Understanding the needs of the Community

As I travel around the country visiting our pharmacies, I pass by any number of big-box drug stores, I sometimes find myself thinking, “Is it really that essential to have a CVS or Walgreen’s on the corner of just about every major intersection on the road? Are they really serving the needs of the community? Or, is it more likely, they are really out to serve themselves.”

Being that I’m responsible for all pharmacy Operations for Benzer Pharmacy, my answers to those questions are pretty easy to guess. For starters, you just can’t dismiss the proliferation of new, “same-old” construction as anything other than a big power grab. The effort to squeeze out family run, locally owned pharmacies is hardly surprising. Nor is the idea that such a transactional business model does next to nothing for improving clinical outcomes for pharmacy customers.

This is where we have drawn the line and are creating a different model of Pharmacy; one that brings the patient experience, engagement and positive outcome to the forefront.

On one hand, of course, we represent a name brand—not unlike the industry giants. But unlike them, we seek to unite independent pharmacy businesses rather than erase them from existence. Back when we started a little more than ten years ago, we saw there was a lot to like about the traditional drugstore experience of the past. So, we sought to preserve it as much as possible.

On the outside it says Benzer Pharmacy and on the inside it is just as much of an independent experience with patient centric focus as ever, I have encouraged my leaders to preserve all of the hometown feeling . I am never surprised by the ability of our pharmacists and technicians to maintain a first name basis with almost every single patient that connection cannot be a cookie cutter model it needs to be fostered over years of trust in the patient first focus.

Before we make any entry into a new community, we ask ourselves some important questions first. For example, “Is there a customer base that’s grown up around the location? Is the storefront carrying the products and medications that meet those needs? How can we help keep the doors open and inviting for a generation of people who only think about getting in and out, and on with life? While preserving that local independent experience?”

The answers help us understand the needs of the community, before we go about serving our own.

No question about it.