Organising pharmacy shop (otc) lines

[birdy]

Hi,

I'm doing the medical counter assistant course and relatively new to working in a pharmacy.
Ive been asked by the boss to organise all otc lines, meaning, purchase stock which has somehow disappeared, then put on paper what goes where. I know you can download some stuff to help, but i cant find it, does anyone know what im on about?
Also does any one have a idea on how i can organise the shop floor, i need to devise a plan so things dont disappear and forgotten. The lack of organisation is because im not the only one who works the shop, there are other students, pharmacists and part time staff.
thanks in advance if anyone can just help me make the ordering and organising and continuity run smoothly.
bird

[Pharmanaut]

Hi,

I'm doing the medical counter assistant course and relatively new to working in a pharmacy.
Ive been asked by the boss to organise all otc lines, meaning, purchase stock which has somehow disappeared, then put on paper what goes where. I know you can download some stuff to help, but i cant find it, does anyone know what im on about?
Also does any one have a idea on how i can organise the shop floor, i need to devise a plan so things dont disappear and forgotten. The lack of organisation is because im not the only one who works the shop, there are other students, pharmacists and part time staff.
thanks in advance if anyone can just help me make the ordering and organising and continuity run smoothly.
bird

If you have EPOS get some reports and work accordingly.
They should work for your shop.
Also watch what is on TV in your area (C&D usually list this) and if they aren't expensive, order a few.
If the [P] medicine has a sales protocol, type this up in simple steps and laminate them.

[dizzyb23]

If you're new to Pharmacy, how come all this organising has been dumped on you or is it just a student project??????

[johnep]

The multiples have planograms based on who is paying them to display an item at eye level, shelf space according to sales, rough pharmacological groupings, eg stomach meds. analgesics, coug and cold etc.
Nature abhors a vacuum and so do the multiples. Most check every day for 'gaps'.
johnep

[Pharmanaut]

The multiples have planograms based on who is paying them to display an item at eye level, shelf space according to sales, rough pharmacological groupings, eg stomach meds. analgesics, coug and cold etc.
Nature abhors a vacuum and so do the multiples. Most check every day for 'gaps'.
johnep

Eye level is buy level, as they used to say.
Also the hours spent 'pulling forward' as student....

[birdy]

If you're new to Pharmacy, how come all this organising has been dumped on you or is it just a student project??????

Good question, i think its because they dont have full time counter staff, so nobody is wanting to do it, i cant exactly say no can i?
The only way i can do it is to take things home, but i dont have the time and energy to do it with three young children to care for, and at the end of the day im not being paid for it so my home time is mine. They going to have to accept that its going to be a slow process.
No, its not a student project.

[birdy]

thanks im going to have some homework it seems

[birdy]

The multiples have planograms based on who is paying them to display an item at eye level, shelf space according to sales, rough pharmacological groupings, eg stomach meds. analgesics, coug and cold etc.
Nature abhors a vacuum and so do the multiples. Most check every day for 'gaps'.
johnep

Ive had a look at a few of these planograms on internet to download, now to search for decent product lines to fill those empty gaps.
Any ideas about how to organise a catalogue list of all product lines, so anyone whos manning the counter can refer to catalogue and see which product is ordered from where? Does that make sense?

[johnep]

Should be all part of the epos system. I know eclipse does it for dispensary items.
johnep

[dizzyb23]

I still think it's unfair to dump such an extensive project onto a new person. I'm not saying that you're not capable or anything like that but what the hell have they been doing in the store all this time???? I understand how you might feel being the newbie, not wanting to be negative etc but someone must have been in charge there before you started!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway, me moaning about it doesn't help you......the suggestions already mentioned are the best ideas, epos, planograms etc. I personally would not spend a single second of my own time on this as we are not voluntary workers. Trust me, you will not be thanked for all the hard work you will be putting into this. Not sure if you've already mentioned but are you working for a large multiple or an independent Pharmacy??? Be careful about naming companies...