Firstly, Happy New Year and congratulations on surviving the Christmas rush – our craziest, busiest time of the year.
You have, no doubt, set yourself a few personal New Year’s resolutions and they are now in full swing:
- Lose weight
- Detox
- Improve fitness levels
- Eat less chocolate
- Stress less…………just to list a few!
So, why not set your pharmacy a New Year’s Resolution? It could be something as simple as what we have chosen to do in our pharmacy:
SMILE MORE………to improve our customer service.
How can we improve customer service, just by smiling you may ask? As Pharmacy Assistants, a smile is one of the most important yet basic customer service skills.
Engage with your customer; make eye contact, smile, make them feel welcome as you interact. People who have received great customer service often share their positive experience with others and reward you with complements and a smile in return.
Of course, a smile alone doesn’t guarantee excellent customer service, but excellent customer service should always start with a smile.
A smile establishes a rapport and initiates trust. Here are the many things a simple smile can do:
- It’s the first step in connecting with our confused elderly patients, allowing them to gain reassurance.
- A smile has no limitations when it comes to language barriers.
- It can be an ice-breaker— especially for those customers who may be a little difficult or not as approachable— and a sign that you understand their issue, and your willingness to please them.
- Your smile can be used as a non-verbal gesture. It reassures the waiting customer that you will be attending to them as soon as possible.
For many patients, a visit to your pharmacy is the only contact they have outside of their home. So, your smile not only says, “I’m glad to see you” or “I hope you’re feeling okay”, but, “see you next time and take care of yourself”.
In community pharmacy the “first impression” is what counts when it comes to welcoming new customers and retaining our already valued customers. I encourage you to make ‘smile more’ your pharmacy’s New Year’s resolution!
Put a smile on your dial, value your customers, and most of all continue to enjoy this wonderful profession we all have.
Until next time,
Julie Warhurst
Queensland Pharmacy Assistant of the Year 2015