In an independent community pharmacy, trusting, loyal patients are essential to the success of your business. And in order to get those loyal patients, you need to give them a reason to return to your pharmacy. You can do this by wowing them each time they stop in.
You don’t need to bust your bank account to give patients an experience that will wow them. With a few small gestures, you’ll create a wow experience, and gain loyal, lasting patients.
Creating a wow experience will boost word-of-mouth about your pharmacy, build your reputation and brand, and keep your patients coming back to your pharmacy for years to come. Here are four ways to wow your patients. Incorporate some of these ideas into your pharmacy to give your patients an experience they’ll come back again and again for.
1. Make it personal
A simple way to wow your patients is by thinking of them as your friends. Make it a point to learn your patients’ names and greet them each time they enter your pharmacy. Ask about their days. Send them coupons on their birthdays. Follow up on how their medications are working. Make their visit to your pharmacy a personal experience that they won’t get with your competitors.
2. Use surprises
Surprise your patients with something different in your pharmacy each month, week or even day. One week, you could hand out a front-end coupon with each prescription; another, you could serve hot coffee and tea or freshly baked cookies. Consider handing out water with prescriptions to help patients take their medications. Get creative. A week of free product samples or free health screenings can promote your products and services and wow your patients, too. You could even partner with other local businesses to hand out coupons for their stores.
Putting in extra effort will make your patients feel good each time they enter your pharmacy. They aren’t just filling prescriptions; they’re getting a “gift.” And, by surprising them with something new each time, you’ll have them looking forward to their next visit.
3. Offer something unique
Is there something you can do for your patients that your competitors can’t? It might be time to add that delivery service, or start those diabetes education classes. Other ideas include stocking specialty products in your front end or carrying hard-to-find, in-demand medications.
Offering products or services that other pharmacies in your area don’t provide will help your pharmacy stand out. Anticipate your patients’ needs, and wow them by being able to fulfill them.
4. Empower your employees
A wow experience in your pharmacy won’t come from you alone. To ensure a wow experience in your store, you need to hire the right people, and you need to give them the right training.
Make sure your staff is as committed as you are to creating a wow experience for your patients. Encourage them to go above and beyond each day with rewards and recognition for a job well done. Showcase the employee who sent thank you notes to patients and recognize the staff member who went out of her way to help a patient find the right eye drops.
Start wowing your patients, and you’ll wow yourself with how much your business improves. Use these tips to get started, and you’ll be on track towards a wow-worthy patient experience in your pharmacy.
