Maximising Your Pharmacy Sales

1
Maximising Your Pharmacy Sales

• TLC Performance

2
Learning Outcomes

• Appreciate importance of the welcome factor
• Develop a true understanding of customer needs
• Understand importance of visual effect in the
  pharmacy
• Effectively communicate with customers to enhance
  sales

3
Learning Outcomes

• Appreciate elements of customer service to win
  long term and profitable customer relationships
• Understand the stages of customers buying
  process and how to influence each stage
• Create extra turnover through selling, adding on
  and cross selling
• Maximise uniqueness of pharmacy

4
The Changing Face of Retail

• Are You in the Drivers Seat?

5
Expectations

• Most Businesses overlook
• Customer experience is set before they walk
  through the door
• Brand image and advertising
• Past experiences
• What people say about you
• What people expect of a pharmacy

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Pre-Purchase

• Activities that you undertake to make a decision
  to buy
• Information
• Web sites
• Customer service
• Pharmacy Scape
• Visual Effect
• Selling Tactics

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Purchase Interactions

• Decide to buy
• Heart of customer experience
• Pharmacy Scape
• Customer Service
• Visual Effect
• Selling Tactics

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Product/Service Consumption

• Actually use product or service
• Use the shampoo, false tan
• Receive medical advice
• Attend a weight management clinic
• Pick up your prescription
• Get your digital photos
• Time for consumption
• Customer Service
• Pharmacyscape

9
Post Experience Review

• Review experience against your expectations
• Reset your expectations
• Reset your opinion
• In future you will match your experience and
  reject or amend your expectations

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Moments of Truth

• Understanding how your customer buys
• Appreciating the pharmacyscape
• Delivering consistent customer service
• Understanding appropriate selling tactics
• Explaining product features and benefits
• Moments of truth
• Maximising Pharmacy Sales

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The Facts

• Retail is not complex
• Common sense
• Number one goal is to please your customers

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How Do Customers Buy?

• Liz Sargesson

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Customers desire to experience the products

• Do you have your testers on display?
• Is it comfortable for the customer to stop and
  browse and use these testers?
• Do your tester stands look inviting?
• Are most of your products accessible to your
  customer?
• If not do you have a sample on display which your
  customer can touch?

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Customers Want To Share Their Opinions

• Do you areas in which your customers can
  comfortably discuss products?
• Are you customers constantly interrupted because
  they are blocking a pathway?
• Sharing opinions about products can lead to
  unexpected sales by your customers! Can you
  accommodate this?
• Do you encourage your customer to return and give
  you feedback?

15
Customers Love To Be Greeted By Name

• Do you encourage a friendly environment by
  greeting the customer by name?
• Do you have a procedure in place to find out a
  customers name should you forget?
• Knowing your customers name will encourage
  loyalty- do you make use of this fact?
• Do you use name badges? Customers love to use
  your name too!

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Customers Expect Value

• Are your discount displays located in an area
  which your customer can browse comfortably?
• Your customer loves a bargain but have you
  considered value for money as opposed to
  cheap?
• Have you approached suppliers of your best
  selling products for discounts, to enable you to
  do a buy one get one half price etc?
• Can you ensure the quality of your bargains?

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Customers Should See Apparent Thoughtfulness

• Men, Senior citizens, Mother and baby, career men
  and women, etc.- each type of customer needs to
  be catered for- are you succeeding?
• Men require - A section which is easy to spot
• - room to browse in
  comfort
• - information
  leaflets or health videos
• - lots of gadgets!

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Senior population

• Do you have you stock positioned so that they do
  not have to bend or stretch?
• Have you got comfortable seating? Is it in a
  comfortable seating area?
• Do you have suitable music playing? Is it too
  loud?
• Is your lighting suitable?
• Is your signage easy to read?

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Career Men and Women

• Do you provide a quick service? A short waiting
  time is a priority for this person
• If waiting time is unavoidable, have you found a
  way to cut the perceived waiting time?
  Positioning of leaflets, reassurance, and
  acknowledgement- is there a procedure in place?
• Is your till positioned conveniently?
• Will they be encouraged to return at the weekend
  by your wonderful displays and service?

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Customers and emotions

• Do you take into account your customers are
  emotional shoppers?
• Regardless of our needs, how we feel during/after
  the transaction will determine if we buy/return
• Do you have procedures in place to ensure
  consistent good customer service?
• When service fails we will find another pharmacy.
• Do you have sufficient staff to provide the
  attention, knowledge, advice and time your
  customer craves?
• Do you have motivated experienced staff who
  prepare your pharmacy read your customers body
  language and know just how your customers buy?

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The PharmacyScape

• Jacqui Dougan

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Pharmacy Scape

• The Pharmacy Stage
• Lights
• Props
• People
• Behind the Scenes

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THE VISIBLE PHARMACY SCAPE
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Visible Pharmacyscape

• Pre-Visit
• Word of mouth
• Advertising
• Image
• Customer awareness
• Magazines
• Website
• Previous experience

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Visible Pharmacy Scape

• Shop Front
• How does it look? Clean or untidy
• Is the green cross sign visible?
• Are the windows well dressed?
• Does the window send a clear message?
• Can the customer see into the shop?
• Is there sticky residue from sellotape on the
  glass?
• Are there any insects in the window?
• Is there adequate lighting in the windows?
• Are there tatty posters in the windows?
• Can I see behind counters from the window-are the
  areas tidy?

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Visible Pharmacy Scape

• Access to the Pharmacy
• Is it easy to access?
• Is the door a "push" or "pull" door- is this
  signposted?
• Can a disabled person access the pharmacy?
• How easy is it for a mother with a pram to access
  the pharmacy?
• Can I see the opening hours clearly?
• Is there an untidy notice board?
• Is the entrance clear and uncluttered?

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Visible Pharmacy Scape

• The Pharmacy Layout
• Is it easy to walk around the store?
• Can we find product areas quickly?
• Can I speak to someone confidentially?
• Is there clear signage?
• Can I see the dispensary clearly?
• Are there shopping baskets
• Are gondolas a hindrance or a sales asset?
• Are there too many stands? Dump bins?

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Visible Pharmacy Scape

• The Product Range
• Have we the right product range?
• Do we offer value?
• Do we offer the correct variety?
• Do we simply promote on price and/or service?
• Is the stock merchandised for maximum visual
  effect?
• Are the shelves tidy and uncluttered?
• Are there any damages or dated stock on the
  shelves?
• Do we make it hard for the customer to select a
  product?

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Visible Pharmacy Scape

• The Shopping Environment
• Is there loud music playing- radio?
• Is it clean and tidy?
• Is it really cold or hot?
• Are there baskets to help me shop?
• Can I smell food in the pharmacy?
• Are there always queues?
• Is the floor dirty?
• Is pricing clear?
• Do they make it difficult for me to find product?
  

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Visible Pharmacy Scape

• Information
• Is there any information about the pharmacy?
• Do they have any leaflets on medical ailments?
• Is the signage clear?
• Can I see the opening hours for the pharmacy?
• Are we cluttered with leaflets?
• Are leaflets displayed in pop up stands/display
  stands
• Do we provide useful or useless information?

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Visible Pharmacy Scape

• Employees
• Are employees well presented?
• Are staff friendly? Do they know me?
• Are staff knowledgeable about the product?
• Do they pay attention to confidentiality?
• Do they respond to my queries in a professional
  manner?
• Can I identify an employee e.g. Name badge
• Do I know who the pharmacist is?

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Visible Pharmacy Scape

• Consultation Areas
• Are consultation areas clean and clutter free?
• Do we have correct information resources?
• Is there comfortable seating with a desk space?
• Is the area/room free from product/packaging not
  related to the consultation?
• Are staff trained to consult?
• Is there a sink etc?
• Is the area non-clinical? Do we have some
  pictures?

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Visible Pharmacy Scape

• Service Recovery
• Do we promote service recovery?
• Do we manage service recovery well?
• Can customers offer feedback freely?
• Do we blame employees following a customer
  complaint?
• Do we use feedback to improve the business?

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YOUR PHARMACY SCAPE

• 10 minutes

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THE INVISIBLE PHARMACY SCAPE
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The Invisible Pharmacy Scape

• Pharmacy Operating Procedures (POPs)
• Facilities
• Colleague Teamwork

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The Invisible Pharmacy Scape

• Internal Communication
• Management Style
• Openness to change and improvement

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Power of Merchandising

• The success display of merchandise will make use
  of the customers own spontaneity, their
  partialities, and yearnings to get them to move
  in the direction of the display and purchase the
  item!

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Merchandising Categories

• There are four main categories we use in pharmacy
• Mainstream Lines
• Impulse lines
• Speciality lines
• Seasonal lines

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Mainstream lines

• The products in this category will be used to
  draw your customers to around the pharmacy and
  are generally placed on a wall bay.
• These are products the customer expects to find
  in every pharmacy and are generally recognised
  brand names
• E.g. Painkillers, dental care, baby-care
  ,skin-care, hair-care, and mens shaving products

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Impulse lines

• These products are placed in the pharmacies Hot
  spots. Usually located at the till point,
  gondola ends, or subtly placed around the store.
• For maximum results these products will be placed
  beside a complimentary mainstream line product or
  opposite them.
• E.g. Hair accessories, batteries, promotional
  products

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Speciality lines

• These are products or services usually provided
  in pharmacy only
• These products are located beside the dispensary
  or in a consultation area
• E.g. OTC medicine, Vitamins, Weight loss
  programme

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Seasonal lines

• These products are promoted at a particular time
  of the year
• The gondola ends are perfect for seasonal lines
  as they should be very visible and usually
  compliment a window display
• E.g. Hay fever, Sun cream, Mothers day, Fathers
  day, Christmas gifts etc.

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Visual Merchandising

• Merchandising is a powerful tool- marketing and
  advertising create an interest but your
  merchandising will ultimately secure or kill a
  sale
• Understanding the different methods of
  merchandising and their appropriate use is
  essential.
• Training all staff on these different techniques
  should be a priority
• Creating a standard operating procedure will
  enable you to train all members of staff for
  consistent results

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Horizontal merchandising

• Using this method you display the same brand of
  product from Left to Right, Tall to Small, across
  the same shelf
• This allows for more visual impact attracting
  attention with its clear lines
• This method allows you to take advantage of the
  manufacture's use of colour to attract attention.
• Leading brands will put a lot of thought into how
  their product will look on the shelf

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Vertical merchandising

• This method allows you to display two leading
  brands alongside each other, left side/ right
  side of the bay on each shelf.
• Vertical merchandising can be an advantage if you
  are short of space
• You will manage to display both leading brands at
  eye level
• It is slightly more difficult to manage this type
  of display

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Cross-Mix Merchandise

• Bring together seemingly unrelated products to
  create a visual story
• Communicates to the customer about products they
  may think you do not stock
• Window- large products as props with smaller ones
  on top
• In store- confirming the purpose of an impulse
  purchase

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Cross-Mix Merchandise

• Keep it clean and to the point
• Use high traffic areas
• A customer views a focal point of merchandise for
  one second

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Eye level merchandising

• Placing your leading brands at eye level allows
  you to take advantage of advertising by the
  manufacturer
• It ensures your customer can spot all familiar
  products as they move through the shop
• These products will sell themselves
• The use of eye level merchandising can help you
  to have more purchasing and stock control

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Shelves

• Standard shelves
• Strike-zones
• Hot spots on shelves
• End gondola
• Cash points

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Shelves

• Most customers notice merchandise between their
  shoulders and knees
• Impact zone- 3.5 ft to 6.5 ft (eye to hand level)
• Top Zone - gt 6.5 ft
• Least effective zone lt3.5 ft

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Shelf space to sales

• Do you use your sales figures to determine how
  much shelf space to give your products?
• Have you too much choice of product in a
  particular category?
• Are your leading brands at eye level? Do they
  have more shelf space?

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Window Display

• Sets the tone
• Communicates the pharmacys image
• Invites the customer in

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Window Display

• Product alone does not tell the passing customer
  why they should come into your pharmacy
• Sell a message, a theme, a lifestyle
• You need to see your windows from your customers
  point of view

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Entrance

• Decompressed Zone
• Sales rarely take place here
• Sales normally happen after the customer passes
  through this zone
• Customer view- Is it inviting? Is it welcome?

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The Right Turn

• Western culture-most people turn to the right
• Place product promotions
• Not necessarily demand items
• First price first impression of the store

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The Pharmacy Counter

• Back
• High traffic area
• High demand products
• Impulse products around cash-point

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Signage

• Do you have signage above each category?
• Do you have signage on your gondolas?
• Do all your special offers have a sign?
• Are your signs clear and visible from any area in
  your pharmacy?
• Are your signs movable?
• Are products hidden behind the signage?

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Merchandising (more) golden rules

• Make use of display material for impact
• Ensure you merchandise for the journey up and
  down the shop - the customer must be able to see
  different displays on each journey ( gondola ends
  are perfect)
• Check your displays daily and make necessary
  re-fills/ adjustments
• Displays must be changed at least once a month

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Consistent Customer Service

• Liz Sargesson

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Setting the standard

• Do you have procedures in place to ensure your
  customer service is consistent?
• Have all staff members been given clear direction
  on how to carry out any given task?
• Do you have a standard greeting?
• Do you know what questions to ask a customer
  buying OTC medicine?

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Setting the standard

• Do you have a procedure for accepting a
  prescription?
• If your customer is waiting, what is the
  procedure?
• When an order arrives in, what is the procedure?
• If a product is out of stock, what is the
  procedure?
• Is there a procedure for special orders?

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Setting the standard

• Each daily task requires clear direction
• Each member of staff should carry out daily tasks
  in a consistent manner so that the customer knows
  they can rely on your service
• Your procedure manual becomes a valuable training
  manual

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Setting the standard

• Accepting a prescription procedure
• Confirm the customers name and address
• If it is for a child, check the age of the child
  and write it on the script
• Ask the customer if they would like to wait or
  call back
• Inform the customer approximately how long the
  prescription will take

65
Face to Face interaction-asking the correct
questions

• Do you ask the correct questions?
• What?
• How?
• Who?
• When?

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Face to Face interaction-look for assistance

• Do you know when to look for assistance?
• Do you try to guess the solution?
• Do you know when the pharmacist is required
• Are you aware who is the most knowledgeable in
  any particular area? Do you try to learn from
  them?

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Face to Face interaction-product not in stock?

• If you do not stock a product or it is out of
  stock, do you suggest an alternative?
• Do you go out of your way to order the product?
• Can you be relied upon to follow up on this
  product?
• Do you keep your customer informed?

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Face to Face interaction-confidentiality

• Are you conscious of how your own personal
  hygiene/ habits can affect your customers
  experience?
• Do you ensure all your customers information
  remains confidential at all times?
• Do you ensure your employers/ team mates
  business is also confidential?
• Do you apply these rules when socialising?

69
Face to Face interaction-dealing with complaints

• When dealing with complaints do you remain calm ?
• Do you ignore the anger and deal with the
  complaint?
• Do you show empathy ? The tone of your voice is
  important
• Are you aware of not admitting liability if it is
  a serious complaint? Seek the assistance of your
  manager

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Face to Face interaction-product knowledge

• Do you have excellent product knowledge?
• Do you take the appropriate steps to ensure you
  keep up to date or request training?
• Do you keep up to date with advertising and new
  products?
• Do you check out your competition?

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Face to Face interaction-go that extra mile!

• Do you give your customer a reason to smile?
• Do you offer assistance if required to bring
  their bags to the car?
• Do you check out your competition to ensure you
  outshine their service?

72
Face to Face interaction-work as a team!

• Do you treat your team mates with the same
  respect and thoughtfulness as your customers?
• Are you positive about changes and training?
• Are you patient with teammates who may be
  struggling?

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Selling Tactics

• Jacqui Dougan

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Selling

• Customer wants something
• They decide to shop with you
• In store they make a decision
• Exchange of money
• Close of sale

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Keep in mind!

• Not just about how many people buy or dont buy
• It is maximising every customer opportunity
• How much does the customer buy?
• What steps need to happen to ensure that
  customers are given the opportunity to buy some
  of the higher profit and branded products

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Did The Customer Buy Anything Before Leaving the
Pharmacy?

• Direct link between number of customers coming
  through your door each day and number of sales
  made
• No point in creating big images, invest in lots
  of advertising and beautiful layouts if customer
  numbers do not translate to sales!
• E.g. 150 customers visit your pharmacy today and
  100 purchase?

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Was the experience convenient and pleasant? Will
they come back?

• Beautiful stores and layouts do not make
  customers come back to you!
• Understanding the customer
• Excellent sales staff
• Great product range and value
• This brings the customer back

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Selling Methods

• Silent selling
• Support selling
• Active selling

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Support Selling

• Selling by all staff
• Requires general knowledge of products and
  services
• Staff selling skills are critical

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Active Selling

• Proactive selling
• Employee takes initiative and offers customer
  assistance
• Reactive selling
• Employee offers assistance when the customer
  shows that they require it

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Informing the Customer

• Your replies need to be
• Clear and accurate
• Complete and confident
• Avoid local jargon
• Polite
• Knowledgeable about features and benefits
• Actually answers their question
• Seek assistance when required

82
Is the Customer Given Every Opportunity to Buy
Add-Ons?

• Up selling
• Pack size and value
• Non Brand to brand
• Cross-selling
• A product linked to the primary product

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Add-Ons

• Do not make assumptions about an individuals
  income
• Introduce add ons at time of buying
• Require good product knowledge
• Be confident
• Do not act like a parrot

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Add-ons

• What add ons can we sell in the following
  scenarios
• Hay fever tablets
• Cough mixture
• Self Tan
• Babies feeding bottle
• Lip balm

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Difficult Customers

• Sale is not closing
• Address the customer concerns
• They may want to return- Thats great, come on
  in and just ask for me. My name is Mary. I look
  forward to seeing you tomorrow morning
• A customer may still say NO! Address the reasons

86
Product Features and Benefits

• Liz Sargesson

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Features

• Do you sell the features of a product to your
  customer?
• The features tell us and the customer what this
  product is, and explains its function
• When we are first introduced to a product the
  features become immediately obvious to us by the
  print or picture explaining what type of product
  it is

88
Features

• We will use a fragrance an example 1 of product
  features
• The shape of the bottle, the colours, and the
  name suggest to us this is a ladies
• it is a pure perfume
• it contains sweet smelling essential oils
• it is a beautiful 30ml bottle
• it is created by the latest in celeb

89
Features

• Example 2
• This is a large size multi- vitamin
• It contains 12 different vitamin types
• It is in capsule form
• Large size
• Known organic brand

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Benefits

• The benefits of a product are the details that
  help you understand the way a product works and
  its advantages
• The benefits of example 1 are as follows
• It is a pure perfume and therefore the fragrance
  will last up to six times longer than an edt
• The sweet essential oils ensure it is a light
  fragrance and suitable to most tastes

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Benefits

• -The bottle size ensures it is a good handbag
  size and suitable for travel
• Its made by Britney and is really popular at
  the moment
• Example 2
• It contains all the RDA of vitamins
• They are easy to swallow capsule

92
Retrain your mind

• Do you take every opportunity to engage your
  customer and seek that important sale?
• Using every chance you can will give you
  confidence, and more product knowledge to keep
  the customer informed .
• Dont forget to use your existing product
  knowledge about a similar product to assist the
  customer

93
Retrain your mind

• For example
• If its an expensive dry skin product therefore
  it will
• Penetrate the skin and hydrate the skin
  throughout the day
• Regenerate the skin for a visibly smoother finish
• Use only small amounts it should last up to six
  months!

94
Retrain your mind

• Likewise if its an inexpensive product you need
  only say
• Its moisturises the skin
• Apply 1-2 times daily or as required
• Once again do not be afraid to give the customer
  all that valuable information you have

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Moment Mapping

• Jacqui Dougan

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Moments of Truth

• Map the customer journey
• Consider all contacts with the pharmacy
• Work out customers expectation
• What are the threats?
• Opportunity to exceed physical and emotional
  expectations
• Emotion Evoked

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Example

• Purchasing Lancome Facial Cream
• Customer chooses to come to your pharmacy
• Work out the steps

98
Thank You

• Can you please complete
• The evaluation sheet
• Multiple choice form
• References
• www.counterintelligence
• www.tlcperformance.org
• Thank you