Patients today don’t have enough time.
But if you keep this in mind, then you can accommodate time-crunched patients in your independent community pharmacy.
And a lack of time isn’t the only time-related element affecting how patients use your pharmacy. The time of year and the time of day can also influence how patients use your pharmacy.
Find out how you can use turn a lack of time into an asset for your pharmacy. Use these methods to help patients save time.
These Are the Factors You Need to Consider to Help Patients Save Time
1. A lack of time means patients deliberate less
When patients don’t have time to browse, they think less about their purchase decisions.
And if they’re in a hurry, they tend to choose more familiar products because they don’t have time to consider the alternatives.
Ways to make your pharmacy front-end appeal to busy patients:
- Arrange your front end so patients can easily navigate it
- Create displays of high turnover items, like vitamins and allergy medications
- Display easy-to-grab impulse items at the checkout counter, like candy, lip balm and seasonal merchandise
2. Time-saving services can help with patients’ hectic schedules
Let patients know about the products and services your pharmacy offers to help with their busy schedules.
Time-saving services to promote:
Using signage, brochures and other marketing materials to promote these services. Also promote them on your website and on social media.
3. Rearrange your retail area based on the time of year
The time of year affects how patients use businesses.
So, use the season to determine how to arrange the front end of your pharmacy to help patients save time.
For example, patients look for cold weather-related products and comfort items during the winter. Promote over-the-counter (OTC) cold and flu medications, cough drops, vitamins, gloves and holiday items during the winter.
And, create displays of sunscreen during the summer or umbrellas during the spring to save patients time.
Also, promote your pharmacy’s season-specific services. For example, make sure your customers know you offer flu shots during the winter months.
4. Recognize how the time of day affects different patients
Our internal clocks regulate us.
They control our sleep and wake cycles. And, most people naturally run on an internal clock that energizes them during the day and tires them at night.
Because of our internal clocks, most people shop and run errands during the day. Because we have more energy during the daytime.
But with busy lives and hectic schedules, not all patients can physically make it into your pharmacy during the day.
Since your independent pharmacy likely doesn’t open 24 hours a day, you have to find other ways to help patients save time. So they’ll choose your pharmacy over the 24-hour national chain pharmacy down the street.
What’s the best way to do that?
Provide a convenient pharmacy website that’s available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It will help your pharmacy keep those patients who can’t physically make it into your store.
A pharmacy website allows patients to meet their needs—on their schedules.
A pharmacy website needs to include:
- Online refills for patients to fill prescriptions any time or day
- Online appointment booking for vaccinations and other clinical services
- An email address so patients can contact you with questions at any time
When you help patients save time, they’ll turn to your pharmacy as a convenient resource for their healthcare needs.
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