by Jen Johnston You say “Hello” to a young female customer walking in the store. She says “Hi” softly, avoids eye contact, and heads over to your OTC area. You don’t know it yet, but this young lady is in the store to pick up a product for a condition she deems embarrassing – a … Read More
consumer experience
“Customers are never an interruption.” Yeah, right.
by Jen Johnston “Customers are never an interruption.” What do you think about that phrase? I think it is a big, fat lie. Of course customers are an interruption! As a pharmacist, you are doing a million different things, and when a patient suddenly interjects his- or herself into your rhythm, that is just plain … Read More
Develop a Customer Orientation
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 … Read More
19. Develop a customer loyalty program
by Colleen Volheim for our 99 Ways to Make a Positive Difference in Your Pharmacy series You have a variety of shoppers. You definitely want to keep them all coming back, and a loyalty program will help you do just that. To begin, you need to know who is shopping your store. Information you capture about … Read More
Dear well-known mass chain store
by Jen Johnston I have a bone to pick with you. I can’t find what I need on your website, but I know you carry it. As a little background for you, my 3-year-old son was diagnosed with celiac disease in the last six months. That is an autoimmune condition where he cannot consume any … Read More
Give shoppers a condition-specific roadmap to garner add-on purchases and store loyalty!
By Jen Johnston My preschooler has a medical condition called fructose malabsorption. (It is a condition that may affect up to 33% of people, although most don’t realize it.) Like many medical conditions, there are a lot of ins and outs – especially ingredients that are off limits. This goes for food (no agave nectar, … Read More
92. Solicit customer suggestions
By Angela Pinkstaff for our “99 Ways to Make a Positive Difference in Your Pharmacy” blog series A large specialty chain was moving into a new community, and there was very vocal opposition from residents about the threat the chain might pose to local businesses. Rather than skirt the issue, the store opened its doors to the community at … Read More
You might also like…a new category to shop from
By Jenny Kosek How many engagement zones are in your store? MobileMarketer.com ran this thought provoking article about the revolution currently underway in store layout and merchandising strategy. From the article: In the past, stores were designed with departments and aisles to influence shopper behavior with an eye toward encouraging shoppers to view as many … Read More
A great image will sell your product
Introduction: If you are selling or showcasing your CPG products online, a clear, sharp image of your product – showing multiple sides and views – may increase sales potential significantly. In this post, guest blogger, Julie Massey, HRG’s visual assets coordinator, explains the importance of having uniformity of image content on your site. When you … Read More
Party Planning for Retail
by Dave Wendland During a recent series of Continuing Education (CE) programs focused on the retail aspects of a drugstore operation, I challenged participants to think of the “guests” they are inviting to their store no differently than planning a party at their home. Here’s the process. The guest list. One of the first steps … Read More