Author: Pharmacy Alliance Marketing

Our very own Pharmacy Alliance Training Hub app has arrived to support Pharmacy Assistants. It will change the way you think about training, letting your staff build the relevant skills and knowledge to succeed in their roles.

This exciting new Training Hub is a highly engaging, mobile, micro-learning platform designed to facilitate up-skilling and knowledge retention. The app is designed to engage your staff with short and fun training modules based off our Retail Calendar. These modules will boost customer service, assist floor set up and increase basket size with companion product knowledge.

The training modules are developed inline with the monthly retail activity, and provide:

• Expert training to drive results for your pharmacy
• Improved knowledge retention for pharmacy staff by up to 50%
• Reward-based incentives to motivate staff
• Training to meet QCPP requirements
• Low monthly fee for high quality, accessible training

So, what can independent pharmacies do to stand out from their competitors?

Own, adapt and take responsibility for business changes and evolving as conditions change. Know the market by engaging in the market and in the local community.

Define who you are and what you do – and then deliver on it. If you know your purpose, your team and you can be knowledgeable about everything in the pharmacy and be able to sell it. Play to your strengths by providing a personal interaction and building loyalty.

Professionalise by deciding the type of customer experience you want to create and putting in place the systems to deliver it. Create an environment that people want to visit – then change it to keep customers interested and engaged.

Develop your people into experts as people buy from people who know what they are talking about, and people they like.

Partner up and develop mutually rewarding relationships with suppliers, or businesses that serve and operate in the same community.

Successful retailers always observe, assess, and analyse customer experiences, engagement, competition, team training, product categories, what is working well, and what is not.

To learn more about how Australia’s largest, truly independent pharmacy network engages with members to become forward-thinking retailers, visit pharmacyalliance.com.au.

Source 

Pain experience is influenced by my genetics, emotions, personality, lifestyle, and past experiences.

Finding the best solution for your pain is important as there are many

different treatment methods for chronic pain including medication and

physical therapy.

A lot of the time, however, pain can have a psychological root. In this case, psychological treatments such as Cognitive Brain Therapy (CBT), mindfulness or biofeedback therapy can help.

Click here to learn more about dealing with the psychological elements of chronic pain.

Start early.

The past year has been a powerful demonstration of how critical it is for Australian pharmacies to be protected against a multitude of risks. We recommend starting early when considering what cover is right to protect your business and ensure you allow both yourself and your broker adequate time to assess your current insurance arrangements. Make sure to supply all relevant information to your broker. These may include things, such as a copy of your current schedule and security and any changes to your property details.

Understand your risk appetite.

It is important to assess your business’s risk appetite or the maximum amount of risk your business is prepared to accept to attain its objectives. Review your insurance thoroughly to ensure that the limits of cover and claims excesses align with this.

The role of a broker includes being able to align your risk profile to that of a targeted insurer.

Make sure the cover level is suitable for your business.

Not all policies are the same, so it is crucial that you thoroughly review each policy’s details when comparing to ensure you choose one that is adequate for your business.

Key things to pay attention to include:

• Limit of Liability
• Excess
• Inclusions & Exclusions – Each insurance provider offers different cover terms in their policies, so it is important to review these closely with your broker to confirm that the cover level is adequate for your business needs.

Don’t compare insurance solely on premium.

Although considering the price of your premium is important when comparing different policies, we recommend carrying out a side-by-side comparison of all available options before coming to a decision. Insurance providers can base a policy’s premium on the risks they take on and having a high number of exclusions can reduce these risks, which should result in a lower premium.

Work with brokers that “get” your business.

Choosing the right cover for your business can be overwhelming. Working with brokers that understand your business’ needs, can help you save time and money, assess your risks, and ensure that your insurance policy is fit for purpose. They will also look to act on your behalf and provide advocacy support in the event of a claim. Finding an experienced insurance broker, you can trust, will benefit your business in the long run in ensuring you achieve an outcome that optimally suits your insurance needs.

There is much to consider when choosing the right policy for your business and following the above tips is a great starting point. If you have any questions, please contact your insurance advisor, who can help provide a detailed breakdown of your current insurance policy.

Disclaimer: 

This content contains general information and does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs.

The team at Pharmacy Alliance provide members with simple but effective programs to set them up for success.

Pharmacy Alliance brings together a team that:

• Understands retail business standards.
• Understands customer behaviour in a retail pharmacy environment.
• Uses tried and tested merchandising and promotional strategies to improve sales performance and customer loyalty.
• Develops successful business plans to grow pharmacy profitability.

To learn more about strengthening your independence with Australia’s largest, truly independent pharmacy network, click here.

Depending on the type of pain, taking breaks from dispensing and pacing yourself throughout the day ensures you’re not aggravating the issue. It’s also important to be realistic about what you can and can’t do, mobility-wise, and communicate with your team about tasks that you can’t take part in.

If the pain continues or worsens, make a doctor’s appointment or receive treatment as soon as you can. By getting the right treatment early on , the issue won’t need more urgent attention later on.

It’s easy to keep your focus on the customer and putting your needs aside. By striving to put yourself first, you can ensure you are able to continue serving others as best as you can.

For more information about pain management, click here.

Pharmacy Alliance commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders who served and died in war and on operational service – past and present. We acknowledge the continuing sacrifice, service, mateship and courage that forms the narrative of Australia’s ongoing experience with conflict around the globe.

For more information, click here.

The red poppy has become a symbol of war remembrance across the globe. Many countries wear the poppy to remember those who persihed in war, or who still serve in the armed forces.

Generally worn around Armistice Day (11 November), for Austalians and New Zealanders it is most commonly seen around ANZACH Day.

The red or Flanders poppy has been linked with battlefield deaths since the Great War (1914–18). The plant was one of the first to grow and bloom on battlefields in the Belgian region of Flanders.

The connection was made, most famously, by Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae in his poem, “In Flanders fields”.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

McCrae was a Canadian medical officer who, in May 1915, conducted the funeral service of a friend, Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, who died in the Second Battle of Ypres (Ieper). Distressed at the death and suffering around him, McCrae scribbled the verses in his notebook. In a cemetery nearby, red poppies blew gently in the breeze – a symbol of regeneration and growth in a landscape of blood and destruction.

Source: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/anzac-day/poppies

Pharmacies play a critical role in helping our communities remain healthy over the colder season. However, if you are not looking after myself, you won’t be able to look after those in your local community.

To make sure you stay healthy, there are a few things you can do:

• Book yourself in for a flu shot and ensure this is before the flu season hits. With this flu season being in the middle of a global pandemic, getting the annual flu shot is important to avoid adding pressure to an already busy healthcare industry.
• Get up-to-date with general health check with your GP.
• Wash your hands frequently – either using soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitiser. This will keep you from spreading germs to your eyes, nose, or mouth.
• Take extra care that your work area remains clean. Many hygiene practices have been implemented to slow the spread of COVID-19. These have been extremely beneficial and should ideally remain in place post-pandemic. This includes the use of plastic screens and face masks.
• Continue to wear a mask if you feel unwell so that you do not affect you rcustomers or staff.
• Strive to include fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in your diet to maintain a strong immune system. Supporting a healthy diet should be a regular exercise routine and a good amount of sleep.

With COVID-19 being an ongoing concern, experts are struggling to anticipate what cold and flu season might be like in terms of not just the infection rate, but also the availability of resources to keep the sick from getting sicker. It is best to prevent rather than treat the flu, but even if you do get vaccinated, you might still get sick. The 2021 flu season is upon us and no matter how you look at it, it is vital to do all that you can to protect yourself.

Sources

• https://www.publichealth.hscni.net/news/ask-your-pharmacist-winter-health-advice
• https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/5-tips-to-help-you-stay-healthy-this-winter

With ABLE, members can select a tailored program that best suits the needs of their business and team.

Learn more about:

• Budgeting and business plans.
• Innovation, creativity, and implementation of ideas.
• Coaching, leading and delegating.
• Being retail focused.
• Effective performance management.
• Managing your team, time and stress effectively.

For more information, please click here.