Active Member
Hi, I'm setting up a 100 hours pharmacy. I plan to sell medicine products but no toiletries etc. I will need 2 tills with scanners. Can anyone recommend a machine? Is it worth buying a pair that can be networked and linked to a computer for stock control or is this an unnecessary gimmick if you aren't doing large amounts of retail?
Opinions would be appreciated.
ChopperT
Newly registered in 1981
Originally Posted by ChopperT
If the retail element is going to be small, there will be a local supplier who can fix you up with a general electronic cash register that allows you to do an X read (end of day) and a Z read (end of week and month) to allow cashing up and reconciliation of money.
If the counter grows, then you could think about EPOS. It does the basic till stuff and it will allow you to keep an eye on sales so that you don't end up with a stock mountain, or keep running out of stuff. You can also keep an eye on 'shrinkage'. You can also do fancy analysis, such as looking at group purchases (ie what customers buy together if they buy more than one thing etc), and seasonal stuff as well.
There are a few dedicated pharmacy EPOS systems.
Retail Manager from CegedimRx - a bit dated but functional. They are doing integration work with CSY on a new system as well
Cegedim Rx - CSY EPOS
CSY Vector
CSY Computer Systems
The site confirms Cegedim are doing some integration work.
Positive Solutions : Analyst
Positive Solutions Limited
Most of these systems use updates fed from the Chemists & Druggists price lists which is designed to support pharmacy operations, with Barcodes, PIP codes, Legal Category etc etc. that makes pharmacy front of shop complicated.
Then of course you need to get the right staff...
Last edited by Pharmanaut; 7th, November 2008 at 09:16 PM. Reason: csy
Where am I?; In the Pharmacy.
Who are you?; The new Number 2.
Who is number 1?; You are number 6.
What do you want?;..................
Fantastic Member
PSL is brilliant, as you can link the cost of private prescriptions from labelling in the dispensary through to the cash register at the front of house where the patient will pay.
Defender Of Pills
at my old shop we used positive solutions. the till software was excellent and touchscreen based - the summaries and sales reports came out in plain english too.
It ran in a windows environment and constantly saved to a HDD so if the software crashed you could reset and get things going again right away.
My only complaint was that the supplied pc hardware the system ran on was rubbish - however you might be able to specify a different till unit. Don't go for the ultra-compact thingy!
Just a thought chopper - is the 100 hour application in a relatively affluent area or a 'downmarket' area? If it's the latter then i recommend stocking toiletries etc of the '99p line' variety from your wholesaler as they can be massive sellers. At one shop i worked at they took over £2k a week almost exclusively on the cheapo stuff. Do a bit of nosing around your area to see what possible selling opportunities are around. Once open, consider operating a 'missed sales' book - and set a rule eg if over 10 requests for an item in one week (excluding new launch stuff) consider stocking it regularly...
“It's not worth doing something unless you were doing something that someone, somewhere, would much rather you weren't doing.”
Terry Pratchett
Fantastic Member
Only problem with touch screen is that you get home and start bashing away at your own computer!
The PSL offering is brilliant -
However a touch screen till - at least for me - means looking at the till to see which button to press rather than making eye contact with the customer - maybe it's because I'm old and adapt less easily - but I do find them a barrier to communication.
(Bit like being examined by a GP who appears more intent on their computer screen than on the patient in front of them)
Jeff
Newly registered in 1981
Noticed that at the surgery reception as well.
They always say I'll have to check 'on computer'.
I'm changing my name patient 6178 to make it easier for them.
Guess you realised that was a bit tongue in cheek.
Where am I?; In the Pharmacy.
Who are you?; The new Number 2.
Who is number 1?; You are number 6.
What do you want?;..................
It's endemic - try shopping at Currys.
"Name? Postcode"
"Feck it - either take my money or not"
Jeff
Moderator
Back in the 80s locumed for a chap who had an MBA in addition to pharmacy.
He had (I believe) a John Richardson EPOS till and reckoned it had paid for itself in sales he had not lost to the main high st. Dispensary was Hadley Hutt then eclipse which had a wonderful ordering system where products were ordered daily from main wholesaler, but also accumulated an order for once a month short line.
When a rep was coming in, he could printout complete review of that cos sales and told me that he reckoned the use of computers saved him at least two staff.
He did employ a keen saturday boy who checked physical stock against the cptr, this also identified shrinkage areas.
johnep
Newly registered in 1981
One of the pharmacies where I locum has a member of staff who takes on the task of looking for the best possible prices on the fast moving dispensing stock. The incentive is a percentage bonus - she knows all the prices and where to buy, and also watches the stock like a hawk.
Where am I?; In the Pharmacy.
Who are you?; The new Number 2.
Who is number 1?; You are number 6.
What do you want?;..................
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