How Three Pharmacy Owners Guarantee Their Customers Leave with a Smile

Posted by Samantha Timmermann on Fri, Sep 24, 2010

At the Independent Pharmacy Business Growth Conference in 2007 we introduced the FISH! Philosophy, a set of simple, practical tools to help you create the work culture every business owner strives to create. It’s a way to build stronger relationships that equip you to face your business and personal challenges more effectively. The FISH! Philosophy fulfills the most basic needs of human beings who, in turn, fulfill the needs of the organization—more connected teams, better communication, extraordinary service and higher retention. One of the best ways to do this is by playing with your team and customers.

Playing...in my pharmacy?
Some people think play is the opposite of work. You’re either playing or working. Playing at work is usually done on the sly - it’s considered unproductive, unhelpful, and unprofitable.

We’re here to tell you that many companies have proved that wrong. Their work plays for them. It makes their jobs more enjoyable than they would be otherwise, it draws in business and it actually helps them accomplish some of their tasks better than if they just went through the motions each day.

Play Strategies
If you’re out of habit, playing might require some serious practice. Well, not all that serious. Here are some ideas to spark playfulness with both your team and customers.

At your next pharmacy team building activity or weekly meeting, ask these questions and integrate the answers into your team’s daily activities:

What can we do to regenerate fun every day at our pharmacy?
I usually sigh and roll my eyes when.....next time I want to roll my eyes I plan to....
I think our customers would love it if every time they called here we....
I think our company song should be....and that we should sing it every time we....
The most unpleasant part of my job would become my favorite if only I got to....

Playing with your customers is easy - just make them smile! Here are a few ways our PDS Members ensure their customers leave the pharmacy with a huge smile on their face.

King’s Pharmacy in Boynton Beach, FL set up a smile camera at check out where the camera will only take a photo when it detects that the customer is smiling. The photos are then put into a digital photo frame for everyone to view.

Comprehensive Care Pharmacy in Breese, IL installed a large bell by their exit with a sign that reads, If your visit was SWELL, please ring the BELL. If not, please do not say goodbye, tell us why! Each time the bell is rung, the entire staff looks up and playfully shouts ‘thank you!’ to the smiling patron.

Super D Drugs in McComb, MS distributes fudge samples to all customers. People always look forward to sweets, not to mention the samples also increase awareness of the pharmacy’s fudge department.

Taken from the Johnny the Bagger video, it’s been proven that customers love it when they find an inspirational note or funny joke stapled to their prescription bag.

Sometimes your customers have a less than ideal experience in your pharmacy due to things that are out of your control...doctor callbacks, insurance issues, etc. By making sure each customer smiles while within the four walls of your store, they’re likely to leave the pharmacy on a positive note and share the experience with their friends and family.

What other ways can you play in your pharmacy?

Tags: Pharmacy Marketing, pharmacy culture

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How Three Pharmacy Owners Guarantee Their Customers Leave with a Smile

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