91. Stock OTCs that address side effects top-selling prescription drugs can cause

by Steve Choate for our 99 Ways to Make a Positive Difference in Your Pharmacy blog series Prescription drugs are wonderful things. They help treat the ailments afflicting your patients. Over time, these drugs improve your patients’ health so they can resume their normal routines. However, using these drugs may also lead to side effects … Read more

21. Build your communication skills

By Mary Hart for our “99 Ways to Make a Positive Difference in Your Pharmacy” blog series What is communication? It is the process of transferring signals/messages between a sender and a receiver through various methods (written words, nonverbal cues, spoken words). It is also the mechanism we use to establish and modify relationships. If your staff has … Read more

39. Meet one new customer each day

By Megan Moyer for our “99 Ways to Make a Positive Difference in Your Pharmacy” blog series I’ll admit, when I read the title of this post, I thought, “how could a pharmacist meet one new customer each day?” But it doesn’t mean you have to hit the pavement or constantly go to community or networking events, there’s … Read more

43. Partner with other local businesses

by Steve Choate for our 99 Ways to Make a Positive Difference in Your Pharmacy blog series You’ve likely heard the saying, “No man is an island.” Likewise, no pharmacy is an island. You cannot do it all alone. Today’s retail environment is more challenging than ever. Not only are you competing with other brick-and-mortar … Read more

4. Recommend products to improve customers’ health

by Aaron T. for our 99 Ways to Make a Positive Difference in Your Pharmacy blog series Now more than ever, there are an enormous amount of over-the-counter (OTC) treatments to choose from. With all of the choices available, the decision-making process can be overwhelming for consumers. Most of the time, shoppers make decisions on … Read more

17. Listen to your staff

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 … Read more

36. Enter your store through the front door

by Julie Bonnell  for our 99 Ways to Make a Positive Difference in Your Pharmacy blog series We all get into routines. In fact, routines allow us to be efficient at repetitive tasks we need to accomplish so we can focus on the more demanding aspects of our day. The trouble with routine is that we … Read more

2. Talk to your customers every day!

by Steve Choate for our 99 Ways to Make a Positive Difference in Your Pharmacy blog series From my earliest days in retail, I was told by loss prevention teams to always engage every customer I saw and say “Hello” and ask “How may I help you?” The teams’ reasoning was that this would discourage … Read more

24. Mail birthday and special wish cards

by Julie Bonnell for our 99 Ways to Make a Positive Difference in Your Pharmacy blog series In my visits to independent pharmacies, one thing that always stands out for me when I stop and talk to customers is the personal relationship they have with the pharmacist. When asked, “why do you come here?” the … Read more

25. Be accessible to your employees (associates)

by Steve Choate for our 99 Ways to Make a Positive Difference in Your Pharmacy blog series The greatest assets that you have are not the building, inventory, or your location. The greatest assets you have are your employees. My first recommendation is that you call them something other than employees. Here at Hamacher Resource … Read more