How to Build Profitable Relationships and Create Customer Delight in your Independent Pharmacy

Here at PDS, we take pride in highlighting some of our incredible exhibitors. We know these companies have the potential to revolutionize pharmacies just like yours through their products and services. We’re excited to introduce GRX Marketing, pharmacy marketing experts who offer customized solutions for your pharmacy’s unique marketing needs. Read on for their sponsored blog post about creating customer delight and building profitable relationships in your independent pharmacy.

Customer relationship management. A simple enough concept that focuses on just that; managing customer relationships. While every business, and person, has their own methods of customer interaction, the building and maintaining of profitable customer relationships is often the biggest piece that needs to be honed.

According to a study conducted by SmallBizTrends.com, a 5% increase in customer retention can lead to an increase in profits of between 25% – 95%. Additionally, 47% of customers would take their business to a competitor within one day of experiencing poor customer service!

Marketers define customer value as the customer’s evaluation of the perceived differences between all the costs and benefits of competing companies. This is often the primary reason they choose your independent pharmacy, rather than anyone else.

Think about the stores that you are loyal to (grocery, restaurant, gas station, convenience stores, etc.). Why do you keep going back? Is it the prices, the products, services offered, location convenience, or is it the customer service? Why do you continue to use them, rather than any of their competitors? It’s because at some point, you decided to value them for what they have to offer. Now think about how much money you have given them over the years, compared to their competitors.

Building these relationships and ensuring that your customers are happy within your own independent pharmacy business is very important. Below are three ways you can strengthen your skills towards more profitable relationships with your pharmacy’s customers.

Three Ways to Gain More Profitable Relationships

Be adaptable. Independent pharmacists know as well as anyone that no two customers are alike and even the same customer can be different week to week. No matter who you are talking with, be sure to be empathetic, patient and focus on delivering clear communication.
Practice active listening. Active listening is a technique that is used in counseling, training, and solving disputes or conflicts. It requires that the listener fully concentrate, understand, respond and then remember what is being said. As it relates to independent pharmacies, active listening can lead to improved sales and patient adherence by constantly thinking about what each customer needs and what products or services you can provide to help them. Active listening lets you show your respect, support, and concern, and promotes trust between you and the customer.
Provide a way for customers to provide feedback. In-store and email surveys are a great way to gauge feedback from your independent pharmacy customers. The good, the bad, and the ugly are all important to know so that you can continuously improve and avoid having unhappy customers voice their feedback publicly. By being open to suggestions and criticisms, you are showing your customers that you are listening to them and their concerns. More importantly, you are willing to change based on that feedback. Once you have developed those relationships, and customers continue to come back month after month, the next step is to ensure they stay happy. The easiest way is to simply go above and beyond whenever possible.

Examples of Going Above and Beyond for Your Pharmacy Customers

Start offering a rewards program
Send happy birthday messages
Start a new patient welcome program
Add little goodies to their bag when they pick up their medications
Offer one month free of medication packaging
Host a customer appreciation event

There are so many things that can be done to help create delight with your independent pharmacy customers. The bottom line to keep patients happy is to consistently deliver what you promise and then continually strive to deliver more. Any independent pharmacist can fill a prescription, but only the best goes above and beyond for their patients!

As fellow pharmacy owners, GRX Marketing knows what works! Over the past decade, we have perfected the art of developing, and implementing, marketing plans for each independent pharmacy’s unique needs. By customizing proven marketing tactics such as in-store, email, patient outreach, social media and more, our program allows pharmacy owners to focus less on marketing their business and spend more time on creating happy customers. Contact us today at www.grxmarketing.com or call 515-280-2914.