11 Mar The Business of Pharmacy – Podcast
The Pharmacy of Happiness: how to reach it in 5 steps
In these dark times affected by fear of disease and war, we must transform your Pharmacy in a positive and happy place, of course in a profitable way.
I hope that this newsletter for Happiness and Wellbeing could inspire pharmacist owners and CEOs, in order to cultivate wellbeing as a way of life and enrich the relationship between the pharmacies and their neighborhoods.
“Positivity is a way of thinking, and happiness is a lifestyle. In other words, it is not what you own or do that makes you happy; it is how you think about things”
(Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Vice President & Prime Minister of the UAE)
1) Welcome:
A study conducted at Michigan State University found that cracking a genuine smile can improve one’s mood and make people more productive. Researchers examined the behaviour of a group of bus drivers for two weeks and explored what happened when they engaged in fake smiling. This is known as ‘surface acting’ as opposed to ‘deep acting’ where they generate genuine smiles through positive thoughts. The researchers found that on days when the drivers forced their smiles, their moods worsened, while on days when they smiled genuinely (by cultivating pleasant thoughts and memories) their moods improved and their productivity increased. (Academy of Management Journal (2011).
RESEARCH IN NEUROSCIENCE HAS SHOWN THAT WHEN WE SEE OTHERS SMILING, CERTAIN BRAIN CELLS, KNOWN AS MIRROR NEURONS, ARE ACTIVATED, STIMULATING OUR BODIES TO RESPOND IN KIND. *
You and your team consequently need to smile, be welcoming and make your patients feel immediately at home. In this way you’ll generate straight away a positive connection with them and they’ll be more open to talk and buy of course. You will be recognized as a Health coaching for your clients’ life, and this means loyalty for your Pharmacy, for your brand.
2) Atmosphere:
A positive work environment motivates people to arrive in the morning with a smile on their faces, excited about the day ahead.
This kind of environment is a product of both the safety and the quality of the physical space and the social atmosphere. It contributes to a positive and innovative culture which inspires creativity, encourages collaboration, celebrates successes, respects different opinions and abilities, and supports growth. When the atmosphere is positive and the physical space is designed in a way that makes people feel comfortable, they will feel good and work more.
On the other hand, if the front-end is also designed by coping with the well-being of the patients, they will feel good and show affection to your programs & services.
A study conducted by Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands explored how design can contribute to happiness and wellbeing. Atmosphere is certainly very important; the way in which you keep your pharmacy shows your clients how you care about them.
By proceeding toward the Positive Design of your Pharmacy you’ll reach a double goal: customer satisfaction and your team more motivated to work better. Needless to say, this will result in more profits for you.
In the event you do not feel the urge to do drastic changes, just go for small improvements instead: increase the natural light, add some colours or some plants (real or stabilized ones) or introduce some accessories to remodel a small corner of the pharmacy.
CASE STUDY MINDVALLEY _ Mindvalley, a company focused on personal growth, has designed its workspace to reflect the company’s values and beliefs. It features bright, emotive colours inspired by its motto: “Happiness is productivity”. The offices also boast life-size figurines and wall murals of superheroes to remind employees that they are empowered and capable of achieving extraordinary things. As an incubator and developer of innovation in businesses, Mindvalley encourages self-improvement by emulating happiness in its environment. Mindvalley – A Peek Behind Mindvalley’s Beautiful Workspace & the Inspiration Behind its Design
CASE STUDY La Salute Pharmacy (Italy) _ When we first totally remodeled this Pharmacy situated in a village south of Rome, the patients totally changed their attitude toward it. Before the remodel they were coming undressed, sometimes in pajamas, run-down clothed and they were always in a rush. Their attitude however totally changed once we transformed all the internal areas: they started to stay longer, ask questions, use the consultation and the other services. Likewise, clients’ dresses look much better now, as they went to an important place for showing off. They consequently respect the place more and start to feel part of it.
3) Messages:
positivity starts also from communication; it needs to be oral and graphically oriented.
To enhance your oral communication towards your patients, you need to use empathy and respect even though I’m sure you already do this all the time.
Retail communication and customer service go hand-in-hand. People want their experiences to be positive and unique – anything less could divert customer feelings and loyalty from the brand.
So, what makes a good communications strategy? Knowing and responding to consumer trends and, as I repeatedly wrote: the storytelling.
In order to improve the interior graphic communication, you need first to make order in your categories (macro & micro) and your products. And you primarily need to focus on health and well-being.
Once you have clarified this, you should find the best creative and organized way to transfer the info to your patients.
Interior graphic communication transforms your walls, the fixtures, and also the ceiling. Colours, shapes and creative patterns can also remind your customers of the history and your Pharmacy’s generations throughout years.
A proper design becomes your helpful tool making you stand out, your decisive brand hammer.
4) Services:
Commitment to provide services achieving customer happiness and ensuring the happiness of the entire community should be always there.
It is essential in today’s market to provide the pharmacy with the right spaces for consultation. There are many ways to do it, even using pre-assembled rooms. We have items like that to be erected on-site in just 4 hours (and complete with electricity and water).
Patients need you and your professionalism, and you need to understand their needs to cope with them and follow them on their path for happiness and well-being. Sometimes prevention and adherence to therapy play a role.
To achieve this purpose, the consultation rooms must be designed not as residual spaces, but as quality ones. You have to make your patients feel good, perhaps by creating real memberships for them in your wellness programs.
5) Surprise:
There is nothing better than surprising with a surprise, who doesn’t like a gift? Everyone likes it and maybe you can put a note inside with a positive and reassuring statement. It doesn’t take a long time. Thoughts are remembered by everyone, and surprises such as discounted products can also be used in a beautiful way to transform the gloomy day of some of your customers.
The happiness of your patients and your team must be your goal. Why? Happiness is defined by two aspects of wellbeing: the first state is an experiential emotional one (the experience of positive emotions overcoming the negative ones) and the second one is evaluative** (the history of old feelings and the measurement of the satisfaction derived from those ones). Sticking with these aforementioned principles empowers you to create an experiential Pharmacy where happiness & wellbeing are the roots of solid relationships.
In recent years, we have seen a rising emphasis on nurturing happiness and wellbeing. It is very important to bring this mentality throughout your own pharmacy. Times are changing and we are to lead you in the direction that we know from experience that it is the right one.
* https://www.hw.gov.ae/en/download/a-guide-to-happiness-and-wellbeing-program-in-the-workplace-1
** Kahneman, Daniel, and Jason Riis. “Living and Thinking about It: Two Perspectives on Life.” In The Science of Well-Being, edited by N. Baylis, Felicia A. Huppert, and B. Keverne, 285–301. Oxford University Press, 2005.