3 strategies pharmacies can apply to meet growing customer expectations

Customer-centric approach

There was a time when retail businesses have been built based on product-centric approaches. But as the customers have evolved, retailers are slowly shifting towards a customer-centric approach.
 
With the evolving nature of competition and customer behavior, customer-centricity is becoming a more efficient approach in driving business growth. 
 
Customer-centric retailers rely on generating business through their repeat customers and aim at maximizing their recurring revenues. They provide more than just good support and service to help their customers achieve their outcomes. 

Challenges facing retailers to apply this approach

Retailers, however, are facing tough challenges to become customer-centric in today's rapidly changing environment due to the following reasons: 

• The emerging use of online shopping increased customers’ expectations about being served anytime & anywhere and always seeking prompt responses.
• The spread of social media which used as a suitable place for customers to communicate their feedback about product and service quality puts a retailer's image and reputation at risk, especially with negative reviews that may go viral quickly. 
• Consumer behavior is also affected by trends that could appear suddenly and spread rapidly. 

So, how pharmacies could meet growing customer expectations in these rapidly changing circumstances?!

To achieve this objective and to overcome these challenges, pharmacies could apply the following strategies  

Strategy 1: Adopting a holistic approach

Pharmacies should adopt a holistic approach by handling many aspects of business processes that impact customer experience.

 As measuring customer satisfaction, analyzing customer needs, and customizing offers and promotion with a focus on customer complaints resolving

And not settle for only one or two aspects such as making offers or give gifts to customers.

To apply this strategy you can do the following:

• Analyze customer traffic inside your store and make adjustments to stands and fixtures to ensure customer convenience.
• Improve the display of merchandise inside the store to provide a better shopping experience and enable customers to access their needed products. 
• Review customer buying process and try to eliminate all non-added value activities that may consume time and not add benefit to customers. 
• perform customer service activities as possible
   

Strategy 2: Utilizing all communication channels

Pharmacies should also utilize all available communication channels especially, social media platforms which strengthen their bond and relationship with customers.

To apply this strategy you can do the following:

• Activate digital channels that your customers like to use (Facebook page, Facebook messenger, Whatsapp,…etc.)  

• Specify a dedicated phone number for customers feedback

• Encourage your staff to communicate with customers

• Let customers know that you are always ready to receive their feedback

Strategy 3: Exist on all available sales channels

Pharmacies should guarantee their strong presence on all sales channels such as in-store, call center or phone channels, social media channels, and online shops to be available where customers want to shop with a focus on online sales channels as customers are increasingly using it now.

To apply this strategy you can do the following:

• Ensure that your store is ready for serving customers and avoid receiving goods during rush hours

• Ensure that your phone is always available, and add another phone number if you have a high calls rate

• Give special attention to social channels like Facebook and Whatsapp by dedicating a team member to oversee them because many customers prefer to use them for ordering.

• Subscribe your pharmacy to online pharmacy applications & platforms to receive online orders

• If you could afford a little more investment, you could build your branded online store that represents your pharmacy only to ensure a strong presence in the growing e-commerce market.

Conclusion

Adopting a customer-centric approach has more importance now than ever because of the growing customers’ expectations and increasing competition.

Although most pharmacies face the same situation, it is important to note that not all pharmacies meet the same challenges.

So it is essential to get to know customers better and collect enough information about their preferences before deciding the suitable strategy needed to achieve the best results.