Even after all this time you can still send me a fax

[venta]

Aww. When large institutions try to engage with the modern world, it's quite cute.

This morning I rang the doctors' surgery. "Hello," I said, "I want to order a repeat prescription, which I think you now prefer me to do over email. How do I register for this service?"

The receptionist who'd answered ummed and erred for a bit. Then she ahhed. Then she asked me to wait a moment. Then she came back on the line and ummed a bit more, and asked me to hold again.

Eventually she came back on the line and asked: "Do you have a fax number?"

I said no, I didn't. She erred some more. Eventually, she took my phone number so she could call me back to explain the prodecure to me.

She just phoned back. I was braced for a fairly intricate registration process. It turns out that what I have to do is send them an email them stating which prescription I require.

She's now given me the "email number" and I'm all good to go.

Comments

[venta.livejournal.com]

Well, yes! I was a bit surprised. I presume that they'll check they've got a Venta on their records, and when I go to get the prescription from the pharmacy they'll probably do their usual numpty check of "what's your name and address" (which would be a perfectly reasonable check if they didn't usually hold the name/address label where I can see it while asking!)

Either that or the receptionist I spoke to didn't understand the system, and I'm about to get an email response telling me that I'm not registered! I'd probably give odds of 2:1 of that happening...