May I Be Excused?

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MAY I BE EXCUSED

Dear CVS Pharmacy Customer Experience Team,

Yes, that WAS me who visited your store at 225 W. Ponce de Leon Avenue in Decatur, GA today! And I’d be happy to complete your survey about my experience. I’ll be honest, I don’t normally participate in these things but I’m trying to be a little more open and engaging with folks in the new year. I’ve had nearly two weeks off from work, the Christmas decorations are put away and I can’t possibly eat another cookie, so why the heck not!

I was super busy right before Christmas – shopping, my wife’s birthday, closing out the year at work and getting the house ready because we decided to have a party on Christmas night. I know what you’re thinking – who goes to a party on Christmas night? You’d be surprised! We had a big crowd, and it was great fun but boy oh boy was it a lot of work. It’s been a long time since we’ve attempted anything like that. Yeesh, what a few years, am I right?

The next day my wife’s sister’s family arrived from New Jersey for a visit. Are we crazy? You tell me! They’re easy houseguests though and they keep my kids entertained so the great unwind had begun. It’s a long break but we enjoy the downtime. We watch movies and do jigsaw puzzles and sit around the fireplace. It’s important to decompress sometimes, don’t you think? You’re all about wellness. You guys get it.

And while I visited your Decatur location yesterday, what I love most about you guys is you’re everywhere! Depending on where the day takes me, I could pop into your Virginia Highland, Cheshire Bridge, Buckhead or Emory locations as well. But on this visit that you were so thoughtful to follow up on, what I needed was stamps and muscle pain relief patches. Again, you probably already know this – I bet your

market research is impeccable! We cobbled together a ‘Happy New Year’ card which allows us to reply in kind to everyone who sent us a Christmas card. (Shhh! It’s our little trick.) I wasn’t certain that you sold stamps, but your helpful associate told me they were behind the counter. Typically, I use the self-checkout Tim Sullivan option at CVS because it is relatively straightforward, and your barcoding is top-notch! Anyway, this was an old-school checkout. Vintage. Very cool. Oh, and the muscle patches? Yeah, I overdid it on my exercise bike. You probably noticed me limping on the security cameras. Usually, I take trainer-guided classes but for this week of relaxation I wanted mindless rides while I watched a show called “Fleishman is in Trouble.” You should check it out! It starts out funny but then tackles weighty issues like divorce and mental illness. The way it addresses one character’s mid-life crisis seemed particularly poignant. Anyway, I guess I got lost in it because when I got off the bike, I realized my calf muscle was extremely tight. It’s feeling better already though – thanks to your patches! Some people will say I have too much time on my hands, participating in a CVS survey so earnestly. But don’t you hate when people are like that? I mean, they may have a point but clearly, they aren’t as committed to human engagement as I am. After this I’ve got a survey from Dick’s Sporting Goods to get to – do you know those guys? Just know that you are appreciated. By the way, I love the “No Receipt” option you guys have implemented! Honestly, the receipts were too long. I’d buy shampoo and a stick of deodorant, and you’d hand me back the Dead Sea Scrolls. Just being fully transparent here. Really, you guys are great. Absolutely, I WILL recommend your store to a friend! If you ever want to chat, well, you have my number. Happy New Year! Tim Sullivan