CVS Situational Judgment Scenarios 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A customer becomes verbally aggressive after learning their prescription will take 45 minutes. They begin raising their voice and attracting attention from other customers. What is your best response?
- Ask them to leave the store immediately
- Calmly acknowledge their frustration, apologize for the wait, and offer to call them when the prescription is ready (Correct answer)
- Match their energy to show you take the situation seriously
- Ignore them until they calm down on their own
Correct answer: Calmly acknowledge their frustration, apologize for the wait, and offer to call them when the prescription is ready
Acknowledging frustration and offering a solution de-escalates tension while maintaining a positive customer experience.
Question 2: You notice a coworker consistently taking longer breaks than allowed, which puts extra strain on the team during peak hours. What should you do first?
- Report them to the manager immediately
- Cover for them without saying anything to keep the peace
- Privately and respectfully speak to your coworker about the impact it has on the team (Correct answer)
- Complain to other coworkers about the behavior
Correct answer: Privately and respectfully speak to your coworker about the impact it has on the team
Addressing the issue directly and privately gives your coworker a chance to correct the behavior before escalating.
Question 3: A customer asks you for your personal recommendation on which over-the-counter pain reliever is best for their chronic back pain. You are a pharmacy technician. What do you do?
- Recommend the most popular product on the shelf
- Tell them to consult their doctor or speak with the pharmacist (Correct answer)
- Diagnose their condition and suggest the strongest option
- Decline to help and walk away
Correct answer: Tell them to consult their doctor or speak with the pharmacist
Pharmacy technicians are not licensed to give clinical advice; directing customers to the pharmacist is the correct and safe response.
Question 4: Your register is $20 short at the end of your shift. You believe you may have accidentally given a customer too much change earlier. What do you do?
- Say nothing and hope no one notices
- Take $20 from your own wallet to cover the discrepancy
- Report the shortage to your manager and explain what may have happened (Correct answer)
- Blame the previous cashier for the error
Correct answer: Report the shortage to your manager and explain what may have happened
Transparency with management about cash discrepancies is required and allows the issue to be investigated properly.
Question 5: A customer's insurance card is declining at the pharmacy counter, but they insist their coverage is active. There is a long line behind them. What is the most appropriate action?
- Tell the customer their insurance is cancelled and move on
- Ask the customer to step aside, offer to call their insurance, and continue helping other customers (Correct answer)
- Skip the transaction and help the next customer
- Ask the customer to pay full price immediately
Correct answer: Ask the customer to step aside, offer to call their insurance, and continue helping other customers
Stepping aside preserves service flow while giving the customer the attention needed to resolve the billing issue.
Question 6: You are stocking shelves and discover that a product's expiration date passed two weeks ago. It is still on the shelf. What should you do?
- Leave it since it is likely still safe
- Relocate it to a less visible spot
- Remove it immediately and follow your store's protocol for expired product disposal (Correct answer)
- Wait until a manager notices it
Correct answer: Remove it immediately and follow your store's protocol for expired product disposal
Selling expired products is a health risk and a compliance violation; immediate removal and proper disposal are required.
Question 7: A customer approaches you in tears saying they cannot afford their medication and asks if there is any way to help. What is the most helpful response?
- Tell them there is nothing you can do and suggest they come back when they have money
- Inform them about manufacturer coupons, CVS savings programs, and suggest speaking with the pharmacist about generic alternatives (Correct answer)
- Offer to pay for the medication yourself
- Tell them to apply for government assistance and return later
Correct answer: Inform them about manufacturer coupons, CVS savings programs, and suggest speaking with the pharmacist about generic alternatives
Pointing customers to available savings programs and generic options provides real, actionable help within your role.
CVS Situational Judgment Scenarios 2
A customer becomes verbally aggressive after learning their prescription will take 45 minutes.
They begin raising their voice and attracting attention from other customers.
What is your best response?