Like any other business, pharmacy needs to make a profit. We can maximise our profit in the dispensing business through careful buying and careful dispensing. We can drive income from services: NHS services and private services. We can also make sure we make the most of our opportunities with retail sales.

In many pharmacies, general retail sales have reduced because of the change in the retail environment. Competition for sales of toiletries and cosmetics has expanded over the years. It is difficult to compete on price with supermarkets and discounters. Pharmacies need to ensure their product ranges meet their customers’ needs much more effectively.

Medicine sales are a core element of our business and we should make sure we make the most of the opportunity this presents. This is often not a statement that resonates well with pharmacists and pharmacy staff, as there can be a perception of conflict between commercial pressures and professional pressures.

The thought of driving medicine sales may already be making some readers feel uneasy, but please read on, as effective selling can be delivered in a very professional and ethical way, and meet the healthcare needs of the customer or patient.

What is selling?

There are certain perceptions around selling in pharmacy. Link selling is often seen as quite an unprofessional activity. When we ask people the image they think of in response to the word ‘selling’, it is usually the stereotype of the double-glazing or used car salesman who is out to sell you things that you don’t need in order to make more profit. However, good selling is just good customer service.

People come to the pharmacy with needs; sometimes they know exactly what these are and at other times they are not aware of all of their needs. Good customer service is about helping people understand all of their needs and meet them most effectively.

Think about the following scenario. You go into a hardware store and tell the sales assistant that you needed to put up a picture up at home. They sell you a picture hook. When you get home, you find you don’t have the nail to fix it to the wall and you need to make a second trip to the shop. When you get home this time, you realise that you have no hammer. On your next visit you look at some different picture hooks; they meet your needs better, even though they are slightly more expensive.

This might be a bit of a caricature, but we can see the parallels with what goes on in the
pharmacy. Good customer service is meeting our customers’ needs fully and most effectively.