The key to a thriving business when you're running a small, independent pharmacy is exceptional customer service, since customer satisfaction breeds consumer loyalty. What goes on behind the pharmacy counter in that “employees only” area affects customer satisfaction, a fact that every independent pharmacist knows. What many may not realize is that it affects more than just wait times. There are several other, less obvious ways that a broken pharmacy workflow can detract from the average customer experience.

How Broken Pharmacy Workflow Can Cause Customer Dissatisfaction

A disorganized work area can impact customer satisfaction in a number of ways. Among the more obvious are wait times for prescriptions, pharmacist counseling or other services – such as immunizations or blood pressure checks, for instance – as well as an increased risk of dispensing mistakes.

Less tangible effects are related to the time constraints and high stress levels that a disorganized workplace can cause. For instance, poor pharmacy workflow typically makes that behind-the-counter work take longer than it should, reducing the time you and your employees can spend interacting with your customers. Additionally, feeling constantly pressed for time changes the tone of those interactions, making it harder to be friendly, helpful and relaxed with customers.

This chaos causes stress in the workplace that often leads to high employee turnover – yet another factor that can lead to customer dissatisfaction. Customers feel better served when they develop a friendly rapport with familiar faces – after all, doing business with people who know who you are and what you need is a major part of the appeal of using a small, local pharmacy instead of those big, impersonal chain stores.

Fixing That Broken Pharmacy Workflow

In most cases, when a workflow system is less than optimal, it is because it hasn't been deliberately designed, but rather has developed organically – generally in a rather piecemeal sort of manner as new challenges arise. While that sort of system can get you through the day, it can greatly limit your potential in terms of production, workplace atmosphere, and of course, that all-important customer satisfaction.

So how do you fix this problem? For most independent pharmacies, the place to start is with better workplace organization. That may, depending upon your individual situation, include installing well-designed work stations for each step of your process, improved inventory and storage solutions designed for your specific daily needs, and updated pharmacy technology.

All-in-all, the most important part of the process is to look at the bigger picture, seeing pharmacy workflow as a comprehensive system, rather than simply a list of separate tasks to be completed. Once that concept is firmly in mind, you'll be able to spot inefficiencies in that process much more easily, designing a smoother, more efficient system for the benefit of your customers, your employees and, last but certainly not least, your bottom line.