Keep-Your-PharmacyOpen

Why Some Reward Programs Don't Work

2010-03-09T13:28:00.004-06:00

It seems like almost everyone has a reward program these days. What used to be a way to separate yourself from the competition has become more of a nuisance for customers. Heck you can’t buy a donut these days without someone trying to shove a reward program down your throat. If you buy 10 donuts, you get the 11th one free. Who cares? Can’t I just buy a donut? What started out as a great idea is a reason some businesses are losing customers right now.

Here are some things SHB Consultants is seeing with reward cards in general that just make them pointless at times.

One more card to carry in your wallet/purse. Like the world needs more paper or plastic.

Constantly being beat up at every store you go to with “Are you a member of our rewards program? Would you like to be?” Not only do they ask this question once but many ask multiple times. It borders on harassment. Can’t I just buy something and then the clerk thank me for my business?

Having to pay money to be a member of your rewards program so I can now be called a valued customer. That makes no sense. If I give you hundreds of dollars in business, shouldn’t I already be considered a “valued customer”? Why do I have to pay you to get that ranking?

Our rewards members get discounts. Why not charge everyone the same price? That’s just irritating. Are you telling me you have been overcharging me this entire time? Customers are tired of trying to figure out the real price of items/services. Are there no honest legitimate businesses anymore?

Setting odd parameters on your reward members. For example: GNC demands their Reward Members purchase items before the 7th day of the month to get the discounted price. Thus, they are overcharging their “valued customers” the other 23 days of the month. I hope the person who came up with that idea gets fired. That is terrible.

Getting your customers to fill out their information again if they haven’t been there for 3 months. Ulta has this rewards program. I guarantee they have people’s information on file. Yet, they demand you fill it out again. Great! More paperwork. Just what every customer wants. No thanks!

Making the customer bring in the rewards card in order to get the discount. That is just crazy.

What’s wrong with the above programs? They all make the customer jump through hoops. We are in a recession. Doesn’t it make more sense that the business should be the one jumping thru hoops? However, it is obvious that some businesses didn’t get that memo. During a recession it is vital that you do everything you can to win customers over and keep them coming back. You can do this by making things simpler for your customers. The more complicated the rewards program or the more work the customer has to do, the more likely they will run screaming from your store.

We aren’t saying that all rewards programs are bad. However, think about it this way. The overall objective of a rewards program is to get customers to return to your pharmacy. So, figure out a way to get them to return but don’t put a lot of expectations on the customer. Make doing business with you as simple as possible.

Keep-Your-PharmacyOpen challenges you to evaluate your rewards program if you have one in place. Don’t ask the company who sold you the program for advice. They aren’t going to tell you what you need to know. Ask your customers what they think. Then modify the program (or drop it if necessary) to take care of your customer’s needs.

If you would like to discuss this topic further, give us a call (800)603-2519. We would be happy to visit with you on this hot topic.

You Know Your Pharmacy is in Trouble When . . . .

2010-02-22T15:54:00.004-06:00

You are on COD with primary supplier (or you have had to change suppliers)

You have agreed to onerous payment plans on past due balances

You have no sources for working capital financing

You are using personal and business credit cards to meet obligations

You sweat meeting payrolls

You cannot sustain your standard of living

You can only partially fill a large number of Rxs

You are inundated with creditor calls

BUT DO YOU HAVE THE GUTS TO CHANGE THE CIRCUMSTANCES?

Keep Your Pharmacy Open, Inc. is all about changing the equation.

Its management has successfully turned around troubled pharmacies

with revenues exceeding over $300 million.

Keep Your Pharmacy Open will:

Handle all creditor issues

Manage your payables

Restructure onerous debt

Analyze all operating expenses

Use its best efforts to secure working capital financing

Give you and your employees greater peace of mind

Visit www.keep-your-pharmacyopen.com or call Michael Busch at (800) 603-2519 to find out how we can change your situation.

Keep Your Pharmacy Open, Inc. is a not for profit corporation.

How to Stop Losing Money on Bad Customers

2010-02-18T12:44:00.004-06:00

Do you have those customers who take up a lot of your time? They come in, spend a little money and then complain, complain, complain. It’s frustrating. As a pharmacist you feel obligated to take care of them, don’t you? As a business owner, that is the worst thing you can do. News flash, it is not your responsibility to take care of every person who walks in the door. If you can’t keep your pharmacy open, someone else will be taking care of these patients. With that in mind, let’s look at things from a different perspective.

How much is your time worth? Take your salary and divide it by the number of hours you work. What is your hourly rate? Now, take a look at how much money that patient spends in your pharmacy? How much extra time do you spend with them? Are there other things you could be doing instead of talking to them? Are they really worth keeping around?

Sure, I know you want business. Who doesn’t? However it is vital that you understand that you are losing money on this patient. Keeping them as a customer is a poor business decision. It is time to “FIRE” this client and every client just like them. Trust me, you will feel liberated when you do so.

There is a chain not far away from you who is always looking for new customers. Why not send the customers you are losing money on to the chain and concentrate on bringing more ideal customers into your store.

You need to understand that increasing the number of customers is not your top priority. Your goal is to have the ideal patient (you defined in our last blog post) come in to your pharmacy and spend a significant amount of money on a consistent basis. Isn’t that what you really need? So, why are you hanging onto the wrong customers?

We challenge you to fire your bad patients. The next time they complain say something like, “I am so sorry we can’t help you. Have you tried ________ chain pharmacy down the street? I think they will be a better fit for your needs.”

Once you fire your first one, come back to this blog post and let us know how it went. If you need help or advice on this topic call (800)603-2519. We will be happy to offer you one free session for being a faithful reader to the Keep Your Pharmacy Open blog.

How to Attract the Right Customers

2010-02-04T13:10:00.005-06:00

Are you tired of the ones who come in for one prescription and you never hear from them again? What about the customers that wastes a lot of your time? Do you feel sometimes like all you get are the problem customers but none of the good stuff? Well, let’s talk about how you can change that problem. Please note that this is a frustration for most independent pharmacy owners. You are not in this boat alone.

To tackle these issues correctly, we will separate them into 2 posts. Today we will cover attracting the right customer. In 2 weeks we will discuss what to do with those pesky problem accounts.

The first thing you must do is define your ideal client. Here are some questions to help you with your definition. Keep in mind while answering these questions this is your “IDEAL” client and not the ones you would settle for if they walk in the door.

Age of Client - pick a range. Keep in mind 0 - 99 is not an

option. Narrow that range down to something reasonable.

Do they work or are they retired?

If they work, how much would you say they make a year?

Do they have a family? How many people in the family?

How often do they go to a pharmacy?

What kind of car do they drive?

What do they do for fun?

What types of businesses do the patronize?

You are probably thinking, why do I need to know this information? Amazingly enough, these details are vital to attracting the right customer. Get your employees input as well. You would be amazed at what they notice.

Once you have the IDEAL CLIENT identified, answer the following:

1. Who do you know that fits this description?

2. Who do you know who might be acquainted with your ideal customer?

3. Where can we go to meet these ideal prospects?

4. List 5 ways you can keep your pharmacy in the mind of your customers

5. List 3 ways that these prospects would benefit from coming to your pharmacy

Once again, it is a good idea to get your employee’s involved with this exercise. The more involved they are, the more buy in you will get from them. They will even offer to help find the ideal customer for you. Like you, they are tired of dealing with the difficult customer. They want to see the right people in your pharmacy. So, get let them participate as much as they want.

Be sure to check back in 2 weeks as we will discuss what to do with those challenging clients.

Ask The Expert - Complementary Session

2009-10-06T14:22:00.003-05:00

October is National Pharmacy Month

SHB Consultants' Michael Busch is available to answer your pharmacy questions at absolutely no cost to you. Whether you are having cash flow problems or seeking advice on how to exit your business.........Michael is available to you.

Michael is the founder of Medicine Shoppe International, developed Cardinal Health's Profit Leader program and authored the Entrepreneur's Handbook.

You can schedule an appointment to talk with Michael by calling (800) 603-2519. Telephone sessions are limited to 30 minutes.

To learn more about SHB Consultants, visit www.SHBConsultants.com

NCPA Launches Student Ambassador Program

2009-08-20T15:35:00.005-05:00

The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) has launched its Student Ambassador Program, which recruits independent community pharmacy owners to visit pharmacy students to discuss the benefits of ownership and offer advice on how to navigate the process.

“The next generation of pharmacy owners are today’s pharmacy students,” said Holly Whitcomb Henry, RPh, NCPA President and pharmacy owner in Seattle. “NCPA has many tools to help students become successful owners. The NCPA Student Ambassador Program brings our current and future community pharmacy owners together, educating students about why community pharmacy is their best career option.”

Already, over 200 community pharmacists have signed up to become NCPA Student Ambassadors. They will visit pharmacy schools in their area, including the 80 pharmacy schools that have NCPA Student Chapters, as well as schools without chapters. The goal is to have the Ambassadors conduct at least one visit during the 2009–2010 school year.

To learn more about this program, please click here

Is it time to Rethink Your Exit Strategy?

2009-08-11T10:54:00.007-05:00

Exit Strategies is a topic we have discussed before but it is an important one to revisit.

An exit strategy is defined as a plan to maximize the return on your investment if and when you decide to leave the business!

The return on your investment (ROI) can come from different actions. Before you started your business, you formulated the various ways in which you can achieve this ROI. Now is a good time to revisit your Exit Strategy.

In an ideal world, you would have established your "exit strategy" on the front end. However, often that gets missed or things have changed drastically since you began your business.

As a Pharmacy Owner, there are an array of options to choose from.

Opportunities for an Exit:

Family Member Buyout - even if one of your children is taking over the store the business must be valued. There are tax implications that must be considered. In addition, your other children come into play with regards to your estate planning.

Junior Partner Buyout - You may want to sell to one of your Pharmacists. Determining the right structure for the deal is critical to maximizing the benefits from the sale.

Independent Buyer - One caution . . . your books and records need to be in order to maximize the value.

Chain - could be local, regional, or national. This buyer will likely produce the highest dollar return to you. However, do not attempt to negotiate with a chain on your own. The experts will deliver the best deal.

It is important to remember that what worked for your colleague in another town, may not be in your best interest.

Every business is different, but they all require an exit strategy. Years ago, it was quite common to believe that the real advantage to being in business for yourself was that you were your own boss and didn’t have to answer to anyone. Wrong!!! We all have to answer to someone: the bank, investors, spouses, etc. The only good reason to become a business owner is to generate acceptable returns. Careful planning increases the odds of your success, and exit strategies are part of that planning.

Cardinal Health Names Recipient of Ken Wurster Community Leadership Award

2009-08-06T16:45:00.004-05:00

Cardinal Health names independent pharmacist Harold Harmon recipient of inaugural Ken Wurster community leadership award

WEBWIRE – Wednesday, August 05, 2009

Company to donate $10,000 to Auburn University Harrison School of Pharmacy

WASHINGTON, D.C.— At its annual Retail Business Conference in Washington, D.C., Cardinal Health today named Harold Harmon, owner of H&M Drug of Wedowee, Ala., as the inaugural recipient of its Ken Wurster Community Leadership Award.

The award, which recognizes an independent pharmacist for outstanding contributions to his or her community, was created in honor of Tampa, Fla., independent pharmacist Ken Wurster, who passed away in 2008.

“Ken Wurster was a shining example of everything that independent pharmacy means to our country,” said Steve Lawrence, senior vice president, retail sales and marketing for Cardinal Health. “He was committed to serving his customers and his community with an unfaltering sense of responsibility. It’s our honor to create this award in Ken’s memory – with the goal of recognizing others who exemplify his commitment to family, business, customers and the broader community.”

Community pharmacists and Cardinal Health employees were encouraged to submit nominations for this award, and all nominees were judged on a variety of criteria, including:

· community leadership and involvement;
· their ability to inspire others; and
· their willingness to go above and beyond the day-to-day operations of a retail independent pharmacy to make their community a better place to live.

Most notable among Harmon’s contributions includes establishing an annual fund that awards scholarships to graduating seniors at local high schools in his county. Harmon has also completed several medical mission trips to provide much-needed medical care to needy children and families in impoverished nations. Harmon’s nominators also emphasized his outstanding commitment to patients – offering to be ‘on call’ to address his customers’ questions and needs at any time.

“Harold Harmon is an outstanding pharmacist and has consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to not only his immediate community, but to meeting the medical needs of the less fortunate around the world,” said Lawrence. “We feel fortunate to work with and know Harold, as he truly embodies the spirit of community pharmacy and this award.”

Each year, Cardinal Health will donate $10,000 in the name of the winner to the pharmacy school or pharmacy association of his or her choice. Harmon selected his alma mater, Auburn University’s Harrison School of Pharmacy.

Additional finalists for the 2009 Ken Wurster Community Leadership Award included:

· Darlene Able – Able Care Pharmacy & Medical Supplies in Enfield, Conn.;
· Henry Ager – Medical Discount Pharmacy in Livingston, Texas;
· Steve Simenson – Goodrich Pharmacy in Anoka, Minn.; and
· Theresa Stickler – Melrose Pharmacy in Phoenix, Ariz.

Nominations for the 2010 Ken Wurster Community Leadership Award will be accepted between Aug. 1, 2009 and March 1, 2010. Learn more about the award on cardinalhealth.com.

The above information came directly from www.Webwire.com

What is the Friendly Factor of Your Pharmacy?

2009-07-24T10:05:00.004-05:00

While this question may sound silly to some, this is actually important information you need to know about your pharmacy. As a business owner, you should continue to assess how your store is performing.

Picture these 2 scenario’s:

Situation #1 - You are going to a store where you are a regular customer. There is no parking near the door because the employees have taken all of the spaces. You reach the door where an employee jumps in front of you only to close the door behind them. Once in the store, you are looking for the items you want when an employee walks in front of you to get something they need. Now that you have your items, you are ready to check out. At this point, you are met by a surly cashier who is having a bad day / month / year / life. Overall, how would you rate your experience? Let’s give this store a friendly factor rating of minus 3.

Situation #2 - You are also a regular customer at this store as well. There is plenty of parking up front because the employees park away from the front of the building. You reach the door and an employee opens the door for you and greats you by name. Once in the store, you are looking for the items you want when an employee makes you aware that they have moved their displays around recently. However, they offer to help you find the items you are needing. Now it is time for checkout. At this point, you are met by a friendly cashier who asks you about your children or grandchildren. They remember from the last time you came in that you showed them a picture. Overall, you give this business a friendly factor of 10.

Now we realize both are extremes and this probably won’t all happen in one visit. However, how would you prefer to be treated? Which store are you most likely to continue giving repeat business to and refer your friends to? Which one will you hesitate to go to again and possibly tell the world to boycott the business?

The old adage, “Treat others as you would like to be treated” still holds true especially in todays business world. Let’s face it. Our economy is in the pits and you need repeat business.

We challenge you to shop in other stores (not necessarily a pharmacy), record what you like and dislike about your shopping experience. Ask your employees for their points of view. They are going to point out things that you missed. Plus, you get better buy-in from the employees if they are engaged in this exercise. With your employees, define how you want your customers to be treated from this point forward.

On Monday mornings before your pharmacy opens, have a 15 minute training session. Review your customer objectives with your people. Ask your employees to share success stories on how they have implemented this new store personality. Discuss ways to improve your service.

Periodically, ask a friend come shop your pharmacy to see how your employees are performing. They should give you insight on what you are doing right and areas where you can improve.

We end with this question . . . currently, when your customers leave your store, are they more likely to experience Situation #1 or Situation #2?

Is Your Website Helping Your Business?

2009-07-17T14:25:00.002-05:00

If we take a good look at all marketing and advertising venues, we need

to make sure that each thing we do has one common thread: a call to action.

We must ask the viewer to do something. If your business is going to have a

website, then all other mediums that you use should emphatically direct the

viewer or reader to your website. Why? Because it’s more affordable and

accessible than other mediums, you can tell your story much better on your

website than anywhere else. This is why a classified ad that simply directs

someone to your website may yield surprisingly high dividends.

Most websites are not as effective as they could be. There are

many do’s and don’t’s associated with successful web marketing.

If you want to attract visitors to your site and convert them to

customers, here are some important tips.

• Call to action - Every page of your site must direct the visitor to take

action, even if that action is directing the person to go to another page.

If you are selling something, it’s important to ask for the order in several

places on your site. At the very least, you want to direct the visitor to a

response form where they supply you with name, address, email

address, etc. The more information you can get, the better. One way

to obtain this is to provide something free in exchange for their contact

info. Every visitor is an important lead, so you must be able to reach

him!

• Site Structure – All pages should contain navigation links to every

page in your site. These links should appear on the top and bottom of

each page. Most sites typically include the following pages:

1. Home – Welcome prospective customers and give them an overview of your business. It should also direct visitors to take a specific action

2. About us – Information on your company

3. Testimonials – Gives your business credibility.

4. Contact us – Address, email, telephone, contact name

5. News and Events – Latest information about your

business, such as new products/services or awards, special events.

6. Order Now – Enables visitors to order your product or service at

any time.

7. Links or Affiliate Sites – This is a form of cross-marketing, where

other sites with which you have agreed to “trade links” are

available to give your site visitors direct access to related

products.

Drag Out the Old Business Plan

2009-07-15T11:27:00.003-05:00

When you first started your pharmacy business, the bank required you to have a business plan. Is that correct? So let me ask you, when was the last time you looked at it? A month ago? A year ago? 5 Years ago? Haven’t seen it since the bank gave you the loan? Regardless of the time frame take it out now. Once a quarter you should take out your plan to modify and adjust what is going on with your business and the pharmacy industry at the time.

A good business plan is a working document that will enable you to focus on desired outcomes and will serve as a road map for you to follow. Your plan must be compatible with your hopes and expectations. Great ideas fail due to lack of execution. In this case you are not only the visionary but the operator as well. Further, today’s pharmacy industry is in a constant state of flux. By incorporating changes affecting the continuing performance of your pharmacy, you should accomplish several key things. First, by reducing evolutionary changes to writing you become better equipped to change strategies to effectively address these changes. Remember, the best performers are the ones who find opportunity out of every situation.

To begin with keep your plan reasonably short. We all have short attention span, and most of us do not read too much detail. Here is an example of a basic outline.

Executive Summary

Introduction

Value Added Proposition

Capital Requirements

Use of Proceeds

Revenue Sources

Three years of projected revenues

Competition

The Market

Target Audience

Size of Market

Marketing Plan

Management

Financial Plan

Operating Plan

Risk Analysis

Competition . . . Not Necessarily a Bad Thing

2009-07-13T15:05:00.002-05:00

Knowing and studying your competitors is an ongoing project. Competition may well dictate much of your operating strategy. The depth and breadth of your competitors will dictate how aggressive your operating plan should be. It is very important to think through the consequences of your operating and marketing strategies so that you can anticipate competitor reaction. Never operate blindly. You should not be obsessed with your competition, but should always be well versed in how they operate their businesses. Expand upon what they do right and learn from what they do wrong.

Another thing to remember: Good competition benefits your business, while bad competition hurts you. No competition at all tells us that the new business venture is likely to be ahead of its time. There are advantages and disadvantages to be first in the marketplace. The main advantage is that as long as you remain creative, the other players have to play “catch up”. Conversely, being first typically requires longer staying power because you are paving new ground. Also, you may open the door for the competitor with more resources, making it more expensive for you to stay in the game.

A great example of being ahead of your time is Netscape. According to Tom Friedman’s “The World is Flat”, Netscape drove Internet communications to a whole different level and likely was the greatest influence on where we are today. But, lo and behold, along came Microsoft. Because of the impact of its operating system technology, Microsoft was able to give away that for which Netscape had to continue to charge. Don’t you think this adversely impacted Netscape’s value? But, we wouldn’t cry too much for John Barksdale, one of Netscape’s founders and leader. He literally changed the world for the better and achieved what most of us only dream of.

Building Patient / Customer Loyalty

2009-07-10T12:26:00.007-05:00

As a pharmacy owner, your business thrives on repeat business.

Picture this, a customer walks into your pharmacy and hands you a new prescription. If on a maintenance drug, you hope they come back next month for the refill. Keep in mind the chains offer money to transfer prescriptions to their stores. So, you have that to consider. Besides hoping they will come back isn’t a good idea if you want to be a successful business owner. You need to be more proactive than that. If they are on a one time medication such as an antibiotic or pain medicine, you may never see them again.

Regardless of the prescription type, the action you take next is very important. One thing you can do is look at the Rx’s you filled from the day before. Print out a list of the patients with new prescriptions. During slow times, have your employees make a few calls.

Here is a sample of a simple script:

Pharmacy Employee - Hello Mrs. Smith. This is Tom from Pharmacy R Us. Yesterday you came in with a new prescription and I wanted to follow-up to see if you have any questions.

Mrs. Smith - So nice of you to call. No one has ever called me from a pharmacy before and I have tried all of the chains. (See you have already impressed Mrs. Smith).

Pharmacy Employee - So, how is the new medicine? Do you have any questions or concerns that our Pharmacist can answer for you? I will be happy to put the pharmacist on the phone if you need to talk to him/her.

Mrs. Smith - No, I really don’t have any questions yet. Can I call you if anything changes?

Pharmacy Employee - yes, please do. We don’t think any question is too silly. So, please call us if anything (regardless of how small it may seem) concerns you. Our goal is to build a long-term relationship with you. What concern you, concerns us. We look forward to seeing you next month.

Mrs. Smith - Wonderful! Thank you!

Do you see how simple and painless that call can be? The best part is it doesn’t cost you a dime. Your employees have slow times of the day and can make these calls easily.

Now, Mrs. Smith may or may never call with a question or 2. If she calls, be sure to take care of her with enthusiasm. She has friends who would love to have that kind of experience with their pharmacist as well. Thus, this not only builds customer loyalty but can help bring in new customers too.

You don’t need to try to compete with the chains by throwing money out there. You can if you want. However, doesn’t it make more sense to provide your patients with the best customer service possible?

Is it time to revisit your business formation?

2009-07-08T11:18:00.003-05:00

As your pharmacy business grows and changes, you may find that you need to change the legal entity in which you operate. Please note we are not accountants or attorneys. Thus, we strongly recommend that you seek professional advice before deciding if and when you need a change. The following are simple definitions to get you started.

Proprietorship

By definition, a proprietorship is individual ownership d/b/a (doing business as). A proprietorship requires the least legal assistance in formation and is the least expensive structure to maintain. There is one drawback. Any liability associated with your business becomes your personal liability.

C-Corporation

A C-Corporation is the most common legal entity for fairly substantial size corporations (multiple stockholders). It provides insulation from personal liability except in cases where the principal owner has provided personal guarantees. The corporation files income taxes and is taxed on company profits. All employees, including the principal owner, must be salaried in order to take money from the company. Otherwise, all revenue going to management and shareholders would be considered dividend income subject to double taxation (first to the company and then to the individuals receiving dividend income).

S-Corporation

An S-Corporation has the same corporate characteristics, regarding liability issues, as the C-Corporation. But it functions like a proprietorship, where income distribution is concerned. The "S-Corp" is required to file a corporate tax return; however, income (or losses) flow directly through to the shareholders, on a pro-rated basis, as personal income (or loss). Thus, the

corporation itself is not taxed.

Limited Liability Corporation or LLC

Instead of stockholders, the LLC has members. Its characteristics are similar to that of a partnership; however, it may have a bit more insulation from individual liabilities for its manager.

Partnership

A Partnership is similar to an LLC, in that it has a general partner (active in the business) and may contain passive investors.

There is some flexibility in your business structure selection. For example, you can go from operating as a proprietorship to operating as a corporation. There are also mechanisms that will allow you to elect to change from a C-Corporation to an S-Corporation, or the reverse. Generally, you can only change your mind one time. Once again, we encourage you to seek

professional help in determining which option is best for you.

Getting your Pharmacy in the News

2009-07-07T15:55:00.004-05:00

We are all quite familiar with what is going on right now with the unfortunate death of Michael Jackson. What does this have to do with getting your pharmacy some news coverage? Great question! Check out this video from Jeff Crilley to get your answer.

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

For more advice on getting in the news, check out www.RealNewsPR.com

NCPA launches www.Fight4Rx.org

2009-02-12T15:31:00.008-06:00

The National Community Pharmacy Association (NCPA) knows it would have more fighting power if it had an army of independent pharmacists and their customers behind it.

So NCPA recently launched Fight4Rx.org, a web based organization it hopes will recruit 1,000 independent pharmacies and their customers. The site includes briefs on pharmacy patient issues, Medicare and healthcare news updates, and a video blog. The information will be used to keep patients informed about legal issues and news affecting independent pharmacies.

For more information on this Drug Topics article, please CLICK HERE

Press Release from NCPA Regarding Study on Rx Drug Prices

2008-11-06T10:58:00.003-06:00

If you heard about the study regarding the variation of drug prices, we encourage you to read this Press Release from NCPA. Education is key when it comes to your customers and their perceptions. Thus, you might consider posting this somewhere in your pharmacy for your customers to read.

NCPA Statement on Florida Study About Prescription Drug Prices in Underserved Areas
Last update: 4:23 p.m. EST Nov. 5, 2008

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Nov 05, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Health Service Online has published a study called "Variation in Drug Prices at Pharmacies: Are Drug Prices Higher in Poor Areas," by Walid F. Gellad. In response, Bruce T. Roberts, RPh, National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) executive vice president and CEO, issued the following statement.

"The study by Dr. Walid Gellad is helpful in raising awareness about the variation in prescription drug prices between wealthier and poorer neighborhoods in Florida, but unfortunately misses the mark in many ways. For example, more than 90 percent of prescription drug prices are set by large pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) with no ability for community pharmacies to negotiate, so these small businesses literally can't influence what their patients pay. In addition, underserved and rural communities often have a higher percentage of Medicaid and Medicare patients, making the number of cash prescriptions minimal. On a related note, using 'U&C' (usual and customary) as the data point for measuring cash pricing in the study is antiquated. In reality, U&C was an appropriate indicator decades ago when the majority of prescriptions were paid by cash; however that's now the exception rather than the rule."

For the remainder of this article please visit:

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/NCPA-Statement-Florida-Study-About/story.aspx?guid=%7B393A81CC-F7CB-42AA-B8EC-342DE2D40708%7D

Protect Your Pharmacy Week ~ April 14th - 18th

2008-04-14T11:20:00.002-05:00

The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), representing approximately 23,000 independent community pharmacies across America, is raising awareness about pharmacy crime and offering tangible solutions during its Protect Your Pharmacy Week (April 14 - 18). At the forefront of the campaign is a partnership between NCPA, FBI LEEDA (Law Enforcement Executive Development Association), and RxPatrol(R) from Purdue Pharma L.P., with support from the Community Pharmacy Foundation. They encourage pharmacists in all practice settings to take steps to protect staff and patients from pharmacy crime, including prescription drug theft.

Bruce Roberts, RPh, executive vice president and CEO of NCPA, issued the following statement:

"With a renewed national spotlight on prescription drug abuse, it is important to note the related issue of crime against pharmacies. The National Community Pharmacists Association is launching a campaign this week (April 14-18), designated as 'Protect Your Pharmacy Week', to increase awareness for pharmacies to take precautions against robberies and burglaries. Through our efforts we hope to better prepare pharmacists with the tools and information they need to protect their pharmacies and their patients."

"There should never be a concern about pharmacy safety for pharmacists or their patients, so we want to be sure that pharmacists are given resources to have the security and safeguards in place needed to protect their businesses."

BACKGROUND: NCPA has always been committed to the safety and security of pharmacists in all practice settings. Twenty years ago the association led an aggressive legislative campaign resulting in the enactment of the Pharmacy Crime Law in 1984 that declared a pharmacy crime aimed at taking controlled substances a federal offense punishable by 20 years in prison. In 2003, we were an original partner with Purdue Pharma's launch of RxPatrol(R), a collaborative effort between the pharmaceutical industry, pharmacy community and law enforcement to collect, collate, analyze, and disseminate pharmacy theft information to pharmacists, loss prevention professionals, and law enforcement agencies. Now with Protect Your Pharmacy Week we will continue to address the pharmacy crime issue and offer real remedies for our member pharmacies in every community in America. Those remedies include a comprehensive tool kit with the latest and most effective crime prevention tips, discounts for security and surveillance equipment, and access to a highly coordinated partnership with the law enforcement community to help report the perpetrators of pharmacy robberies and burglaries.

To learn more about the campaign go to the following link:http://www.ncpanet.org/rxpatrol/

Giving Away Margin for No Good Reason

2008-04-04T09:02:00.001-05:00

As I check out at a local mass retail store, the cashier hands me my receipt – along with a piece of thermal paper offering me $1 off the dog food that I just bought. I stuff the thermal paper into my purse, along with the other crunched and rolled up receipts, that are in the ‘depths’ of my purse; where only the brave dare to go. It will never be found again, and never be used.

I have been going to a local large grocery chain store for over 19 years and have been a Loyalty member since they instituted it 6 years ago. Unfortunately, they gave a discount savings at the checkout. I never knew what I was going to save until I paid.

Since both of these are examples of giving margin away – for absolutely no good reason, I was not surprised when the grocery store cancelled their ‘rewards’ program. .

What is wrong with these two programs? There is no definitive reason for the customer to return to the store –and- the retailers might as well throw the dollars they are spending, right into the trash.

The above mentioned grocery store chain is the closest to my home, however, I ceased going there because, after 19 years, they didn’t have a clue who I was! The ‘rewards’ information card had all of my personal info on it, but, they didn’t use it wisely. Instead, they mass marketed me with an on-slaught of discount coupons for baby items. Why? Because I was female. I didn’t matter that my son is grown. This is not only an example of misdirected marketing, but they have lost a customer due to their lack of attention!

Finally, although this is not a loyalty program, some retailers fell prey to the most recent ‘salesy’ idea – that ‘gift cards’ will bring them an increase in margin. Well, it’s just not true. This last holiday was an example of that. Every store I went into – had turnstiles filled with these gift cards. Even the local corner convenience store was stacked with them. They were everywhere. The same electronics companies, restaurants, etc.. No reason for me to buy them at my pharmacy, I was flooded with them at every turn.

For those that think ‘loyalty’ programs are new – we must think back to days gone by of the stamp books. My mother saved those stamps and we eventually got an entire set of small encyclopedias. Since these were pre-internet days, we used them voraciously for our homework and school projects, saving us trips to the library.

The next level of loyalty came along with the punch cards and offers to ‘Buy 12 and get the 13th Free’. The idea was a flop, as the retailers are giving away something that the customer was going to buy anyway. Half the time people lost their punch cards. Another example of ‘giving away margin for no good reason’.

So what, you may ask, is the best philosophy for a loyalty program that not only works – but increases your margins? How can your marketing dollars be spent in the best way?

Here are the proven concepts of a successful loyalty program:

1} ROI; Return on Investment:
A loyalty program must not only pay for itself, but bring a margin increase to your pharmacy.

2} MIA; Missing In Action:
You will lose 25% of your customers each year. That’s 1/4th of your income. Since it costs 5 times as much to bring in a new customer, a high priority is keeping those customers you have. You must have an easy, at-a-glance, 5 minute process to find, analyze and send out an offer to bring these customers and patients back. The mass marketing chains have been using this at an incredible success rate!

3} Automatic Reward Processing:
This is a no-brainer. A good loyalty program should include the function of automatically sending out a personalized e-mail or high quality postcard to the customer with their reward amount on it. This will bring the customer back to the store. Stats indicate that the psychological value of this card will then create an environment where they will spend 2-3 times more than they would on an average visit. You are recognizing and rewarding your best customers….which is the key concept of a good marketing program.

4} Completely Automated Process
POS companies will often tell you that they have a loyalty program. Well, they have a field in their file that can ‘house’ a loyalty number, that is true. But, you, the retailer, must do all of the rest of the work. For those that have tried this themselves – they usually give up. This entails: exporting the data, sorting the data, personally analyzing the data, spitting out a list, printing the postcards, printing the labels, adding stamps, adding the labels, mailing them out.

A successful loyalty program should include a completely automated process, at a discount rate. It should also include the ability to spend only 5-10 minutes per month, selecting any additional marketing campaigns you choose.

5} Cross-Sell/Up-Sell:
If you have a POS system, your sku level data is worth it’s weight in gold. A good loyalty program should also offer the ability to access, analyze generate promotions based on the shopping history of your customers. These are opportunities that should cost very little – but, offer your customers additional buying power. Which customers purchased vitamins but not supplements? What customers bought gift items but not greeting cards?

6} Correct Marketing By Knowing Your Customer:
A ‘smart’ loyalty program should offer you the ability of knowing your customers and marketing the products that they will be interested in. In less than a minute, you should be able to locate by gender, age and purchasing history; then offer a buying opportunity that is customized for them.

7} Saving a Good Customer When Things Go Wrong:
It happens in every retail environment. A customer has an unfortunate experience. You should have the ability of looking up that customer in your loyalty program, designing a specific card to express your concern and offering them the concept that you pride yourself in customer service- with an incentive to come back. 1 postcard mail out ability in less than 5 minutes – with a message that you want to send.

8} No POS? No Problem:
Just because you don’t have a point-of-sale, doesn’t mean you should be penalized by not offering a loyalty program. Your patients go to you because they trust you. You offer the best customer service around, and everyone knows them. Offering a loyalty program with nice rewards, will keep them coming back to you. You should still have the ability of find the MIA’s, generating special marketing promotions and offering just about everything else that the mass marketing chains offer. You want them to have YOUR personalized tag on their keychain!

9} Loyalty should not take up your time:
A successful loyalty program should not take up your time, your staff’s time nor should it require more than a few minutes per month to generate your marketing ideas. Your time is money.

10} Don’t Try To Do It Yourself:
There are many do-it-yourselfers out there. They may have friends or family that know a bit of programming, or they may try to hire a programmer to design a loyalty program for them. Anyone that tries it – usually finds that it takes 1-2 years, a lot more than the initial cost and they are still spending a lot of time and money on implementation. You will have lost your momentum and usually a lot of customers by that point.

11} You Get What You Pay For:
Don’t try to go cheap. This is simple and easy. Whether you have 1 pharmacy or 20 - Your customers will see it and you will get what you pay for. Your loyalty program should reflect the professionalism of your pharmacy. Anything else will cause you to lose customers, end of story.

Bottom Line:
Multiply your annual pharmacy income by 25%.
That is what you are losing each year.

You should have a ‘smart’ loyalty program that will not only pay for itself, but bring a large percentage of those customers back; as well as entice new customers to your pharmacy and increase margins: What is that worth to you?

Today’s patients may appreciate the Customer Service at the Independent Pharmacy, but tomorrow’s customers will be quickly swayed to the service supplied on the internet. It’s easy to get involved in the day to day problems ~ but the savvy Independent Pharmacy has a long term vision that embraces what the future customer will be looking for.

RxLoyalty Genius is a ‘smart’ program – fashioned after the high end style ~ at low end pricing. Offering your patients incredible rewards~ giving you the ability for customer retention! Completely automated, you can offer your patients and customers a professional loyalty program that will bring them back to your pharmacy.

RxWebGenius is designed with a serious investment of time and careful thought ~ to represent your professional Pharmacy. Increase your high margin OTC sales by having an RxWebGenius site with online order fulfillment for your pharmacy.

Call today for a free online demonstration of RxLoyaltyGenius and RxWebGenius!

Look For Our Full Page Ad In ComputerTalk Throughout 2008!

Karen Sulprizio,

Client Associate
PharmacistsOnLine
A Living Naturally Co.
ksulprizio@PharmacistsOnLine.com
1-866-312-8324
Pharmacy Demo Site: www.RxGenius.com
Loyalty Genius Demo Site: www.RxLoyaltyGenius.com
Home Site: www.PharmacistsOnLine.com

Reminder - Medicaid "Tamper Proof" Prescription Law Now Effective

2008-04-02T11:03:00.003-05:00

Medicaid Information for Pharmacists: March 5, 2008 Reminder: Medicaid “Tamper Proof” Prescription Requirement Becomes Effective on April 1… Beginning April 1, 2008, all written prescriptions for Medicaid recipients must be on paper with at least one tamper-resistant feature as outlined by CMS and defined by your State: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/DeficitReductionAct/30_GovtInfo.asp Beginning October 1, 2008 these same prescriptions must be on paper that meets all three baseline characteristics of tamper-resistant pads. CMS has outlined the three baseline characteristics as those that: (1) prevent unauthorized copying of a completed or blank prescription form; (2) prevent the erasure or modification of information written on the prescription by the prescriber; or (3) prevent the use of counterfeit prescription forms. States are responsible for defining specific features that meet the baseline characteristics in order for a prescription to be considered tamper-resistant in that State. Therefore, we recommend reviewing your State’s website for guidance on acceptable tamper-resistant features. Please note that electronic prescriptions, faxed prescriptions and prescriptions sent over the telephone are exempt from this requirement. Failure to comply could result in a withholding of Medicaid reimbursement.

This information was provided by:

Chris Worrall Special Assistant Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of the Administrator 200 Independence Ave. SW Washington, D.C. 20201 Chris.Worrall@cms.hhs.gov

Medication in our Water Supply

2008-03-10T11:20:00.003-05:00

In the wake of the news about medication showing up in our water supply (click on ABC News story, "Drugs in the Water: Reason to Worry"), it occurred to us that this is only half the story. While ABC News brings a very valid point to the forefront, what about outdated medicines that people flush down the commode? Certainly those medicines are showing up in the water supply as well.

Attention Pharmacy Owners or anyone wanting to market their pharmacy business, this is an opportunity for you. You can provide a valuable service to your community and get free publicity if you focus on this "HOT TOPIC".

Here are some MARKETING suggestions to get you started:

Educate your community on the benefits of letting a local community pharmacy dispose of outdated medicines. You can easily do this by contacting your local newspaper and/or tv station to follow up on this “Hot Story”.
Invite your community (encourage non-customers to come too) to bring all of their outdated medicines to your pharmacy. Since they will be coming to your store to drop off their outdated medicines, the chances of them buying something in your pharmacy increases tremendously.
Offer a Discount (10-20%) to anyone who brings in their outdated medicine
Get your local schools involved – Educate the schools and have the children spread the word for you. Run a contest between the schools. Every time someone comes in with their outdated medicines, they can tell you what school sent them in. The school that sends you the most referrals wins a special prize. Talk to your local retail stores and see if someone will partner up with you. Certainly there is a business in your community that would join you in your efforts to help the environment. They would also be receiving free advertisement from partnering up with you. Some ideas for the “Special Prize” - give the Winning School a Pizza Party, Tickets to the Movies, Free Bowling, a Computer for the School, etc. Be creative on the prize or prizes.
Talk to your local water department. They might want to join you in any of the above ideas.

What other creative ways can you market your pharmacy in regards to Medicine in our Water Supply? We would love to hear from you. Post your thoughts on the KYPO Blog.

Attracting Your Ideal Customer

2008-01-15T11:38:00.000-06:00

What is my definition of the “ideal customer?"

This is a question owners should ask when they open their pharmacy and something they should reassess throughout the life of their business. Since the rules of pharmacy continue to change and this has become a game of “survival”, this is the perfect time for you to re-define or define (for those who haven’t already done so) your “ideal customer”.

You may be saying, “Anyone who comes in my store with a prescription is my ideal customer.” Well, anyone with a Rx is a customer but they may not be your ideal customer. Why? Because you make more profit off of some customers than you do others.

Of course, some pharmacy owners are thinking, “Well that is true but when I opened my store I vowed to take care of everyone regardless of how much money I make off of them. It is my responsibility to serve every patient.” While that is quite noble, you can’t serve patients in need if you can’t Keep Your Pharmacy Open.

Think about this next question. If your doors are closed and you have gone bankrupt, who are you helping? No one ever said you had to take care of every patient in need. Right? If you take care of some patients in need that would be better than zero patients in need. So, let’s define and attract your ideal customer so that your pharmacy can increase its profitability in 2008.

Here is a simple exercise for you:

Describe your ideal customer in detail. Their age? Income? Education? Needs? Interests? Insurance? Number of children? How much do they spend in your pharmacy on a monthly basis? Any other information you feel is vital to your definition.

Where can you and your employee’s meet your ideal customer? (Church, children’s school, volunteer work, interest groups, community events, what else?).

What can you do to attract this type of customer to your pharmacy? Marketing? Advertising? Word of mouth? Sponsor Healthcare events? Contacting former customers? What else?

What can you do today to start attracting your ideal customer as soon as possible?

Please share your comments on what has or has not worked for you. We would love to hear from you.

How to Handle Negative Press

2007-12-13T09:20:00.000-06:00

Remember the good old days when the only reason a reporter called your pharmacy was to get your professional opinion on a certain medication? Unfortunately, that is not the only reason a reporter might call upon you.

We are all quite aware of the negative press community pharmacy has been receiving this year. Whether the negative press is directed at your pharmacy or a competitor, knowing what to do in this situation is vital. The Keep Your Pharmacy Open team asked Jeff Crilley, an Emmy Winning TV Reporter out of the Dallas/Fort Worth area to help the Pharmacy Community.

“Mike Wallace is Here to See You”

By Jeff Crilley, Emmy Winning TV Reporter

There’s an old saying in corporate America, “You know it’s a going to be a rough week when your phone rings and your receptionist informs you that Mike Wallace is waiting in the lobby.”

Over the years, the famed 60 minutes correspondent has barbecued many a CEO on national TV. But as a journalist with more than two decades of experience, I can think of something even scarier---a rookie reporter on deadline covering a juicy scandal at your pharmacy.

Here now are three tips to dealing with a media crisis that I hope you’ll never need:

1) “No Comment” isn’t an Answer

I don’t care what your attorney says; “No comment” won’t cut it. I give my free crisis communications talk all over the country and I’ve spoken to dozens of bar associations. Guess what? They don’t offer media courses in law school. Attorneys are simply told to tell their clients not to talk to the media. “We won’t try this case in the court of public opinion,” is the reason most attorneys will give their clients.

But while they’re waiting for your day in court, your business is making headlines and customers are shopping for another pharmacy. I’m sorry, folks--“No comment” doesn’t make the story go away. It just goes on without you.

2) Face the Media Head On

It doesn’t mean you have to get into details of the case. Simply face the media and give reporters a statement that shows your concern. Even a short statement delivered from the heart will go a long way. Here’s something you could say that even your attorneys shouldn’t have a problem with—“We’ve devastated by the news. We’re trying to figure out what happened ourselves. But we can tell you that our employees are devastated and we’re asking for everyone’s prayers as we try to get through this.”

3) The Messenger is as Important as the Message

I’ve seen this time and time again---someone is sent out to face the media and they aren’t able to communicate. Remember, whoever talks to reporters becomes “the face” of your business. In times of crisis, whoever can best communicate the heart of your business should be the person dealing with media. It doesn’t matter how much money was spent designing the outside of your business, it’s the spokesperson who will be the architect of the message and will set the tone for the coverage. Put all egos aside and decide who is the best person to convey the heavy heart of your business.

Jeff Crilley is an Emmy Winning reporter who speaks at no charge on the subject of media relations. He’s the author of Free Publicity, the first PR book ever written by a working journalist. For more information on his book or to book him to speak to your group, visit http://www.jeffcrilley.com/.

Do you have a comment or question for Jeff? If so, post it here.

Is Anyone Else Dizzy from the All the Changes to Medicare Part D?

2007-12-05T15:21:00.000-06:00

~Attention Medicare Patients, Caregivers, and Pharmacists~

As we prepare for 2008, many Medicare patients, their caregivers, and their pharmacists are trying to figure out the newest changes to Medicare. As if figuring out Medicare Part D the first time wasn't difficult enough.

Well, one pharmacist has had enough and wrote his Representative to give his thoughts and solutions. We are going to share this email with you here. As you read this letter, please think about what you can do to light a fire under your state Representative to get our Medicare crisis resolved. Our elderly population needs all of us to step up and follow this pharmacist's example.

11/28/2007

Representative Rick Larsen
United States House of Representatives
1529 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Rick:

From time to time you have been able to stop in our pharmacy when on
Lopez Island and I always felt you listened to our concerns about health
care. I thought I'd share with you what I call the Medicare Part D
Merry-Go-Round. Each year the Medicare patient must reevaluate their
respective Medicare Part D drug plan, only because the coverage that they
had during the current year can and does change each year.

Plans have low balled premiums only to raise them in latter years
with the hope that most Medicare patients won't change their plan. If they
don't raise their premium they change what they cover. If that isn't enough
the plans then still covers their drugs, but then changes the copays, or
other criteria for their drugs. This is a unbelievable complicated system
for our seniors. We try to help our patients make sense of the changes, and
when we can we provide education to them to show what their plan was, is or
will be. Again most of the plans are betting that the patient will not
change plans.

I've got a good grasp on the system and it takes me hours to
evaluate the plans, can you imagine how a Medicare patient that isn't
computer savvy feels? This system needs to be fixed and fixed now. Think
about these common sense ideas.

1. Make a fixed list of drugs that are covered for a basic, premium and
deluxe plan.
2. Make copays fixed for generics and brand name.
3. Get the rebates that are lining the pockets of the managers of these
plans into the patients pocket by getting rid of the donut hole.
4. Let the PBM's make their money by being claims processors, not slight of
hand artists in hiding their rebate dollars.
5. Remove the self-referrals that the PBM's are making by steering the
Medicare patient into their own mail order pharmacies.
6. We need to allow medications to stand on their own two feet for their
effectiveness, not how many TV ads that can generate.
These direct to consumer ads are adding huge amounts to the cost of
prescriptions in this country. We all know that more dollars are spent on
promotions than on research.
7. Finally make one plan ran by Medicare itself, not by the private plans.

Our elected officials have the power to change this system and it
must be changed. What is important is getting quality care to our seniors.

Respectfully,

Richard C.McCoy,Jr.R.Ph.
Lopez Island Pharmacy
Lopez Island, WA 98261
360-468-2616 x103

***Reproduction and publication rights are granted on this letter to
any group or individual ***

If we all take action like this one pharmacist, we can make an impact. However, the time to act is now. To find your State Representative, click here.

Start Planning Now for a Profitable 2008

2007-11-30T15:32:00.000-06:00

I’m Dreaming of a Profitable Independent Pharmacy
Just like the ones we used to know
Where the Cash Paying Customers are Plenty
And low reimbursements don’t result in bankruptcy
And we see Independents everywhere we go

Ah yes, the good ole days. Despite the fact that there is plenty to complain about, we predict that in 20, 30, or even 40 years from now we will talk about pharmacy in the “good ole days” as we remember the ’00 years. You laugh but give us a chance to explain.

So often we all get wrapped up with “what is wrong” in pharmacy, that we don’t make changes, don’t make decisions, and continue to run our pharmacy the same old way. Thus, we can’t create good times because we are so focused on the bad stuff.

A great quote from Albert Einstein says:

“In the Middle of Every Difficulty . . . Lies Opportunity!”

We interpret that to say:

“While you continue to complain about your problems and do nothing, wise pharmacy owners see these challenges as opportunities. They have already made the necessary changes and have built a profitable pharmacy business.”

Since this is the time of year to reflect and determine what you will do differently next year, let’s utilize this time to figure out how we will make the ‘00 years the “good ole days” in pharmacy. The best way to do that is one pharmacy at a time. Let’s start with you.

By the end of 2007, we challenge you to take an entire day to reflect on your pharmacy business. Go somewhere where you can really get away from it all. Away from your pharmacy, your family, your customers, your employees, and turn off that blasted cell phone. This should be a day with no interruptions. All you need is a legal pad, a pen, and some snacks (including water) to make sure you are nourished enough to think.

Here are some questions for you to ponder and answer:

Keep Doing ~ Start Doing ~ Stop Doing

What is working in your pharmacy business? What is profitable?

What should you start doing? What are other pharmacy owners doing that you could add to your business?

What no longer makes sense and thus you should stop doing it? What (if anything) is causing you to lose money?

What insurance companies are logical to keep? Who should you drop? Should you add any? What about Medicaid and Medicare?

What else about your prescription department should you examine? What should you cut back or cut out all together? What can you add or expand in your prescription pharmacy business (Compounding, Pain Meds, Vet Medicine, and Specialty Pharmacy)?

Does it make sense to sell off all or part of your traditional pharmacy business and use that money to expand into profitable areas?

What OTC and front end business makes sense? What needs to go? Is it time to add Health & Wellness products?

What marketing worked in ‘07? What failed? Isn’t it time for a website? Is it time to change your website? What is your marketing plan for ’08?

What customers should you keep? What customers should you fire? Yes, we said fire. We give you permission to refer those high maintenance customers that give you very little business to your competition. Let the chains spin their wheels on them.

Define your target customer and figure out how to get them coming in your door.

How about your membership to NCPA? What can your association do for you? Is it time to get more involved? What about pharmacy buying groups? Should you join one? Is the one you belong to a good fit for your pharmacy practice? If not, locate one that is a better fit for your needs and join them.

By the end of the day you should have defined 3-5 big changes for 2008. These are the kind of changes that when you implement them will give you huge results and a bright pharmacy future. The kind of changes where others say, “Wow! Look at ___________ Pharmacy. I wonder what they are doing. I want to be just like them.”

One more thing before we go. Be sure to tell your spouse, your business partner, or somone what your top 3-5 target goals are for ’08. It is vital that you have someone who can hold you accountable.

If you like what you read here, please share this blog with your colleagues.

We would love to hear your comments on what you like about us and what we can change for you in 2008. Click here to give us your feedback. Anyone sending in a comment will be given a one year membership to the Keep Your Pharmacy Open Message Board.