by Jen Johnston

No matter how hard you try, you cannot mold your customers to fit your business. Don’t give them what you *think* they want, or what *you* think is “best for them.” You must find out what they want and adjust your business accordingly. This is called having a “customer orientation.”

It’s easy to think to yourself, “Well, they just don’t know what they need” or “they think they need that, but they don’t.” Are you sure you aren’t only thinking about what you and your pharmacy need or want? The business that is customer-oriented shifts its thinking away from what it needs and wants to what the customer need or wants…or is willing to buy. Why stock it if they aren’t buying it?

Having a customer orientation means executing planned, integrated marketing activities which involves:

• identifying your particular market segments,
• learning what customers want and need, and how they think and feel about your store,
• doing a good job of meeting those needs, and
• communicating effectively with your customers.

If you identify that a sizable amount of your shoppers fall within a market segment you are not serving, you might have a hard time identifying with them and their needs or wants. It wouldn’t hurt to ask a few of them to participate in a small panel or survey in exchange for money-off of products or a giveaway. Let them talk about what they value and what kinds of products or services they would like your store to offer. You will learn firsthand what they want – no more need for guesswork!