As the world has immersed itself digitally, the need for one hour photo services may seem a thing of the past. However, there are still places that offer such services. Walgreens is one such place. Built into the chain of pharmacies, one hour photo services remain. They also appear to be in decent demand, at least in the Sacramento area.
One of my best friends and I participated in the Survivor Mud Run in Rancho Murieta this weekend (review to come). Knowing that we didn't want to risk damaging our good cameras or our cell phones, we looked into alternatives. She first purchased an under-water digital "disposable" camera from Rite Aid. Upon working with the camera ahead of the event, we realized it was not compatible with our computers and would have difficulty getting the pictures, so we decided to return it and go for the film option.
We stopped at another Rite Aid en route to the run. While the return required manager approval, the procedure seemed to go quite smoothly. We immediately turned around and purchased the under-water film camera. Everyone at the Rite Aid near Arden Fair Mall was friendly and our experience was very positive. We inquired about one hour developing services which they do not offer. The woman behind the counter had previously worked as a pharmacy assistant for Walgreens and suggested we try a Walgreens store as she knew they offered one hour photo services.
As we ventured out for dinner that night, we first stopped at a Walgreens that was nearby. I had called earlier to confirm their services, but by the time we arrived, they had experienced a problem with their machine and were unable to accommodate us. However, the young man suggested another Walgreens down the road. Off we went only to find that their machine was down as well. We found yet another Walgreens in Rancho Cordova. Their machine was up, but by this time we were facing a time constraint due to their closing time. Still, we had not given up. We simply decided to wait.
This morning, I was scheduled to visit a family member. I found a Walgreens in North Highlands that was perfectly convenient. It was on the way to her house and I would need to go by it again on my return trip home. I stopped in and their machine was working. There were two rolls ahead of mine, so the technician cautioned me that it could take as long as two hours. I mentioned to her that I did not live in the area and would need the film ASAP. She assured me it would not take any longer than that. I trusted what she said. I returned after my visit which got me back to the store slightly over two hours later, but I was still on schedule for my return home. My film was not ready. She explained that there had been a problem earlier with the machine, but it was fixed and my pictures would be ready in 35 minutes. Again, I trusted her.
I will give people the benefit of the doubt. I consider myself somewhat forgiving, especially in the service industry and I felt confident that she would get this done. I again reminded her that I did not live locally and I needed to get on the road. I also mentioned to her that I would have to contact my babysitter because of the delay. She said she would call my cell as soon as they were ready and I looked at her and confirmed that they would be ready in 35 minutes, stating what time that would be. She agreed.
I returned 40 minutes later (giving her an extra five minutes). She very apologetically told me that my pictures were not yet ready. At this point, I grew frustrated. She said they would come out of the machine any moment, then it would take five minutes to finish up the prints. This time, I stayed put. I did not go more than about five feet from the photo counter. During this time, she mentioned that she had gone on break (which I am sure contributed to the additional delay). I heard her mention to another employee that I was waiting for my pictures. At this point, she appeared to grow nervous. She started making different statements and promises to try to put my mind at ease. I repeatedly reminded her that I needed to get home to my children. At one point she asked me how much time I had. I said, "I have no time. I'm out of time. I needed to pick up my children an hour and a half away" at a time that was 35 minutes from when she asked. She offered me discounts. She apologized. After about 20 minutes of this, with me texting to check in with my friend who was watching my kids and posting about my frustration on Facebook, she walked over to the machine, checked a couple of buttons, opened it up, and pulled out my roll of film still yet undeveloped! Not only did I not have pictures well over three hours after dropping off my film, but she hadn't event processed the film yet! Now, I was very upset. The level of customer service here was the most frustrating part. I felt that I had been misled through the entire ordeal. I took my roll of film, and I left.
At this point, I have no reason to recommend Walgreens one hour photo services. Their equipment breaks down, as evidenced by not one, but three stores. One hour photo does not seem to take one hour, particularly if there are people ahead of you. Lastly, the customer service, particularly at the North Highlands location is severely lacking. If I had been aware earlier that the film hadn't even begun to be processed, I could have left. I felt misled and there is nothing that can bring back the loss of time. This not only affected me, but my friends and my children, as well.
I will use more caution in the future when seeking such services and will not rely on one hour developing being one hour. I suggest you use someone you trust for your photo developing and printing needs. Obviously, this is not something that can be decided on hastily, particularly if you are operating under any sort of time constraints. It is far better to allow the extra time and use someone you trust to have the job done right. Walgreens in North Highlands will surely not get my business in the future and I will be letting them know. I will also share this with my local Walgreens store. Using Walgreens at all but especially for photo developing services is not something I am in any sort of hurry to do. In the meantime, I was quite impressed with the ease of returns at Rite Aid and the friendly service we received.
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