Are Bozeman Business Wait Times Out of Control? Some Say Yes.
Recently, my Mother-In-Law came and stayed with us for a couple of weeks.
One of the things she needed to do while she was here in Bozeman, was to fill a prescription. Something that normally doesn't take a whole lot of time, but as you know, these aren't normal times we're living in.
Getting the prescription filled turned into a real hassle, for everyone involved.
It was a hassle for her because she needed the medicine and had to wait an additional day to get it. It was a hassle for me because we had to make multiple trips to the Pharmacy. It was a hassle for the Pharmacy because they were completely understaffed and had a whole lot of angry folks waiting in line.
A couple of months back, I stood in line for about an hour at that same Pharmacy waiting on a prescription that helps with my blood pressure. Do you know what doesn't help with my blood pressure? Standing in line for about an hour at a Pharmacy.
The folks around me started talking about how maybe it was time to switch Pharmacies and were making suggestions for alternative places to go, only to have someone else say, "oh, that one is just as crowded and understaffed."
The truth is, it's not just Pharmacies that are understaffed.
A lot of businesses seem to be experiencing issues with staffing. Case in point, I stopped by a convivence store on my way to work yesterday and was talking with the very friendly fella behind the counter and he told me that they're understaffed.
Restaurants are understaffed. Retail is understaffed. Oh, and it's not just in Bozeman or Montana, it's happening all over the United States. Why? I mean, I would think some of these places pay really well, in fact, I know they do. So, why are businesses having such an issue?
I'm not here to pick a fight or make some statement that's going to fire everyone up. I know all of the normal excuses and theories that we hear on a regular basis, some of the more popular ones, in no particular order:
- Young People don't want to work
- People are afraid they will catch Covid-19
- You can't make a living wage
- Why work when the Government will pay you more to stay home
I wish I had the answer, if I did, I would certainly share it with everyone. What I do know is that attitude means everything. I get it, you're standing in line and you're thinking, I have more important things to be doing.
True.
However, keep in mind those folks that actually did show up for work are doing their best to serve you. I can't even imagine working in Customer Service these days, but God bless the folks that do. It is often a thankless job that has to be stressful dealing with folks who believe that they are more important than the people in front or behind them in line.
Thank heavens for Blood Pressure medicine.