Certain pharmacists, trying to cope with the increased competition, overestimate their resources and, sometimes, exaggerate about the abilities of their staff or their suppliers. “We will bring it to you in one hour”, “we will deliver it to you immediately”. That is music to your customers’ ears as long as you can keep your promise.
You must always have in mind that the results of breaking a promise can damage your relationship with your customers and the reputation of your pharmacy. A person who feels disappointed by your attitude and service is a customer that will not trust you again. Or, as the old saying goes, “it takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it”.
The sales process involves many stages. You may be able to offer excellent prices and excellent customer service, but you may fall short in delivery time. Your clients will be unhappy; they want an impeccable service. They will not compromise with price, product and service, they want everything to run smooth from A to Z!
Additionally, you must take into account that apart from your relationship with your clientele, big promises increase operating costs as well. Smaller pharmacies need to be very careful, because they cannot compete with large online rivals, especially when third parties become involved, like mailing or courier services. Their inconsistency will reflect on you and your pharmacy’s reputation.
In conclusion, it is smarter to be accurate than give a promise you cannot keep. This way you gain the trust of your customers, keep them happy and make them revisit your pharmacy.