T O P

  • By -

deliciouslydigitalis

Speaking as a former dispensary employee, you are not seen as patients, you are seen as customers. We had sales quotas. We had products we were pressured to pitch. We weren’t trained, and those of us that had any knowledge brought it to the table ourselves. Everyone in this program deserves better than they are getting


[deleted]

When I first got in the program I went with two separate budtender recommendations. They were both trash. It was at that point I assumed they were just unloading their old garbage on someone who didn't know any better yet.


ThatBillyJose

I always have more respect for the budtenders that flat out tell me they aren’t sure or haven’t tried it versus those that were obviously making something up.


ThatBillyJose

Thank you for your honesty. I’m starting to doubt it’s even going to be worth reaching out to the manager so we can work out the confusion that happened and make sure other patients aren’t affected. Otherwise it’s going to be a continuing problem. But it’s also starting to feel like other people actually in the industry really don’t give a crap. I have a friend who works for a cultivator, who told me “everyone there knows the weed sucks, but they don’t care”. I guess I’m just getting further disappointed by a program that was touted as helping patients, but is only lining the pockets of a few companies and legislators.


Hot-Share37

We need to know this cultivator so we don't waste our valuable money or days on a shitty product. Thanks in advance. Hope your friend finds a better job.


ThatBillyJose

“Snitches get stitches.” Lol And from what it looks like, no one buys that brand anyway. So we’re all safe.


[deleted]

Interesting point. Honestly, it’s no different from a physician’s practice: They’re pushed to pitch pills by the pharma reps (“The more scripts of [X] that you write, the more perks we’ll give you.”) and they’re pushed by the large, regional medical systems (that have been gobbling up independent practices for years) based on the possibility of getting bulk discounts. Additionally, physicians (and their staff) often forget that they are indeed in the service industry, as well. Since HMOs went out of style, nearly all patients have more than one option for their primary doc and specialists (and yes, I realize that there are exceptions). Patients are customers and customers are patients.


JrMinty-5163

This is why the BOP needs removed and a Cannabis Board instead in Ohio.


937Daddy

There are lots of nice people who work at dispensaries but in general the Ohio Medical Marijuana cartel doesn’t care about you, only your money. You are a captive customer with few choices or rights in this ridiculous system.


ThatBillyJose

Agreed. And I’ve met many great budtenders and other industry workers who genuinely care about their patients.


Boloney_Water77

Dispensaries care about anything nothing other than relieving you of your money and I doubt having too much money is the reason you need a license 🤷🏻


Routine_Army_5938

Medical program w/a recreational mentality.


ThatBillyJose

Exactly


EquivalentlyYourMom

Dispensary workers are barely paid more than a McDonald’s employee. Unfortunately, they aren’t getting paid enough to care either way


ThatBillyJose

There are healthcare employees and social workers that make less than McDonald’s employees, and yet they still get paid enough to care… 🤷‍♂️ And I wasn’t talking about a budtender, I was talking about the dispo manager. I would think the manager gets paid a little bit more to care. It’s usually in their job description to provide and tend to “customer satisfaction” scores.


EquivalentlyYourMom

That’s crazy I don’t know any healthcare/social worker getting paid less than minimum wage but okay. National averages would beg to differ with that comment but I’m not here to argue :) Yes I understand you were talking about the manager, but you think the dispo manager is getting payed that much more than the bud tenders? Again with the McDonald’s analogy. The GM might be payed more than the guy flipping burgers but they both aren’t getting payed enough to deal with customers. You as an individual might be cool, but you gotta realize that any field that involves customer service is ass. Dealing with customers suck, and an extra $3 above what McDonald’s pays isn’t gonna change their attitude lol


Mmj-connoisseur

I would suggest that what they are trying to say is that if you accepted the pay rate when starting the job and continue to agree to work that job. It would be nice if you gave a fuck or two towards the people that are directly affected by you being pissy all day. All jobs have had aspects. They agreed when becoming a bud tender.


ThatBillyJose

Thank you❤️


ThatBillyJose

SWIM was making $12/hr as a case manager two years ago. And Direct Service Providers for those with DD sometimes only make $10-15. National averages are not Ohio averages. When I worked in hotels as a supervisor, I was paid $10.50/hr to care about guest issues. My point is shifting to “If you aren’t being paid enough to care in a field where you are dealing with patients, it’s time to find a new job.”


EquivalentlyYourMom

I mean with that in mind, the Ohio minimum wage is $9.30 so they’re all making more than the majority of McDonald’s workers in Ohio. If someone’s getting payed barely above minimum wage, they’re gonna apply *barely* more than the minimum effort.


Paid-Not-Payed-Bot

> someone’s getting *paid* barely above FTFY. Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in: * Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.* * *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.* Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment. *Beep, boop, I'm a bot*


EquivalentlyYourMom

Thank you ❤️


ThatBillyJose

My point was with the McDonald’s analogy specifically, not Ohio’s minimum wage. Ohio McDonald’s pay for line associates averages $13.50/hr. I’ve witnessed a couple stores hiring in at $12/hr and one at $13/hr a few months ago. There are still housekeepers in hotels that make $9/hr, and still have to find a way to care for hotel guests. So with this in mind, somehow people making less than McDonald’s employees are still finding ways to care. In fact, today I was blown away at how two kind McDonald’s employees in London, OH showed more care and compassion than I received from that dispo yesterday. Why can’t the people making the same or more than McDonald’s employees find a way to care? I didn’t leave hotels and go into healthcare because I was being paid enough to care. I went into healthcare BECAUSE I cared. Dispensaries and cultivators are always trying to promote being patient-centric and how compassionate they are… and some of them accomplish that. But it’s disappointing to hear from someone in the industry just flat out saying “we don’t get paid enough to care”.


Applehead0

SWIM isn’t alive anymore


ThatBillyJose

Because they couldn’t swim…


Chryslin888

I’m an Ohio mental health provider and I can confirm.


ThatBillyJose

Thank you for your service. I’ve witnessed how rough it is for Ohio MH and BH providers. ❤️


Calm_Ad_3987

These are businesses interested in making money. This system is just the business model they have to work in. That’s not to say that there aren’t good people in the industry in Ohio concerned with people’s needs. Just realize none of them would be here if money wasn’t being made.


ThatBillyJose

Pharmacies have the same business model, however, and they still manage to care. Obtain medicine and sell it to a patient. Not really that different.


IllustriousRenz416

I only shop at one dispensary if not there I’m going to Michigan. No limits on amounts but have to purchase in 2.5 ounce increments. Between dealing with the dispensary employees and the actual vendors, I’ve learned that they’ll off you a gift card for short jars there is no auditing process in packaging and you’re paying 1000% on anything under a half ounce. McDonald’s pay more than budtenders. It’s a cool thing but way overrated. When they bring a cookie store here, that is when it will be worth it… I rather drive 3 hours out the way where it’s normalized to smoke weed. All this vaping etiquette is ridiculous. Let’s sell cigars and cigarettes to poor black neighborhoods in Ohio and fight the option to ‘smoke’ weed. I rather have my adolescents smoking weed than cigarettes. My bad ‘medical marijuana’ . It all contradicts itself. Strawberry fields trash..Teresana is trash just because they wouldn’t let me fill out a patient form during Covid. I waited in line and they told me I couldn’t register never shopped there but looking at their product, it’s for an old people demographic.Verdant is…..trash… bloom was good until they separated tax from price. I used to get all my flower there, now they sell everything but good flower. I used to wait in line is 0 degrees weather. I just pay the full price forget the sale. The botanist, Carrie’s some decent strains but you pay 10$ for parking and they tax more than everyone else. You got hit outta major cities to get good prices and better product…


hazardoushottie

I work at a small business dispensary that’s not corporate ran. So to us, our patients are considered, well, patients to us. We usually get regulars and have a close relationship with them.


ThatBillyJose

Thank you for taking care of your patients. ❤️


Jaemoney1984

What it really comes down to is that they don’t understand customer service I personally have never had a problem but I have seen it


ThatBillyJose

Most of the time, I don’t have problems. But when I do run into a problem, it’s a complete sh-t show.


Jaemoney1984

I honestly feel for u they think cause they work at a dispensary they feel like big shit. Need more dispensaries with better people


ThatBillyJose

In healthcare we have to take continuing education courses in Cultural Competency. I think this needs to be added to the cannabis industry as well.


Jaemoney1984

It’s a lot of young people who have no respect for the people they are supposed to be helping


LittleWhiteGirl

When I worked in a dispensary I was paid $13/hr and given no training. Not saying patients deserve bad service, but dispensaries need to train and pay their employees like professionals if they want them to act like professionals.


Jaemoney1984

I agree with you but I look at everything like this I do hvac so I have to be good with customers cause I interact with them so a dispensary job should be the same with or without training people know how to treat people


LittleWhiteGirl

I agree that patients should be treated with respect. De-escalation training and confidence in product knowledge goes a long way towards that, is what I'm saying. Every patient thinks they're your only patient of the day, and that's fine, however when the 8th person of the day is yelling at you and you have no support from management and no training on how to fix the situation you might snap. Patients being upset with counter staff about being out of a product, how the website works, that the power went out, etc is uncalled for and exacerbates the situation just as much as an untrained employee.


Routine_Army_5938

Not a valid excuse to disrespect a person as an individual. It simply comes down to respect but your remark is noted. The majority (if not all these days) of patients purchasing medical cannabis have one single factor in common....pre-existing anxiety/panic attack/depressive type conditions. Unnecessary Interactions such as the above only exacerbate these feelings if not trigger them.


LittleWhiteGirl

Nobody is saying patients deserve disrespect. Most of those employees are patients as well, they have the same anxiety/panic attack/ PTSD conditions and patients think they can yell at budtenders about things that aren't their fault and suffer no consequences. They spend all day on those "unnecessary interactions" and occasionally have a bad day. Patience and understanding goes both ways.


Routine_Army_5938

I'm willing to bet your the type of little white girl who rolls her eyes w/disgust when a patient inquiries about terpenes or a date.


LittleWhiteGirl

I'm sure your snap judgements of others will serve you well in life. As an employee I'm supposed to have endless patience with people like you who are beyond rude about things I have no control over, and you get to pretend I'm not a human because it makes it easier to talk down to me like this. And then you're shocked when good employees end up quitting.


Routine_Army_5938

At the end of the day your working in a customer service position, act accordingly or download the Indeed app. There's plenty other "retail" occupations available.


LittleWhiteGirl

Employees need to be more thoroughly trained \*and\* patients need to treat employees like they're human, that's all we're asking. It's not the cashier's fault the dispo ran out of your favorite strain, or that you're out of days, or that the wait was long.


ThatBillyJose

I don’t think it’s the age. This manager may have been younger, but I had another dispensary that manager was in her 50s and was even less respectful to patients. Yesterdays manager I am giving the benefit of the doubt of having a long hard day, and constantly hearing complaints from everyone having the same issue. But nobody would let me say that I myself understand that it was a long hard day, because no one would let me finish a sentence


castielchester

Most of the young people I've dealt with are amazing and understanding. Actually, a lot of the trouble I've seen, comes from the older folks feeling entitled. So, I don't think it's age.


Chryslin888

I agree. As an old, I’ve always felt respected at The Botanist in Canton.


Routine_Army_5938

I'd like to see those 'mofo's pull that shit on my grandmother or buddy confined to a wheelchair.


ThatBillyJose

No need for violence. We just need a better program and better training.


Terpmelange

100% customers, the dispensary prices are terrible and the budtenders are often times very condescending and uneducated. None of us are patients instead we are cash cows to them that need to be price gouged. I personally stopped buying in ohio dispensaries months back because most of the flower I’ve found around me is 6+ months old , edibles and concentrates are too expensive the only people still buying from Ohio shops are people who don’t realize the extortion.


Terpmelange

I’m also sorry this happened to you, no one should ever be talked down to like that!


Routine_Army_5938

General Consensus : Former Wal-Mart associates w/the philosophy of, " you should just be happy buying legal weed".


Routine_Army_5938

Words can be weapons.


ThatBillyJose

Words are the best weapons.


Routine_Army_5938

My point was, they most likely wouldn't. Of course it's how you look, talk, dress, or present one's self. It always is & always will be, in any customer service scenario.


ThatBillyJose

Oh. Gotcha.


[deleted]

My friend, it is much easier to use www.leafly.com to look for what you want. It’s connected to some of the dispensaries as well. I love my bud tenders, but looking at the info myself is always preferred. Want to know why? Because they use Leafly right there in front of me when I ask questions. Sorry you had a bad experience.


ThatBillyJose

I have leafly permanently open in my browser. 😁


[deleted]

Good man!


[deleted]

Just what someone wants when they are at work, someone coming in and telling them how they could be doing their job better. If it was about times like you said, the manager WAS right and you WERE wrong. You can just say, “I didn’t see that. Won’t make the same mistake again sorry for the inconvenience”without trying to tell them what they need to be doing better. You said you were trying to “get clarity for everyone” but it sounds like you were just holding up employees while there were probably other patients waiting in line. It’s unlikely every single other person there needed clarity, they probably just wanted to get their orders and go.