seriously, and this can be noted in my time working as a waiter through college. If customers became frustrated due to time concerns, I learned quickly that the best way to ease their minds was to give them a clear expectation of wait times for a meal. In the pharmacy setting, communication and teamwork will transfer well in keeping customers informed of their wait times and working closely as a team to continue to meet those deadlines."

"Having worked in both retail and hospital pharmacy settings, I have experienced busy times in both. In both settings, communication and teamwork among the pharmacy team are extremely important for everyone to come together to get things done in a safe and efficient manner. At the same time, I find that communicating potential wait times to the customers helps ease some tension they may be having due to the wait. When people know how long a wait it may be, they more often than not are acceptable to the fact and understand that we are very busy."

Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.