Your patients rely on you and your pharmacy when it comes to their health. During the early days of the pandemic, you were who they turned to for medications, vaccines, medication counseling, and more. You’ve added a new revenue stream here and there throughout the past few years, but what about a pharmacy delivery business? A service that will not only allow your customers to order their medications online, but the more customers who use the service, the more you’ll increase your sales revenue.
As the owner of the service, you’ll want to make sure your customers’ experience of ordering medications online is the best it can be. This means following up on their orders to be sure everything went well. And for customers who haven’t yet received their package, you can send out emails or contact them by phone, if necessary.
How to set up your pharmacy’s delivery service:
Rules and Regulations
Do some research to learn about the necessary permits and licenses that are required in order to register your pharmacy delivery business. You’ll need to know what permits your employees and delivery drivers need to deliver medications. Follow all rules and regulations of your state or country, and don’t be afraid to seek legal help. That way, you will understand everything clearly before you set them up.
Know Your Target Market
Who will your target market be? This is something you need to figure out right away because it can be difficult. It defines what kind of business model and structure you will want to pursue. For example, if you’re wanting to start your own pharmacy delivery business, you’ll want to pinpoint those who live in certain areas.
Check Your Equipment
If you haven’t yet thought about the equipment and inventory required for your pharmacy delivery business, it’s time. Check to be sure everything is properly set up before opening for business. If you don’t, you run the risk of losing money due to poor planning.
Set Up a Pricing Structure
Price is the first thing people notice when they enter a pharmacy; therefore, it’s one of the most important aspects of your business. This means you should set up a fair and transparent pricing structure that’s easy for your customers and pharmacists to understand. For example, a subscription plan is something you could create for your patients who regularly take blood pressure or diabetes meds.
Define Your Business Model
Do you prefer a simple online platform that lets customers order products online? Or would you rather have an app that’ll allow them to order products directly from their phone as they’re waiting in line at the store? Decide what business model works best for your pharmacy. Perhaps you’d like to deliver products yourself; or maybe you just want to sell products through an online platform. Whatever you choose, make it the best!
Set Up Your Delivery Service
It’s time to get your delivery service off the ground. If you don’t already have one, you might consider purchasing a truck or van to deliver prescriptions and other health products directly to your patients’ homes.
You might also consider using a third-party delivery partner to help you manage deliveries. It can save money and guarantee timely deliveries.
Consider Delivery Management Software
Delivery management software can help track the status of your orders, manage your inventory, and optimize your sales channels. You’ll have the option of an all-in-one solution or a multi-channel software package. More features come with the all-in-one solution; however, it’s also the most costly. Its advantage over the multi-channel software is that it allows you to customize your order management system according to your needs.
By starting a pharmacy delivery service, your pharmacy will grow; and as it grows, so will your pharmacy profits.
A Member-Owned Company Serving Independent Pharmacies
PBA Health is dedicated to helping independent pharmacies reach their full potential on the buy-side of their business. Founded and owned by pharmacists, PBA Health serves independent pharmacies with group purchasing services, wholesaler contract negotiations, proprietary purchasing tools, and more.
An HDA member, PBA Health operates its own NABP-accredited secondary wholesaler with more than 6,000 SKUs, including brands, generics, narcotics CII-CV, cold-storage products, and over-the-counter (OTC) products — offering the lowest prices in the secondary market.
