How to Lose Business

[Ally]

Im so annoyed, went to my normal pharmacy to get a rx for Zineryt 90mls. Asked for it to be dispensed as 3 x 30mls. Lady at counter goes away, looks in c&d comes back as says she cant cost it costs more so they lose out. So i asked her if shes actually looked at suppliers price rather then the guide price, she has no clue what im talking about. (Independant pharmacy)

I inform her im a pharmacist and ask to speak to the pharmacist. She asks me why i cant do it at my own shop. I have to explain to the over the counter assitant that it doesnt work like that when you locum. Ask to speak to the pharmacist. he comes and I explain the same thing again. He looks in the same bloody book and comes back and says no. So after 20 years of business il be taking my custom elsewhere!

Yes im am moaning, but i locum and mangers are always asking me how they can improve there business. GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE! It may be the way i was trained but if i was the pharmacist i would have looked at the suppliers price for 30ml and 90 ml sizes then looked it drug tariff to see how much i will be reimbursed. If the cost doesn't work out i would have offered to ring the gp. Especially since that gp is about 2 steps from their front door, take customers number and ring them back later. It would have taken them 30 seconds to look on my record to see they have been dispensing 3x30ml bottles to me for the last 5 years.

Dont think im being unreasonable. Especially since i know independants usually have about 3 or 4 suppliers on the go.

And before anyone says why didnt i go back to the dr myself- dont even get me started on lazy receptionist or those who have elevated themselves to a level higher then the doctor.

[johnep]

Why do you want 3 x 30 mls? Just to be awkward?
johnep

[JonF]

If you are a pharmacist then you will know if Rx is for 1x90ml then the reimbursement is for 1x90ml(£16.68). 3x30ml is approx £6 more expensive, so pharmacy well within their rights not to dispense as you ask. I wouldn't either......and i have checked my suppliers prices

And before anyone says why didnt i go back to the dr myself- dont even get me started on lazy receptionist or those who have elevated themselves to a level higher then the doctor.

Probably exactly the same reason they didn't offer to phone Dr's and sort it for you! IMHO an irate patient going back to the Dr's will get something sorted MUCH quicker than a polite call from the pharmacy.

but i locum and mangers are always asking me how they can improve there business.

another good way is not to dispense medication in a way that will lose you money unnecessarily

[johnep]

My motto in business was the customer can have anything they want, as long as they pay for it. You want small packs, pay the small pack premium.
Businesses cannot afford to be charities, or they would soon be bust.
johnep

[Ally]

Think you guys have missed the point abit. I dont expect them to lose money, all i ask is for abit of courtesy. How simply is it to look up the price in the correct place? There's sigma, waymade, colorama etc etc and since a locum i know they can get it cheaper. Real shame the normal pharmacist was not around. My tutor always taught me in this day and age you cant afford to drop the customer service. I little goes a long way...

Ooh and i wanted 3x30mls like i always usually get because i use one every 5 weeks.

P.s found a nice independant pharmacy not to far away, spoke the nice pharmacist and now sorted. My three bottles of paint stipper (as one of my customers put it) will be in tomorrow.

[JonF]

they can get it cheaper

cheaper than what, Drug Tariff? If so, thats how the majority of pharmacies stay in business. The ONLY solution to your problem is to explain to the GP that you need them prescribed as 3x30ml. If you had come to me i would have explained this politely to you, but i wouldn't do it for you.

[Ally]

cheaper than what, Drug Tariff? If so, thats how the majority of pharmacies stay in business. The ONLY solution to your problem is to explain to the GP that you need them prescribed as 3x30ml. If you had come to me i would have explained this politely to you, but i wouldn't do it for you.

Yes cheaper then the drug tariff, Oh and i would have appreciated your polite explanation

[frither]

I believe if you endorsed the script asa 3x30ml you would be paid for it.

[Pharmanaut]

I believe if you endorsed the script asa 3x30ml you would be paid for it.

Have been wondering that myself.
Time was when you could use smaller packs and endorse them if you supplied them.
Some of the PMR systems were 'set to automatically endorse the smallest pack', which of course resulted in people making an appearance in the back pages of the PJ.
But that's clearly not the case here.

Where's the Bobbin character when you need him, the other drug tariff afficianado.

[mrmeds]

I think you could claim for 3 x 30 but if you did it a lot you might have to explain yourslef to the NHS BSA or your pct. I would wonder why someone wanted 3 x 30 unless they were prepared to make up the second two themselves. The only reason i could think of is if someone didn't use 90ml in 5 weeks.

Maybe the indepenent had a locum in who didn't know about keeping customers