What if you knew exactly what patients were looking for in a pharmacy?
Thanks to a Consumer Reports buying guide from December 2015, now you can know what the experts advise consumers to look for when selecting a pharmacy. In the buying guide, Consumer Reports notes the benefits of independent community pharmacies, and advises consumers to consider independents.
“If you’re still going to a pharmacy chain for prescriptions, as do half of our readers, you might be missing out. As a group, pharmacy chains scored no higher in our ratings of walk-in drugstores than big-box chains such as Costco and Walmart, and both types of store were bested by supermarkets and independent pharmacies,” according to the buying guide. The buying guide went on to mention that independent pharmacies also earned high marks from their readers in categories including speed, accuracy, courtesy, helpfulness and pharmacists’ knowledge.
Here’s a look at five areas where independents excel compared to the competition, according to the buying guide. Use these insights to highlight your pharmacy’s strengths, and bolster areas where you may be less competitive.
1. Timeliness
Having a prescription ready on time is not only valuable to patients, it’s also a service that independent pharmacies excel at.
Only 7 percent of customers at independents reported that a prescription wasn’t ready when promised during the previous 12 months, compared to 19 percent of shoppers at pharmacy chains, according to the buying guide.
And, just 4 percent of people surveyed for the buying guide complained of long waits at independents, while 21 percent experienced long waits at pharmacy chains.
This timely service is a key competitive edge your pharmacy has over chain pharmacies. If your pharmacy sometimes has long wait times, consider revamping your workflow to make it more efficient.
2. Pharmacist availability
The buying guide urges consumers to make a good relationship with a pharmacist one of the top factors they consider when selecting a pharmacy.
Your relationship with patients is likely already a top priority. Tout your accessibility on your pharmacy’s promotions, and make sure you reserve time to interact with patients on a daily basis.
If you’re spending too much time behind the counter, and not engaging in patients, consider trying to empower employees with more responsibility, so you can spend more time with patients and less time on daily tasks.
3. Medications in-stock
Patients are looking for pharmacies that have the right medication when they need it.
Almost 40 percent of shoppers needed a drug that was out of stock at their pharmacy in the past year, according to the buying guide. Independents were more likely than other types of pharmacies to restock the drug later that same day, or the next.
You can’t always carry every prescription, but when you need something you didn’t expect, make sure that you have suppliers that can get it to you quickly. If your current suppliers aren’t meeting your needs, consider ordering from a reputable supplier, such as PBA Health. The company offers free shipping on qualifying orders through Negotiator, its no-contract ordering service. (Check out other reasons to buy with PBA Health).
4. Customer service
Independents are known for their high level of customer service, which is a key factor that many shoppers consider when selecting a pharmacy, according to the buying guide.
“Independents scored highest in every area of customer service. At least 90 percent of shoppers at independents rated their pharmacy as ‘Excellent’ or ‘Very Good’ in speed and accuracy, courtesy and helpfulness, and pharmacists’ knowledge. No other type of drug store came close,” according to the buying guide.
Make sure your pharmacy is providing top-notch customer service by getting to know your patients, listening to them and being a problem solver. If your customer service needs to be improved, start by taking steps to combat complaints and then look for opportunities to show patients how much you appreciate them.
5. Preventive care
Preventive care services, such as immunizations and vaccines, or health and wellness programs, are becoming more common in pharmacies.
Independents can be competitive, and even beat the competition in this category, by implementing these services with the care and level of service they’re known for.
Incorporate preventative care services, such as medication synchronization, blood pressure checks and smoking cessation programs, into your pharmacy. Or, consider targeting these services toward a high-need patient demographic, such as elderly patients and high-risk groups.
Preventive care services also offer a way for your pharmacy to diversify your revenue streams to rely more on services and care, and less on dispensing prescriptions with shrinking margins.
Now that you know the strengths of your independent community pharmacy, raise awareness about these features in your next pharmacy promotion.
