by Angela Pinkstaff for our 99 Ways to Make a Positive Difference in Your Pharmacy blog series
Take a moment and look around at your store’s staff members. What do they know about your business that you don’t? What information do they have that everyone on your team should know? What haven’t you asked that you should?
Chances are, it’s quite a bit. Staff members are often the “first line of defense” in the store. They interact closely with customers, answer questions, locate items on shelves, sell products, handle money, address concerns, clean and stock, maintain the exterior, and even listen to the occasional complaint. They’re having valuable conversations with your patient base that frequents your pharmacy, and what they’re learning could bring added revenue to your location. Perhaps a customer has suggested expanding a subcategory that isn’t offered elsewhere which could give you a distinct advantage over your competitors. Maybe a patient has commented on pricing or services that could impact how you manage the front-end, if only you knew. How does your staff communicate that info, and how might empowering them to do so help grow your store?
Beyond customer experience, your employees have unique life experience, not to mention talent. Is it being properly utilized? You selected your staff for a number of reasons: technical experience, personality, diligence, and vision. Collectively, they bring diverse perspectives and skills. Your younger employees are great resources for developing a social media campaign; your more seasoned team members bring years in the field and a wealth of knowledge. Have you held an ideas forum with your employees to capture all the wisdom they possess?
The next time you have a staff meeting, consider starting it with an open invitation to share a recent customer experience and suggestions for in-store improvements. Create a discussion around a topic you’ve had on your mind and let the team brainstorm through it – all ideas welcome. You might be surprised by what you learn.
Angela leads the business development team in their efforts to build relationships with manufacturer clients across the health, beauty and wellness categories. In addition, she develops and implements strategic partnerships with clients to create growth and revenue in the retail and wholesale channels.
