SHELF OBSESSED

Planning a pharmacy redesign? There's a lot to think about. A pharmacy redesign isn't just about slapping on some fresh paint and redoing your floor plan. You have to figure out how to accommodate industry-specific storage standards for your workspace, clean room, and supply room. You also need to address specific requirements for HIPAA privacy regulations and ensure the safety of your employees and customers.

You may not think about your pharmacy design often, but it's important to your customers' experience. The wrong design can drive your customers away. The right design can attract your customers to your store and keep them coming back again and again.

If you're about to remodel your existing pharmacy or build a new one, you'll need the help of a firm that specializes in pharmacy design. Why? Three main reasons:

When patients and customers enter your pharmacy, are they suddenly confronted with a relatively sterile and unwelcoming environment – or one that's homey, welcoming, even elegant? If it's a bit too institutional, some customized shelving can fix that problem and significantly enhance your image.

As an independent pharmacist, your main job is to provide stellar service and patient care to your customers and patients. That's what your customers expect, too. Here are six things that are expected:

As an independent pharmacist, you can provide the type of pharmacy customer service and personalized care that big box pharmacies can't. 

Even though you rely on your pharmacy's "back end" – your prescription counter – to bring in a lot of your profits, it's no secret that your front end – your merchandise section – is also a major contributor to profits. Because of that, you should pay as much attention to the front end of your business as you do to the back end.

Have you inherited your family-owned pharmacy from a parent or grandparent? If so, congratulations! You're ready to launch a whole new era for your community while giving them the continuity they crave. How can you keep the "flavor" of your pharmacy without ignoring what made it successful, but also make it your own?

You can make the most of your front-end merchandise space as part of your pharmacy design without stuffing merchandise into displays haphazardly or making your customers squeeze through tight spaces. How? Read on.

Is it time to remodel your pharmacy?