When it comes to owning and operating an independent pharmacy, it’s important to always be on the lookout for ways to improve your customers’ experience. Happy customers make loyal customers, and loyal customers make good business - and who doesn’t want good business?
We put together this article to give you some good ideas on how to keep your customers happy and keep them coming back. Keep reading to get familiar with these tactics, you might be surprised at how much they can help.
1. Communicate with Your Patients
This is KEY. Communication in general must be priority, but you should also keep in mind that communicating with patients in a way that’s convenient for them works even better. Given the fact that everyone works and plays on their phones these days, you can only help your business by setting up a secure direct messaging system. Not everyone is a huge fan of phone calls, and texting is a lot easier. We promise, your customers will love that their pharmacist is just a short, simple text away.
2. Make A Great First Impression
We’re not just talking about in person. We’re talking about making a good first impression online, too. Some of your customers might meet your business through the screen before they ever walk through your doors, so you should make sure that their digital experience is a great one.
3. Implement Low Wait Times
Most everyone lives a fast-paced life in this fast-paced world. In order to keep up with this mindset, keep your wait times low - whether that means waiting for prescriptions or consultations. Offering curbside delivery or delivery can be great additives, because this allows your pharmacists to keep their focus on patients inside the store.
4. Have a Friendly Staff
Having a great interaction with a staff member is something that sticks with you all day. You can make your patients’ experiences great by employing a friendly staff that takes your pharmacy’s values seriously, and upholds them with pride. By greeting customers at the door and communicating effectively when service is running behind, the time customers spend in your store will undoubtedly be enjoyable and keep them coming back.
5. Create a Helpful Online Presence
Whether your online presence is in the form of your website, social media, or both, it will make a lasting impact on your customers. Many people love the convenience of communicating with their pharmacist on their phones or computers, and the easy access will create a flow that benefits both you and your patients. This is especially great for homebound patients or elderly patients who can’t travel long distances.
6. Empathize, Always
Your patients should feel as comfortable with their pharmacist as they feel with their doctor. They should know that they can confide in you and that you care, and you’ll always provide a listening ear when it comes to medical needs and/or questions. Seeming unavailable or too busy to provide support puts patients off and can dissuade them from coming to you again. The draw of independent pharmacies is the human aspect of them, so it’s a great component to highlight. Good pharmacist-patient relationships will keep people coming back and also generate great referrals.
7. Provide Easy Access
This tip comes back to the digital side of things once again. Making sure that patients have easy access to your pharmacy is so important, which means that you must keep systems updated and set up to serve them. Creating a mobile app for your pharmacy makes it easy for patients and their family members to refill prescriptions and/or set up consultation appointments with no hassle.
8. Be Active in Your Community
Creating a presence for your pharmacy within the community is never a bad thing. It lets customers and potential customers alike know that you put stock in the people of the community and that you truly care about their wellbeing. Being active in your community shows that you’re more than just a storefront, you’re a staple in your customers’ everyday lives.
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