Your pharmacy shelving can do much more than just display and store merchandise. You just have to know how to use it.
It can help you sell more merchandise by "directing" traffic
You can actually "direct" your customers' paths through your store. Construct your store's layout with gondola shelving so that they see everything you have to offer.
When your customers enter your store, they will generally first look left, and then go right. Capitalize on this natural propensity by directing customers to a footpath that meanders counterclockwise through your store. The footpath should be wide enough to allow easy passage from traffic in either direction, and it should allow customers to break away, browse specific departments, and then return to the central footpath to continue shopping.
Customers should be able to see every department and major display from this footpath. They won't miss a thing, and it makes shopping easy so that they'll enjoy it. As a result, you'll sell more.
It can help prevent theft
You have two specific concerns when it comes to theft. The first concern is that you sell controlled substances like OxyContin, putting you at high risk for what can be dangerous (armed) theft. The second concern is ordinary "shrinkage," or merchandise theft as a result of shoplifting.
In either case, you can actually thwart potential thieves in your store with your pharmacy shelving setups:
- Lock away controlled substances
Lock away controlled substances behind the pharmacy counter, out of sight. Even though they can't see them, thieves will still know you have them, so lock substances away unless you're actually filling a prescription.
- Keep merchandise neat and organized
You should have enough pharmacy shelving – and the right kinds of shelving – to display all merchandise clearly so that you and your customers can see it at a glance. You'll be able to see any disarray caused by a potential shoplifting incident easily. Your customers can also easily see what you have to offer, and will be encouraged to shop.
- Create "dead end" aisles that lead back out to your central footpath
Set your pharmacy shelving up so that all aisles dead-end and lead back out to your central footpath; you'll thwart attempts to shoplift. Customers can only exit through your checkout lanes, which discourages potential shoplifters and gives your employees a chance to catch any suspicious behavior.
It can make your workspace more efficient
When your workspace isn't as efficient as it could be, you lose money, and customers suffer with longer wait times. Use pharmacy shelving and fixtures to:
- Direct workspace traffic
Construct an efficient footpath in the tight quarters of the workspace. Technicians should need to take as few steps as possible to complete a prescription fill, for example, and there should be no traffic "bottlenecks" that can impede progress.
- Improve other aspects of workspace efficiency
Countertops should be at the right height, and shelving and fixtures, such as small footprint carousels with inventory should be placed in convenient locations for easy access.
It can help you ensure observance of HIPAA regulations
New, stricter HIPAA regulations went into effect in September of 2013, which means it's even more important now to protect patients' privacy. Use shelving and fixtures to keep PHI locked up and secure, away from unauthorized hands, and establish centralized workstations with strict access protocols for increased security.
Your pharmacy shelving can do much more than just display merchandise. Use it to make shopping easier for your customers, boost profits, help prevent theft, increase workflow efficiency and protect sensitive patient information.
