Amazingly I saw recently some pharmacies using old systems running Clipper Language. I spent some time looking at what kind of job or task the pharmacy clerk was doing. I notice the old screen template (at least going back 20 years) was designed to control medicines, orders, customer’s data, dates and so on.
Then I thought…that´s ok what is the need to develop or buy a new system, if this old one still running and fulfilling the needs?
The tricky question is not related to system, but organization culture. Let me explain:
I´ve been a customer for these 2 pharmacies at least for the past 5 years. What is the last time that someone from these companies gets in contact with me to see how am I going? What is my opinion about the customer assistance? Did I get properly assist during the “shopping time”? Anything?
Of course this is not a matter of system. They could do even using a notebook and a pencil.
The old system reflects the old culture. This means the customers go there to buy. They don´t go to the customers to sell. But should pharmacies that manipulate medicines do that? Is that ethical? Yes, it is. Because they also offer other products, courses and much more.
The point is that any company needs to know their customers and go for it. Any company needs to turn of the take orders mode and turn on the customer´s focus policy.
Instead of think in systems, marketing strategies, the companies who have been wondering to enhance services and sales should really care about their customers, to listen them for good or for bad. Listen what is doing well and what could be better, what are the opportunities to get better services and products.
Paper and pencil, Clipper or brand new web browser system won´t work if you don´t change your mind set. Let´s turn on the mode customer is in charge and see how it goes.
Daniel Itzicovitch
