Yan Ang Customer Service!

Good deeds should not go unmentioned. Sa dami ng bad news dito sa Pilipinas, wouldn’t it be nicer to hear pleasant news more often? Gusto ko i-share itong kwentong ito kasi natuwa talaga ako …

Di ba ang tindi ng campaign ng DOH lately about fake medicines? Eh di shempre ang mga nanay na katulad ko eh ingat na ingat sa mga ipinapainom sa mga tsikitings. So talagang as much as possible, sa Mercury Drug ako bumibili ng gamot para sure. Kaso nung isang araw, out of stock ang isang medicine ni James sa Mercury. So punta ako ng isang small pharmacy na binibilhan ko na dati. Since andun na rin naman ako, dun ko na rin binili ang ibang medicines para isahang punta na lang. Read the whole story dito sa email na ipinadala ko sa Natrapharm kahapon:

Ms. Christina L. Ravelo
Vice President for Marketing
Natrapharm

Dear Madam,

Hi! I'd like to inform you of my concern regarding Heraclene capsules. My son who has cerebral palsy has been prescribed by our pedia-gastro to take Heraclene three times a day. Initially, I was able to buy several dozens from Mercury Drug and I noticed that the capsules have the words "HERACLENE" and "1 mg" printed in white on the red outer
cover.

Yesterday, since Mercury lacked one of the medicines my son needs, I bought from another drugstore and included 20 Heraclene capsules in my purchases. When I got home and opened another capsule to mix in my son's milk, I was bemused to see a plain red capsule inside the Heraclene pack. The batch is numbered 03HRC-4 to expire on DEC 05. The batch from Mercury drug has 04HRC 7, expiry date NOV 06. I observed the addition of a dash in the batch I bought at the other drugstore, and to reiterate, there was the lack of the printed words "HERACLENE" and "1mg".

Now what I want to know is, if it is possible that I unknowingly bought fake Heraclene capsules? I have bought medicines from the drugstore before but haven't had the cause to doubt the authenticity of the medicines they are selling, until now. I have refrained from
using the remaining 19 capsules and am now asking for enlightenment directly from you at Natrapharm. I fear for my son's safety and am planning to return the batches to the drugstore tomorrow. I may sound paranoid due to the recent news of proliferation of fake medicines, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. Of course I'm also thinking that the printed words on the newer batch may have been a recent addition? Either way, I'd like to have the correct information.

I am residing in Laguna and have no long distance access at the moment that's why I opted to write you an email. I saw your name and email addy from your website. I hope this reaches you the soonest time possible and I pray that you can answer my queries asap.

Hoping to hear from you soon.

Ang ending? Happy! Kasi after about an hour na na-send ko ang email, may tumawag agad sa aking taga-Natrapharm who assured me na bagong feature lang for batch 04 yung printed words and legit yung nabili kong 03 batch. Nakahinga ako ng maluwag. Worth P300+ din yung mga meds kasi. So hindi ko na ibinalik. Praning na kung praning, pero pa’no kung fake pala di ba?

I love companies who really take care of their customers. Yung hindi paimportante at genuinely inaasikaso ang concerns ng taong-bayan, which is less than what I can say about some big-shot companies dyan (uh, tipong Globe at Smart ba!) I have had terrible CS experiences with those companies na pinasakit talaga ang ulo ko sa totoo lang.

Kaya sa management ng Natrapharm, thumbs up kayo sa kin!